U.S. 2002 Midterm Elections

▪ 2003

      The 2002 midterm elections proved that no generality in American politics was absolute. Although a first-term president's party had not gained ground in midterm elections since 1934, Republicans in 2002 increased their narrow margins in the U.S. House and regained control of the U.S. Senate with Pres. George W. Bush taking the point.

      Though Democrats were perceived to have had the advantage early in the year as concerns over the sluggish national economy and a declining stock market unsettled voters, Bush's conduct regarding the “war on terrorism” was widely supported. Democrats were generally supportive of that effort and had attempted to remove security as an issue by focusing public attention on domestic issues, such as the establishment of a prescription drug benefit for senior citizens, the provision of additional federal help for education, and a slower phase-in period for Bush's 2001 tax-cut plan.

      With control of the White House “bully pulpit,” however, Republicans kept the focus on support for the popular president. During the year the Republican-controlled House passed dozens of Bush-approved bills, only to see them die in the Senate. When Bush attempted to set up a new umbrella Department of Homeland Security to coordinate domestic antiterrorism efforts, Democrats objected because the proposal allowed the administration to bypass civil-service protections for department employees. By accident or design the controversy was not settled before the election, and Democrats were widely criticized for blocking security efforts.

      At one point Republicans appeared poised to replace a rising Democratic star, Sen. Robert Torricelli of New Jersey, who was admonished by his Senate colleagues following an ethics investigation into his campaign contributions and acceptance of personal gifts. Torricelli fell more than 10 points behind an inexperienced GOP challenger and abruptly quit the race only five weeks before the election. Democrats, however, were able to replace him with former senator Frank Lautenberg, 78, who won the seat handily.

      Then, in late October, Sen. Paul Wellstone, a liberal Democrat who was expected to win a third term, was killed when his light plane crashed in northern Minnesota. (See Obituaries (Wellstone, Paul David ).) Democrats quickly settled on replacement candidate Walter Mondale, 74, a popular former senator and U.S. vice president. A nationally televised memorial service for Wellstone turned ugly, however, when Wellstone partisans booed conservative politicians in attendance, and Democrats were perceived to have turned the occasion into a political rally. As a result, support for Republican Norm Coleman surged.

      Bush was unusually active on the campaign trail, barnstorming the country and effectively transforming local elections into referenda on his stewardship. By contrast, Democrats had difficulty settling on a common message. A notable split developed among prominent Democrats over scrapping the tax cuts to balance the federal budget; another appeared over challenging Bush's aggressive stance against Iraq.

      On election day Republicans picked up six seats in the House, expanding their advantage to 229–206. More important, the GOP recorded a net gain of two Senate slots, including the Minnesota seat, to take control of that body. Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana won a competitive runoff in December to retain her seat, which allowed Democrats to finish the year on an upbeat note. As a practical matter, however, the two parties would be at parity across the country when the new Congress was sworn in in 2003, but Republicans would enjoy control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.

David C. Beckwith

* * *