Article Review
A House and Senate Divided:
The Clinton Legacy and Congressional Elections of 2000
This particular article discussed the party divisions in the House of Representatives and the Senate directly following the Clinton presidency and the election of President George W. Bush. The author delves into the possible reasoning and probable causes of this split. It is also examined how the different regions and different types of citizens align themselves with a party.
The 2000 presidential elections saw the growing precedence of the close partisan balance. This balance caused the House to enjoy less party competition for the incumbent seats during the 2000 election. Very few House members lost their seat to the opposite party. In the end, only 6 incumbents were defeated in the election. Four seats formerly held by Republicans were now in the hands of the Democrats and 2 former Democrat seats were now in the Republicans control.
English: Official photograph portrait of former U....
George W. Bush official photo.
President Bush signing the Federal Funding Account...In contrast, the Senate lost five Republican seats to the Democrats. This caused the Senate to become evenly divided, something that had only happened one other time in American History. This is a good thing for the American public because it gives both parties equal representation and equal footing in floor debates. It is not, however, beneficial for the president and vice-president because it creates a hostile atmosphere for any change to happen that may be the least bit partisan.
This balance that has formed in the House and Senate was indicative of how the states voted in the presidential election. Bush won twenty-five of the twenty-six states in the South, Plains, and Mountain West. In concurrence with their presidential votes, these regions voted Republican for 63% of the 67% Senate seats. Democratic regions such as the Northeast, Midwest, and the West Coast followed suit with...