Republicans Thrash Obama’s Party

United States Republicans have seized the House of Representatives in mid-term  elections, dealing a severe blow to President Barack Obama’s ability to pass laws.

On a tide of economic unease, they won at least 57 of the 435 House seats.

However, Mr Obama’s Democrats narrowly retained control of the Senate, despite  losing six seats, including some to candidates backed by the Tea Party.

The president phoned John Boehner, the likely new House speaker, to say he hoped to  “find common ground” with him.

Speaking after his own re-election, Mr Boehner vowed to cut spending and reduce the  size of government. He said voters had sent Mr Obama a message to “change course”.

Compounding the misery for Mr Obama’s camp, a Republican captured the president’s  old Senate seat in Illinois.

But in Nevada, one of the most dramatic contests of the night, Democratic veteran  Harry Reid fought off Tea Party challenger Sharron Angle. US Senator John Kerry  reacted with delight: “Harry Reid isn’t just Dracula, he isn’t just Lazarus, he’s  our leader and our whole caucus is thrilled that he’s unbreakable and unbeatable.”

While some of the Tea Party’s most eccentric candidates lost their races, the  conservative wing of the Republican Party is now a power in the land, BBC North  America editor Mark Mardell reports.

This is hugely difficult for the president. While there will be much talk of  compromise and reaching deals, many Tea Party supporters’ explicit aim is to block  and undo Mr Obama’s agenda.

Up for election were all 435 seats in the House (the lower chamber of Congress), 37  of the 100 seats in the Senate, governorships of 37 of the 50 states and all but  four state legislatures.

With counts still to be completed, projections suggested the Republicans had  obtained a net gain of 57 seats in the House, more than in the tumultuous 1994  mid-terms.

Senate results from Washington State, Alaska and Colorado have still to be called,  as well as the race for governor of Florida.

And among various local referendums, an attempt to legalise marijuana in California  was defeated, while Oklahoma backed a measure banning judges from using Islamic law  in rulings.

Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2010 P.M.News