6A - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 ELECTION 2006: MONTANA Senate A race for this seat between incumbent Republican Sen. Conrad Burns and Democratic challenger John Tester remained too close to call at 5 a.m. because of a technical glitch that required some votes to be recounted. HOWD MISSOURI Senate In a political bout that lived up to its hype, State Auditor Claire McCaskill squeaked past incumbent Sen. Jim Talent by just 30,000 votes. A ballot initiative in Missouri to ban embryonic stem cell research played a key role in the race. Talent supported the ban, while McCaskill opposed it. PENNS' Senate Voters r Santorsr resound former C OHIO Senate In a race considered key foi in the Senate, Democratic I defeated Republican incurr DeWine. Corruption charg( in Ohio and nationwide anc with the Iraq War in this lar state are two factors that li DeWine's loss. The nations all but conceded this seat t it stopped running ads on C E i ;; b d g KANSAS 2nd District In a startling upset in this reddest of red states, Democratic Rep. Nancy Boyda defeated the Republican incumbent Rep. Jim Ryun, illustrating just how big this year's Democratic tidal wave was. Until recently, it appeared that Ryun, one of the most conservative members of Congress, was pulling away with the lead. But as Election Day approached, Boyda kicked her grassroots campaigning and fundraising efforts into high gear and captured a victory. s# - - TENNESSEE Senate University Law School alum Harold Ford, a ° Democratic congressman, failed in his bid to t the open seat vacated by retiring Senate Majo Leader Bill Frist. He lost to former Chattanoog mayor Bob Corker. If he had won, Ford would ----.have been the first black senator elected from former Confederate states since Reconstructic take ority ga the ion. _ TEXAS 22nd District Former Democratic Congressman Nick Lampson beat write-in candidate Sheila Sekula-Gibbs in this battle for control oftthe seat once held by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. DeLay resigned his post early this year under a cloud of scandal. i r' ' i 17 1 How will t U.S. HOUSE (results as of 4 A.M.) By Christina Hildr NEWS ANALYSIS Democrats steamrolled into a House majority last night, con- trolling Capitol Hill for the first time since most University seniors started reading chapter books. Nancy Pelosi is set to become the first female Speaker of the House, and American voters effectively halted President Bush's domestic agenda. What will Democrats do with their newfound ability to advance their own agenda? Nothing fancy, analysts say. Even if Democrats scrap up a 51st seat in the Senate, don't expect a pendular policy swing. Despite losing most of the con- tested House seats, Republicans can rest in the comfort that yes- terday's election probably won't result in a pervasive liberalization of Washington. Yes, Democrats made some gains in this election, but experts say they're likely to be careful for fear they could screw up 2008. Charles Shipai, a public pol- icy professor and an expert on Congressional politics, said the Pelosi Democrats will be moder- ate, using the House to push rela- tively uncontroversial legislation through Congress "I don't think we'll see a lot of major policy changes," he said. But we might see some new causes, he said. A Democratic House will probably take up issues like raising the minimum wage, something to which a Republican Congress would beaverse. Yesterday's Democratic victo- ries could also mea a boost at the bottom line of students' financial aid reports. Increasing the acces- sibility of higher education was a top priority on the platform Demo- crats quietly released back in June. The 31-page "New Direction for America" advocates tax credits for science, math, neering stude Democrats su nedy (D-Mass that would bti ters, usingthe: maximum Pel to $4,500 and study funding Don't expe< Capitol Hill rE touchy issue dear to the he vatives like ab or stem cell re "Dems just those," he sai don't want to rents. As far as in Iraq, Ship difficult for I together a cor party cohesiv( a solid policy. "Democra4 ranging opini DemoCrat Too Close to Call pLI Republican NOTES FROM First Socialist elected to Senate S. Dakota rejects abortion ban AROUND THE U.S. Vermont voters elected Rep. Bernie Sanders, an indepen- South Dakota voters rejected a proposal thatw dent who identifies as a Socialist to theen erdav have banned nearly all abortions - even in the case of 'ould frape Ariz. votes down gay marriage Arizona voters loot likely to reject a ban on gay I The proposal, which v'ould have banned gay marriag< arrangement resembling marriage, was trailing at 3 over 30,000 votes with 96 percent of precincts re Arizona would be the first state to reject a ban on ga riage at the ballot box. Ui wV U1t1CasaOtlla, I U~tcGl a. Sanders replaces retiring independent Sen. James Jeffords, who was last elected as a Republican, but left the party in 2001. This makes Sanders both the first Socialist elected to the Senate. or incest. The rejection comes as a blow to social conserva- tives who had hoped to use the new law to challenge Roe V. Wade. Compiled from Associated Press reports I