Republicans Make Historic Gains in State Legislatures, Pick Up Hundreds of Seats

Republicans matched their historic victories in Congress with a sweep of state legislative chambers across the country Tuesday, a feat which will have considerable bearing on the next election. 

The GOP picked up at least 19 chambers and hundreds of seats, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures -- though the tally is not final and Republican recruitment arm GOPAC pegs the party's chamber pickups at about 23. In several states, Republicans took control of both chambers and the governor's seat. 

Though the taking of the U.S. House of Representatives overshadowed the victories for the Republican Party on the state level, the state legislatures take on outsized importance ahead of the 2012 cycle. State governments are responsible for redrawing the congressional districts in accordance with the results of the 2010 Census, and the GOP now has a much stronger voice in that process. 

"It is truly historic that we could flip that many legislative chambers in one off-year election," GOPAC Chairman Frank Donatelli told FoxNews.com. "It's broad, it's deep and it's across the entire country." 

The party picked up 20 chambers in the 1994 election and with the balance of power still unclear in several states, the GOP could surpass that performance in 2010. 

The state-level GOP wave could help their congressional counterparts build a bigger majority in the next cycle. Donatelli noted that it also gives Republicans an immediate chance to push their agenda while the U.S. Congress potentially falls prey to political deadlock. 

"We can now begin the reform process in a lot of these states right now. We don't have to wait for 2012 to happen," he said. 

Overall, more than 6,100 state legislative seats were up for grabs in 46 states. Republican state legislative candidates made a net gain of more than 500 seats on Tuesday, giving them more seats than at any time since 1928, according to the NCSL. 

In several states, the party took total control of one or two branches of government. 

The GOP took back both chambers in Alabama, North Carolina, Minnesota, Maine, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. They also took control of the state legislatures in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio by winning the House -- they already held the Senate in those states. 

To boot, former GOP Rep. John Kasich ousted Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland in Ohio. Republican Tom Corbett also took the Pennsylvania gubernatorial seat back from the Democrats, as did Republican Rick Snyder in Michigan. Republican governors will be in place in Alabama, Maine and Wisconsin as well. 

Since redistricting is often subject to a veto by the governor, single-party control of government is ideal for Republicans trying to shape the districts to their liking. 

In New York, Republicans were seeking to take back the state Senate, but it was still too close to call. 

More chambers were expected to fall from the Democrats, as voters registered their disenchantment with an anemic economy, high unemployment and an overall gloomy national mood leading up to the midterm elections. 

Michael Sargeant, director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said Democratic state candidates should be proud of the "hard-fought campaigns" they waged in a year when the tide was surging against them. 

"During a national recession, Democratic legislative majorities have worked hard to reverse the damage their states have suffered from national Republican policies. Democrats didn't back away from tough decisions, and their efforts to create and save jobs while balancing state budgets rarely received support from their Republican colleagues," he said in a statement. "In tough times Democratic legislators provided the steady leadership and made the wise investments needed to move their states forward." 

A bright spot for Democrats was in Illinois, President Obama's home state. The GOP had the Illinois House on its target list, but Democrats were able to fend off Republicans to retain control of both the House and Senate. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet Wins Colorado Senate Race, AP Reports

DENVER -- Sen. Michael Bennet narrowly defeated tea party Republican Ken Buck on Wednesday, allowing Democrats to hold onto a Senate seat once viewed a prime opportunity for the GOP to make gains.

Bennet provided a crucial firewall against further Republican gains in the Senate during midterm elections in which the GOP made a historic surge. Many polls showed that Buck had a small lead heading into the election.

The race attracted more out-of-state campaign money than any other Senate contest this year, prompting a stream of vicious attack ads as both parties viewed the race as the one that could tip the balance of power in Congress.

"This is definitely a race for the record books," Bennet said in a victory speech outside the Denver museum where President Barack Obama last year signed the stimulus bill into law.

Bennet urged sharply divided Colorado voters and politicians to "set aside our petty differences and make sure this state and this country lead in the 21st century." And he congratulated Buck, saying, "I honor his commitment to public service."

With 97 percent of the projected vote counted, Bennet was leading by about 15,400 votes out of 1.4 million cast.

Buck didn't immediately concede the race.

"We are still looking where returns need to be reported, as well as provisional ballots before making any decisions," Buck said in a post on his Facebook page.

Bennet, 45, was appointed to the seat last year to replace Ken Salazar, who became Interior Secretary. Before his appointment, Bennet was superintendent of Denver Public Schools and had never run for public office.

Democrats retained control of the Senate on Tuesday, though they lost at least six seats to the GOP. Senate races in Washington and Alaska were too close to call Wednesday.

With the Senate victory, Democrats were able to beat back strong GOP challenges in the midterms. Democrat John Hickenlooper won the governor's race, although Republicans picked up two House seats in the state.

During the Colorado campaign, Bennet painted Buck as too conservative, especially on social issues. Buck opposes abortion rights, even in cases of rape and incest, and considers sexual orientation a choice.

Bennet and the Democrats pounded Buck with attack ads calling him "too extreme for Colorado."

Buck sought to portray Bennet as part of the problem in Washington as the federal government carries out reckless spending.

Among the heavy-hitters coming to Buck's assistance was American Crossroads, a conservative group affiliated with Republican strategist Karl Rove that spent millions on ads attacking Bennet.

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Pelosi’s Political Future Clouded by Historic Losses for Dems

After Republicans dismantled the Democratic majority in the House on Tuesday, Democrats must decide whether to re-elect Nancy Pelosi as the top Democrat once party takes its new minority position -- and she must decide whether even to seek that role.

During the campaign, several Democrats said they wouldn't support the California liberal for leader or declined to commit to Pelosi for a third term if their party were to hold onto a slim majority, as their internal polling showed that her high negative rating were an albatross.

Pelosi, when asked if she asked if she would stick around in leadership, said, "I'll let you know," as she boarded an elevator.

With the loss of so many key chairmen and moderate Democrats in Tuesday's GOP onslaught, the Democratic leadership will face considerable upheaval.

Among those Democratic leaders and long-serving lawmakers were Reps. Ike Skelton of Missouri, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee; 11-term moderate Gene Taylor of Mississippi, who pledged to repeal health care and said he wanted someone like Skelton to be leader; and 10-termer Chet Edwards of Texas. Other key losses included Reps. John Spratt, chairman of the House Budget Committee, Jim Oberstar, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and six-termer Ciro Rodriguez.

In all, Republicans picked up at least 60 House seats and were poised to gain a few more -- far more than what was needed for a majority and the biggest party turnover in more than 70 years.

But now that they have lost control of the House, the decidedly more liberal caucus has to decide how it wants to be led. If Pelosi decides to step down, or if lawmakers decide to remove her from the top of the food chain, it could touch off a leadership grab that may give Rep. Steny Hoyer, the present majority leader, a greater role. Or it could make way for another brand of leadership.

In the wake of the losses Tuesday night, Pelosi reflected on the Democrats' accomplishments in the majority and looked ahead to a new era of cooperation without indicating her plans.

"The outcome of the election does not diminish the work we have done for the American people," she said. "We must all strive to find common ground to support the middle class, create jobs, reduce the deficit and move our nation forward."

Some analysts say Pelosi and possibly other leaders will retire in the face of the huge losses and rebellion from some members. But several aides to Democratic leaders told FoxNews.com that she is taking time to consider her next move. Still others said the Democratic leadership has no intention of leaving.

Kristie Greco, a spokesman for House Majority Whip James Clyburn, said her boss plans to run for a leadership position in the next Congress but is "uncertain" about which one at this point because it is not clear what the other leaders will do.

Greco added that she did not know what the other leaders were going to do or what the agenda would be in the next Congress.

"We suffered a lot of losses last night and we need to reassess and regroup," she said.

Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami said Wednesday that Pelosi has been talking to members of her family and caucus.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, offered a platitude Wednesday for the way forward for Democrats.

"House Democrats are committed to moving forward to create jobs for all Americans, strengthen the middle class, lower the deficit, and stand up for working Americans against the special interests," he said in a written statement.

Van Hollen also refused to accept any blame for the carnage suffered by Democrats.

"Last night's election was a perfect political storm born out of the understandable frustration felt by the American people in response to high unemployment caused by the worst financial crash since the Great Depression," he said. "The record amount of secret money spend by right-wing outside groups turned this political storm into a category 3 hurricane."

On the Republican side, victory spelled clarity: Rep. John Boehner of Ohio is expected to become the next speaker of the House while Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia will be majority leader and Rep. Kevin McCarty of California will become majority whip.

Indiana Republican Rep. Mike Pence, who has not said publicly but is widely expected to make a bid for a gubernatorial or presidential post, has opted not to seek re-election as chairman of the House Republican Conference, the No. 4 post in the House. That likelihood opened the door for Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas to declare his candidacy, as has Rep. Michele Bachmann, a Tea Party champion. Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers has said she will seek to retain her post as vice chairwoman of the House Republican Conference. 

Cantor has already started reaching out to colleagues to make known his intention to stand for House majority leader by releasing a letter and governing document that promised all efforts would address job creation and the economy, shrinking the size of government while expanding liberty. The post would also give him the distinction of becoming the highest ranking Jewish member ever to serve in the House.

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