How The 2006 Election Sets Up The 2008 Election

For twelve years the Republican Party has controlled the U.S. Congress. This year's election saw the tables turn in the Democrat's favor. Many saw this victory as a colossal sweep or a "mandate" from the American people for change. How the Democrats use their new power will greatly affect the 2008 elections.

Americans will be watching closely over the next to years, monitoring the Democrat's progress. How every member votes will be critical in setting up the 2008 Congressional and Presidential elections. If the Democrats move too far to the left, then there might be repercussions from the voters. However, the more towards the center they stay on issues, then the more likely they are to maintain their majority in Congress. They have to remember that they didn't win by a landslide. 75,000 votes the other way is all it would have taken for Republicans to stay in power (Fox News). Many of the Democrats ran as "Conservative Democrats." This could get them into some trouble with constituents if their "Conservative Democrat" platform is nothing but a phony. With what some would call the most liberal democrats in leadership positions in congress-conservative democrats will be pressured hard to vote far left on most issues. This sets up a 2008 election in which it is very easy for Republicans to take bake control of congress. Republicans will be able to point out the far left majority in congress and appeal to more moderate voters. Democrats have two years to prove themselves and it's not going to be easy.

The 2006 elections left the political landscape for the 2008 Presidential election very blurry. Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist (Tenn.) lost in this year's midterm election. A once presidential hopeful now has a very slim chance of getting the party's nomination. The upset in Tennessee set up John McCain as the forerunner for the Republicans in the 2008 election. That is if the former