Republican hopes

While Republicans across the country are groaning over the loss of the House and the possible future loss of the Senate, there are still reasons for them to hope. Alex Maugeri '07, president of Princeton College Republicans, says that this is a great opportunity for the party to refocus. “This is what happens," he says, "when Republicans move away from their values. It’s a time for the Republicans to regroup, and a time for the Democrats to stumble.”

For whatever problems the Republicans are encountering now, there is no question that the Democrats' reign in the House of Representatives will not be easy. Future Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's position is "impossible," says Maugeri, also a 'Prince' editor. Many congressmen who picked up seats (Casey Jr., Lieberman, etc.) are "Democrats who aren't being Democrats," Maugeri said, holding several traditionally Republican values.

"This isn’t a governing coalition. The far left of the Democratic party has been totally repudiated and as a result I think the Democrats are going to have a very hard time governing and this bodes well for a 2008 presidential bid.”

This election is already being compared to the 1994 Republican sweep. But Maugeri says that similarities are not as perfect as Democrats would like. "Incumbents who lost seats were victims of wave of anti-war sentiment, which is not a governing philosophy. That’s what so different from 1994.”

Even Cindy Hong, Princeton College Democrats campaign chairman, agrees. "The election is more of a reaction against Republicans than a mandate for Democratic values," she says, based on a single issue:

Iraq, Iraq, Iraq.

-- Rachel Dunn in Frist Campus Center