 | Presidential race too close to call 90% of AOPA PAC recipients win election to Congress |
While the presidential race remains too close to call this morning, 90% of the recipients who received support from AOPA PAC were elected or reelected to membership in the U.S. Congress. Meanwhile, 127 AOPA PAC recipients were among the candidates who won election or reelection to the House and Senate. Republicans lost several hotly contested seats but as of 10:00 a.m. (EST) were able to maintain a 217 to 208 margin (with 2 Ind.) for control of the chamber. Control was made possible on the strength of close victories by AOPA members Robin Hayes in North Carolina and Charles Bass in New Hampshire. They will rejoin AOPA member Leonard Boswell of Iowa and Colin Peterson of Minnesota who had much easier races. Election night also saw first-time victories for House candidate and AOPA member Darrell Issa of California and former pilot Tom Osborne of Nebraska. Meanwhile, the fight for control of the Senate was much closer. Even though a majority of Missouri voters turned out to support deceased Governor Mel Carnahan over pilot John Ashcroft, Republicans appear to have held their majority by a one-vote margin. As election officials count the last few remaining votes this morning, it appears as though Senate Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Slade Gorton of Washington will hold on to defeat Internet entrepreneur Maria Cantwell. Despite loses in Michigan, Delaware, and Florida, Republicans should hold a 51 to 49 edge in that body of Congress.