Democrats may regain House of Representatives in US

Washington, Nov 6 (UNI) Even as polls indicated some last minute gains for the Republican Party, opposition Democrats appear heading for a majority or near-majority in the 435-member US House of Representatives in tomorrow's elections, marking the end of the 12-year-old Republican control of the Congress.

The Democratic Party needs additional 15 seats to secure majority in the House and six seats in the Senate to control both houses of the Congress.

Democrats appear almost certain to pick up more than the 15 seats needed to regain majority, says the Washington Post.

Republicans virtually concede 10 seats, and a split of the 30 tossup races would add an additional 15 to the Democratic column, the paper added.

The daily says the Senate poses a tougher challenge for Democrats. A three-seat gain is almost assured but they would have to find the other three seats from four states considered to have tossup races --Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri and Montana -- to carve out a mjority.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows some narrowing in the Democratic advantage in House races. The survey gives Democrats a six-percentage-point lead nationally among likely voters as it was 14 points two weeks ago.

A PEW Research Center survey, released last night, found the number of likely voters, supporting the Democrats is now 47 per cent as against 43 per cent of those pledging loyalty to the Republican Party.

Though the economy is good, which normally is one of the deciding factors in the US elections, what is going against the Republicans this time is the intense opposition to the Iraq war, particularly its handling by the Bush Administration, according to experts.

Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, however, claimed his party will retain majorities in both the House and Senate. The Republican Party won control of the House and Senate during the Clinton presidency.

UNI XC AK VV1814