Preservation and the 2008 Congressional Elections
Last Updated: Friday, November 21, 2008
Change isn't just coming to the White House. This year's congressional elections increased the Democratic Majority’s lead in both chambers and brought noteworthy losses for some preservation allies on the Hill.
Change is definitely coming to Washington, but not just in the form of a new presidential administration.
In addition to choosing a new president this past Election Day, Americans across the country voted to fill hotly-contested Senate and House seats in their states and districts. Overall, the election strengthened the Democratic majority in both chambers, but some noteworthy losses occurred for several preservation allies on the Hill.
With certain races still undecided, this preliminary assessment may change somewhat over the coming weeks, but it is still a good survey of the emerging landscape. Additionally, when the 111th Congress reconvenes, there will likely be even more substantive membership changes on panels with jurisdiction over historic preservation.
We invite you to bookmark this page as we continue to track the impact of the election on our allies in Congress.
U.S. House of Representatives
Currently, it appears as thought there will be at least a net gain of 20 Democratic seats in the House. Our strongest GOP supporter of preservation-based tax incentives for community revitalization and Minority sponsor of the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act, Rep. Phil English (R-PA), lost his seat. He is the Ranking Member of the Ways and Means subcommittee and a member of the Preservation Caucus.
It is highly possible that Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA), a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Preservation Caucus, may not be returning next Congress. He is currently down by the thinnest margin of a little over 700 votes in a fifty-fifty contest. Caucus member Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-KS) lost her bid for reelection. Both are cosponsors of the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act.
In terms of the Preservation Caucus overall, we lost the following 15 members:
- Rep. Tom Allen (D-ME), Ran for Senate
- Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA), Resigned
- Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-KS), Lost
- Rep. Julia Carson (D-IN), Deceased
- Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), Lost
- Rep. Robert Cramer (D-AL), Retired
- Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-WY), Retired
- Rep. Phil English (R-PA), Lost
- Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), Lost
- Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Deceased
- Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL), Retired
- Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY), Retired
- Rep. Jim McCreary (R-LA), Retired
- Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO), Ran for Senate
- Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM), Ran for Senate
In addition, three other cosponsors of our tax amendments were defeated:
- Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT)
- Rep. Randy Kuhl, Jr. (R-NY)
- Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI)
The Natural Resources Committee Majority roster changed little. The only member departing the panel is Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO), who will be taking his seat in the Senate. The Minority roster, however, lost seven seats, four of which are currently filled by property rights conservatives on the subcommittee with specific jurisdiction over historic preservation and public lands:
- Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT)
- Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM)
- Rep. Bill Sali (R-ID)
- Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO)
The remaining defeated incumbents include:
- Rep. Don Cazayoux (D-LA)
- Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH)
- Rep. Thelma Drake (R-VA)
- Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
- Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC)
- Rep. Rick Keller (R-FL)
- Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
- Rep. Nick Lampson (D-TX)
- Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-FL)
- Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO)
U.S. Senate
In the Senate, it appears that there will be at least a net gain of six Democratic seats, without a filibuster-proof majority in reach quite yet. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR), our lead GOP sponsor of the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act, lost his bid for reelection. On November 18, 2008, the Associated Press reported that Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) lost his re-election bid to Democrat Mark Begich. He is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior.
No Majority members of the Energy and Natural Resources panel lost elections or are retiring. Three of the Minority members, however, were either defeated or are retiring. The retiring Ranking Member, Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM), is the GOP sponsor of the Preserve America/Save America's Treasures Authorization. If that measure does not pass this Congress as a part of a public lands omnibus bill, a new Republican sponsor will have to be found.
Two Senate contests in Minnesota and Georgia are still too close to call. The final count in Minnesota showed Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) with just over a 200-vote lead over Democratic rival Al Franken, but that thin of a margin now triggers an automatic recount in mid-November to December under state elections law. In Georgia, Saxby Chambliss' (R-GA) vote count fell just below the 50 percent threshold needed to win the election outright under that state's electoral system. With no majority, there will be a runoff on December 2 against Democratic rival Jim Martin, who had 47 percent in the latest count.
The remaining defeated incumbents include:
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Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
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Sen. John Sununu (R-NH)
