View source for 2006 United States elections

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{{Infobox United States elections
| year = 2006
| type = ''[[United States midterm election|Midterm elections]]''
| election_day = November 7
| incumbent_president = [[George W. Bush]] <span style="color:#8B0000">(Republican)</span>
| next_congress = [[110th United States Congress|110th]]
| senate_seats_contested = 33 of 100 seats
| senate_control = <span style="color:blue">Democratic gain</span>
| senate_net_change = Democratic +5
| senate_map = {{2006 United States Senate elections imagemap}}
| senate_map_caption = 2006 Senate election results map<br/>{{legend0|#0671b0|Democratic gain}} {{legend0|#fff600|Connecticut for Lieberman  gain}}<br/>{{legend0|#92c5de|Democratic hold}} {{legend0|#f48882|Republican hold}} {{legend0|#999999|Independent hold}}
| house_control = <span style="color:blue">Democratic gain</span>
| house_pv_margin = Democratic +8.0%
| house_net_change = Democratic +31
| house_map = [[File:2006 House elections.svg|350px|alt=2006 House election results map]]
| house_map_caption = 2006 House election results map <br/>{{legend0|#0671b0|Democratic gain}} <br/>{{legend0|#92c5de|Democratic hold}} {{legend0|#f48882|Republican hold}}
| governor_seats_contested = 38 (36 states, 2 territories)
| governor_net_change = Democratic +6
| governor_map = {{2006 United States gubernatorial elections imagemap}}
| governor_map_caption = 2006 Gubernatorial election results map <br/>{{legend0|#0671b0|Democratic gain}} <br/>{{legend0|#92c5de|Democratic hold}} {{legend0|#f48882|Republican hold}}
}}

The '''2006 United States elections''' were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006, in the middle of [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] President [[George W. Bush]]'s second term. In a political wave that broke twelve years of Republican rule, the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] was swept into power; winning majorities in both chambers of congress. These elections were widely categorized as a [[Wave elections in the United States|Democratic wave]].

In the [[United States Senate|Senate]], Democrats won a net gain of six seats to secure a narrow majority in that chamber. Democrats also gained 31 seats in the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], and following the election, [[Nancy Pelosi]] became the first female [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]]. In the gubernatorial elections, Democrats achieved a net gain of six seats. Nationwide, Republicans failed to win any congressional or gubernatorial seat that was held by a Democrat before the election. This was also the first time since 1994 where a party did not lose a single incumbent in a gubernatorial or congressional election.

Reasons for the Democratic Party's victory included the decline of the [[public image of George W. Bush]], dissatisfaction of his administration's handling of both [[Hurricane Katrina]] and the [[Iraq War|War in Iraq]], the beginning of the collapse of the [[United States housing bubble]], Bush's legislative defeat regarding [[Social Security debate (United States)#Politics of the dispute over Bush's proposal|Social Security Privatization]] and immigration reform, the Republican-controlled Congress's unprecedented and unpopular involvement in the [[Terri Schiavo case]], and a [[2006 Republican party scandals|series of scandals in 2006 involving Republican politicians]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Republicans of '94 revolution reflect on '06 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-12-07-gop-1994-2006_x.htm | first=Richard | last=Wolf | date=December 7, 2006 | work=[[USA Today]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012212019/http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-12-07-gop-1994-2006_x.htm | archive-date=October 12, 2008 }}</ref>

==Background==
In March 2003, President [[George W. Bush]] ordered an invasion of [[Iraq]], a state which the Bush administration claimed was linked to the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001, and claimed was producing [[weapons of mass destruction]]. In May, just two months after the initial invasion, Bush announced the [[2003 Mission Accomplished Speech|end of major combat operations in Iraq]]. In the following months, insurgents began resisting the American occupation. Additionally, religious tensions between majority [[Shiite]] and minority [[Sunni Muslims]], tensions which had been suppressed under the grip of Saddam's regime, resulted in violence.

By the end of 2003, despite the war's initial popularity, the [[Post-invasion Iraq, 2003–present|post-war occupation]] was losing support from the American public. A November 2003 Gallup poll showed that Bush's job approval rating had fallen to 50% from a high of 71% at the outset of the war.<ref>{{cite news |title=Presidential Job Approval In Depth |publisher=Gallup Poll |date=May 20, 2007 |url=http://galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=1723&pg=2 |access-date=May 20, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070504043819/http://www.galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=1723&pg=2 |archive-date=May 4, 2007 }}</ref>

The next year, [[2004 U.S. Presidential Election|Bush won reelection]] over Democratic nominee [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[John Kerry]] with less than 51% of the popular vote and 286 [[electoral votes]] (only 16 votes ahead of the 270 votes needed),  marking the smallest winning margin for an incumbent president since [[Woodrow Wilson]] in the [[1916 United States presidential election|1916 election]]. However, it was the first time since 1988 that a winner garnered a popular majority.

Terrorism and the war in Iraq dominated the election, with domestic issues taking a secondary role. Bush began his second term with a continuation of the occupation and a push to overhaul Social Security with his privatization plan. Both policies proved unpopular, and violence in Iraq continued to increase. Compounding the unpopularity of the war was the fact that no weapons of mass destruction were found. August 2005 was the last time any major public opinion poll recorded majority approval of Bush's job.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://137.99.36.203/CFIDE/roper/presidential/webroot/presidential_rating_detail.cfm?allRate=True&presidentName=Bush|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070704170759/http://137.99.36.203/CFIDE/roper/presidential/webroot/presidential_rating_detail.cfm?allRate=True&presidentName=Bush|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 4, 2007|title=Data Access-Presidential Approval|date=July 4, 2007}}</ref> Negative perceptions of Bush, following the slow governmental response to [[Hurricane Katrina]], further weighed on his popularity.

Simultaneously, the popularity of the Republican-controlled [[109th United States Congress|109th Congress]] was also on the decline.  A series of notable congressional scandals also took place in Washington, D.C., including the ongoing [[Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal]], as well as the [[Mark Foley scandal]] and the [[Cunningham scandal]], both in October 2006. Throughout 2006, sectarian violence persisted in Baghdad and other areas of Iraq; many<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/iraq/2007-03-01/iraqs-civil-war|title=Iraq's Civil War|first=James D.|last=Fearon|journal=Foreign Affairs |date=March 1, 2007|issue=March/April 2007|access-date=October 7, 2023|via=www.foreignaffairs.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429012231/https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/iraq/2007-03-01/iraqs-civil-war|archive-date=April 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/undeclared-civil-war-in-iraq/ | work=CBS News | title=Undeclared Civil War In Iraq | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205115238/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/26/eveningnews/main886305.shtml | archive-date=February 5, 2012}}</ref> claimed that the conflict was evolving into a [[civil war]].

President Bush's job approval rarely rose above 40%. Perceptions of Congress and Republicans in general, remained highly negative. Additionally, the Congress had a smaller than average list of major accomplishments (considering that the Party in charge of both the House and Senate also had control of the White House) and was not in session for a larger than average number of days. This allowed Democrats and others to characterize it as a "Do-Nothing" Congress and blame the Republican leadership for the lack of progress.

==Summary of results==
The [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] won a majority of the state governorships<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/us/the-2006-elections-governors-democrats-oust-gop-in-governing-six-states.html | title=The 2006 elections, Governors, Democrats oust GOP in governing six states | last= Johnson| first=Kirk | date=November 8, 2006 | work=[[The New York Times]] | url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007072518/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/us/the-2006-elections-governors-democrats-oust-gop-in-governing-six-states.html |archive-date=October 7, 2023 |access-date=October 7, 2023}}</ref> and the U.S. House and Senate seats, each for the first time since [[United States House elections, 1994|1994]], an election-year commonly known as the "[[Republican Revolution]]." For the first time since the creation of the Republican Party in 1854, no Republican captured any House, Senate, or gubernatorial seat previously held by a Democrat.<ref name="David R. Jones">{{cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-the-democrats-won/ | title=Why The Democrats Won | author=David R. Jones | date=November 8, 2006 | work=[[CBS News]] | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070501145901/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/08/politics/main2161309.shtml | archive-date=May 1, 2007 }}</ref>

Democrats took a 233–202 advantage in the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], and achieved a 49–49 tie in the [[United States Senate]]. The Senate figure is sometimes quoted in the media as 51–49, which includes two members who ran as independent candidates: [[Bernie Sanders]] and [[Joe Lieberman]], who promised to caucus with the Democrats.<ref name="Lieberman: Call me a Democrat">{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/10/ct.senate.ap |title=Lieberman: Call me a Democrat |date=November 10, 2006 |work=CNN|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061113115913/http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/10/ct.senate.ap/ |archive-date=November 13, 2006 }}</ref> The final Senate result was decided when Democrat [[Jim Webb]] was declared the winner in [[Virginia United States Senate election, 2006|Virginia]] against [[incumbent]] [[George Allen (U.S. politician)|George Allen]], as reported by the [[Associated Press]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15620405 | title=Democrats win control of Senate |author=<!--not stated--> | date=November 8, 2006 |url-status=live |work=[[NBCNews.com]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128164947/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15620405 |archive-date=January 28, 2023 |access-date=October 7, 2023}}</ref> On November 9, 2006, Allen and fellow Republican incumbent Sen. [[Conrad Burns]] of Montana both conceded defeat, ceding effective control of the Senate to the Democrats.<ref>{{cite web |last=Welna |first=David | url=https://www.npr.org/2006/11/09/6463396/sen-allen-concedes-defeat-dems-control-congress | title=Sen. Allen Concedes Defeat in Virginia | date=November 9, 2006 | publisher=[[NPR]] | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007075204/https://www.npr.org/2006/11/09/6463396/sen-allen-concedes-defeat-dems-control-congress | archive-date=October 7, 2023 | access-date=October 7, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/10/us/politics/gop-senator-concedes-race-in-montana.html | title=G.O.P. Senator Concedes Race in Montana | date=November 10, 2006 |last=Robbins |first=Jim | work=[[The New York Times]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007075948/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/10/us/politics/gop-senator-concedes-race-in-montana.html |archive-date=October 7, 2023 |access-date=October 7, 2023}}</ref>

The election made [[Nancy Pelosi]] (D-California) the first-ever female, first-ever Italian-American, and first-ever [[California]]n [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]]<ref name="cnn.com">{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/07/election.exitpolls | title=Corruption named as key issue by voters in exit polls | date=November 8, 2006 | publisher=CNN | access-date=May 26, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100120030338/http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/07/election.exitpolls/ | archive-date=January 20, 2010 }}</ref> and [[Harry Reid]] (D-Nevada) the first [[Mormon]] [[Senate Majority Leader]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650204534,00.html | title=Will Reid get top job in Senate? | date=November 5, 2006 | work=[[Deseret Morning News]] |last=Struglinski |first=Suzanne | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930191610/http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650204534,00.html | archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref> [[Keith Ellison (politician)|Keith Ellison]] (D-Minnesota) became the first Muslim ever elected to the U.S. Congress<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/08/muslim.elect | title=Minnesota voters send first Muslim to Capitol Hill | date=November 8, 2006 | publisher=CNN | access-date=May 26, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423031926/http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/08/muslim.elect/ | archive-date=April 23, 2008 }}</ref> and [[Mazie Hirono]] (D-Hawaii) and [[Hank Johnson]] (D-Georgia) became the first Buddhists in a United States governing body.<ref name="Scripps Howard News Service">{{cite web | url=http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=CONGRESS-PROFILE-11-08-06 | title=From Buddhists to allergist, Congress represents all the people | author1=Lee Bowman | author2=Lisa Hoffman | name-list-style=amp | date=November 8, 2006 | publisher=[[Scripps Howard News Service]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20070702002412/http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=CONGRESS-PROFILE-11-08-06 | archive-date=July 2, 2007 }}</ref> Although seven states banned recognition of [[Same-sex marriage in the United States|same-sex marriage]], Arizona became the first state to reject such a ballot initiative.<ref name="advocate.com">{{cite web | url=http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid39285.asp | title=Same-sex marriage ban rejected in Arizona in historic first | date=November 9, 2006 | work=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165039/http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid39285.asp | archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref> [[South Dakota]] rejected a ban on [[Abortion in the United States|abortion]] under almost any circumstances, intended to overturn federal constitutional abortion-rights nationwide by setting up a strong [[test case]] that proponents hoped would lead to the overruling of [[Roe v. Wade]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110800218.html | title=South Dakotans Reject Abortion Measure | author=Chet Brokaw | date=November 8, 2006 | agency=Associated Press | newspaper=The Washington Post | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809115400/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110800218.html | archive-date=August 9, 2016 }}</ref> This result would eventually happen in 2022, with a Mississippi state law that imposed a 15-week ban on abortion leading to the case [[Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization|Dobbs v. Jackson]], which then led to Roe's overturning.

Some of the Republican House and Senate seats lost by the Republicans belonged to members of the [[Republican Revolution]] of 1994. Senators [[Rick Santorum]] of Pennsylvania and [[Mike DeWine]] of Ohio, and Representatives [[Charles Bass|Charlie Bass]] of New Hampshire, [[John Hostettler]] of Indiana, [[Gil Gutknecht]] of Minnesota, and [[J. D. Hayworth]] of Arizona all won previously Democratic seats in 1994 elections and were defeated in 2006. Representative [[Sue Kelly]] of New York, also first elected in 1994, was defeated as well. The Democrats also won back the Kansas 2nd and Ohio 18th, both of which they had lost in 1994.

In the 2006 elections, the Democratic Party also claimed a majority of state governorships, gaining control of Republican-held governorships in New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, Arkansas, Maryland, and Ohio, giving the party a 28–22 advantage in governorships.

Various scandals, including the [[Mark Foley scandal|Mark Foley congressional page scandal]], the [[Jack Abramoff#Overview of criminal and political investigations|Jack Abramoff scandal]], and various allegations of marital infidelity and abuse, doomed certain candidates, especially incumbents in [[Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district election, 2006|PA-10]] and [[New York's 20th congressional district election, 2006|NY-20]], which hosted one of the most negative campaigns in the country. Virginia Senator [[George Allen (U.S. politician)|George Allen]], a potential Republican 2008 Presidential candidate, saw his chances for reelection disappear when he was caught on video using a racial slur to describe a young [[Indian-American]] who worked for his opponent's campaign.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hulse |first=Carl |author-link=Carl Hulse |date=August 24, 2006 |title=Senator Apologizes to Student for Remark |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/24/washington/24allen.html |url-status=live |work=[[The New York Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209094102/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/24/washington/24allen.html |archive-date=February 9, 2019 |access-date=October 14, 2023}}</ref>

==Federal elections==
Democrats won control of Congress for the first time since the [[1994 United States elections|1994 election]], which is commonly known as the "[[Republican Revolution]]." For the first time since the creation of the Republican party in 1854, no Republican captured any House, Senate, or Gubernatorial seat previously held by a Democrat.<ref name="David R. Jones"/>

===United States Senate===
{{Main|2006 United States Senate elections}}

The 33 seats in the [[United States Senate]] [[Classes of United States Senators|Class 1]] were up for election. The Democrats gained six Senate seats by defeating Republican Senators in the states of [[Claire McCaskill|Missouri]], [[Jon Tester|Montana]], [[Sherrod Brown|Ohio]], [[Bob Casey, Jr.|Pennsylvania]], [[Sheldon Whitehouse|Rhode Island]], and [[Jim Webb|Virginia]]. Including [[Bernie Sanders]] and [[Joe Lieberman]], two independents who caucused with the Democrats, Democrats won a 51-to-49 majority in the Senate.<ref name="Lieberman: Call me a Democrat"/>

{{#section-h:2006 United States Senate elections|Results summary}}

===United States House of Representatives===
{{Main|2006 United States House elections}}

All 435 seats in the [[United States House of Representatives]] were up for election. The Democrats won the national popular vote by a margin of eight percentage points and gained thirty-one seats from the Republicans.<ref name=house1>{{cite web|title=Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006|url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2006election.pdf|publisher=U.S. House of Reps, Office of the Clerk|access-date=April 10, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427091931/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electioninfo/2006election.pdf|archive-date=April 27, 2017}}</ref>

The election made [[Nancy Pelosi]] (D-California) the first-ever female, first-ever Italian-American, and first-ever [[California]]n [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]]<ref name="cnn.com"/> [[Keith Ellison (politician)|Keith Ellison]] (D-Minnesota) became the first Muslim ever elected to the U.S. Congress<ref name="ReferenceA"/> and [[Mazie Hirono]] (D-Hawaii) and [[Hank Johnson]] (D-Georgia) became the first Buddhists in a United States governing body.<ref name="Scripps Howard News Service"/>
{{#section-h:2006 United States House of Representatives elections|Results}}

==State elections==

===Governors===
{{Main|2006 United States gubernatorial elections}}
Of the 50 [[Governor#United States|United States governors]], 36 were up for election. Twenty two of those contested seats were held by Republicans, and the remaining 14 were held by Democrats. Of the 36 state governorships up for election, ten were open due to retirement, term limits, or primary loss. Democrats won open Republican-held seats in New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Arkansas and Colorado, in addition to defeating incumbent [[Bob Ehrlich]] in Maryland and holding their sole open seat in Iowa. As a result of the [[United States gubernatorial elections, 2006|2006 gubernatorial elections]], there were 28 Democratic governors and 22 Republican governors, a reversal of the numbers held by the respective parties prior to the elections.

Additionally, governorships were up for election in the [[Territories of the United States|U.S. territories]] of [[Guam]], held by a Republican, and the [[U.S. Virgin Islands]], where the Democratic governor was retiring. In each location, the incumbent party maintained control of the governorship.

===State legislatures===
{{main|2006 United States state legislative elections}}
Nearly all [[State legislature (United States)|state legislatures]] were up for election. Prior to the general elections, with the exception of the [[Non-partisan democracy|nonpartisan]] [[Nebraska Legislature]], 21 legislatures were controlled by Republicans, 19 by Democrats, and 9 were split legislatures (where each house is controlled by a different party). As a result of the 2006 elections, 23 legislatures were carried by Democrats, 16 by Republicans, and 10 legislatures were split. In all, Republicans lost, and Democrats gained more than 300 state legislative seats.

Democrats flipped ten legislative chambers, while Republicans gained control of one. In total, Democrats gained or retained control of the state legislatures and governorships of 15 states, thus creating a unified government in [[Arkansas]], [[Colorado]], [[Illinois]], [[Iowa]], [[Louisiana]], [[Maine]], [[Maryland]], [[Massachusetts]], [[New Hampshire]], [[New Jersey]], [[New Mexico]], [[North Carolina]], [[Oregon]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]] and [[West Virginia]], although the governorship of Louisiana reverted to the Republicans with the October 2007 election of [[Bobby Jindal]]. Republicans now control ten state governments, these being, [[Florida]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Idaho]], [[Missouri]], [[North Dakota]], [[South Carolina]], [[South Dakota]], [[Texas]] and [[Utah]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ncsl.org/statevote/statevotemaps2006.htm#|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015428/http://www.ncsl.org/statevote/statevotemaps2006.htm|url-status=dead|title=2006 Party Control Maps|archivedate=September 30, 2007}}</ref>

Democrats flipped ten legislative chambers. Democrats gained control of the [[Oregon House of Representatives]], the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]], both houses of the [[Iowa General Assembly]], and both houses of the [[New Hampshire General Court]]- for the first time since 1875, giving them complete legislative control over those states. The Iowa Senate was previously tied. Democrats also won majorities in the [[Wisconsin Senate]], the [[Michigan House of Representatives]], the [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives]], and the [[Indiana House of Representatives]], turning those legislatures into split bodies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 29, 2006 |title=Elections Bring Blue Wave and New Plans to Statehouses |url=http://pew.org/1LCrO1X |access-date=October 7, 2023 |website=stateline.org |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629022125/https://stateline.org/2006/12/29/elections-bring-blue-wave-and-new-plans-to-statehouses/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, a Democratic-led coalition was created in the [[Alaska Senate]], which was previously a Republican majority.<ref>{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|459673686}} |last1=Demer |first1=Lisa |title=Bipartisan gang takes over Alaska state Senate: COMMITTEES: As other six watch, 14 senators divvy up leadership jobs for next year |newspaper=McClatchy-Tribune Business News |date=29 November 2006 }}</ref> Democrats won a majority of state legislative chambers for the first time since 1995.

Conversely, Republicans gained control of the [[Montana House of Representatives]] with the lone [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]] representative voting for Republican control of that body.

Democrats won a veto-proof supermajority in both houses of the [[Connecticut General Assembly]], with Democrats holding a commanding 131–56 majority. The most dramatic change in party control occurred with the [[New Hampshire General Court]], where Republicans held a 92-seat majority in the House and an eight-seat majority in the Senate prior to the election. Ultimately, Republicans were down 81 seats in the House and five in the Senate, giving control of the General Court to the Democrats. This coincided with the landslide reelection of Democratic Governor [[John H. Lynch|John Lynch]], the takeover of both of New Hampshire's U.S. House seats by Democrats, and New Hampshire's unique [[Executive Council of New Hampshire|Executive Council]] gaining a Democratic majority.

====Third parties====
Third parties received largely mixed results in the 2006 elections. In the [[Maine House of Representatives]], [[Maine Green Independent Party|Green]] State Representative [[John Eder]] was narrowly defeated by Democratic rival [[Jon Hinck]] in a bitterly contested campaign over [[Portland, Maine|Portland's]] 118th District. Eder's loss deprived the U.S. Green movement's highest elected position in any state office.<ref>{{cite news |last=Maxwell |first=Trevor |date=November 11, 2006 |title=Greens see rosy future in spite of '06 losses |url=http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/061111greens.html |url-status=dead |work=[[Portland Press Herald]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061129091429/http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/061111greens.html |archive-date=November 29, 2006 |access-date=October 7, 2023}}</ref>

In the [[Vermont House of Representatives]], the [[Vermont Progressive Party]] successfully maintained its six seats within the chamber. The Vermont Progressive Party has in recent years become one of the most consistently successful third parties in the U.S. to be elected to higher office.

In Illinois, seemingly out of dissatisfaction with both the candidacies of Democratic Governor [[Rod Blagojevich]] and Republican candidate [[Judy Baar Topinka]] resulted in 10% of the electorate voting for the [[Green Party (United States)|Green Party]] candidate Rich Whitney, an accomplishment, by all means, considering Whitney did not campaign on television or radio.

In Montana, [[Rick Jore]] made history by becoming the first candidate of the right-wing [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]] to be elected to a state legislature, elected to the 12th District in the [[Montana House of Representatives]]. Jore initially won in 2004 by three votes, only to see the courts throw out enough ballots to give the Democrats the victory. In the 2006 elections, Jore won convincingly, garnering 56.2% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sos.mt.gov/ELB/archives/2006/elections/general/house/hd12/index.asp|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116040533/http://sos.mt.gov/ELB/archives/2006/elections/general/house/hd12/index.asp|url-status=dead|title=UNOFFICIAL 2006 General Election Results|archivedate=November 16, 2006}}</ref> However, the Montana Constitution Party is no longer chartered under the national party, denying the [[United States Constitution Party]] the claim of holding a higher office.

Neither the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]] nor the [[Reform Party (United States)|Reform]] Parties gained any state legislative seats.

===Ballot initiatives===
Voters weighed in on various ballot initiatives. These included:
* In a hotly contested referendum that inspired a widely publicized feud between conservative radio talk show host [[Rush Limbaugh]] and actor [[Michael J. Fox]], Missouri voters narrowly passed an initiative to allow funding for embryonic stem cell research. The presence of the referendum on the ballot may also have aided Democrat Claire McCaskill in her victory over incumbent senator [[Jim Talent]], who had opposed the measure.
* An amendment to the Missouri Constitution that would have levied a Tobacco Tax was defeated 51 to 48.
* Raising the [[minimum wage]], which passed in all six states with such referendums ([[Arizona|AZ]], [[Colorado|CO]], [[Missouri|MO]], [[Montana|MT]], [[Nevada|NV]], [[Ohio|OH]])
* In [[Washington (state)|Washington]] an initiative to repeal the estate tax failed.
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{{legend|#cc2f4a|60–70% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{legend|#e27f90|50–60% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}]]
* [[U.S. state constitutional amendments banning same-sex unions|State constitutional amendments]] prohibiting [[same-sex marriage]] are passed in seven out of eight states: [[Colorado Amendment 43|Colorado]], [[Idaho Amendment 2 (2006)|Idaho]], [[South Carolina Amendment 1|South Carolina]], [[South Dakota Amendment C|South Dakota]], [[Tennessee Amendment 1|Tennessee]], [[Marshall-Newman Amendment|Virginia]], [[Wisconsin Referendum 1|Wisconsin]], with [[Arizona Proposition 107 (2006)|Arizona]] voting against the proposition that would ban same-sex marriage and [[civil union]]s, the first state in the nation to do so.<ref name="advocate.com"/> The measures in Colorado and Tennessee bans same-sex marriage only, while Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wisconsin bans both same-sex marriage and civil unions and Virginia bans granting any benefits whatsoever to same-sex couples.
* [[Colorado Referendum I|Colorado]] voters narrowly rejected an amendment to establish domestic partnerships by a margin of 53% to 47%.
* Legalizing [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]], failing in both states with such referendums for use for unconditional reasons ([[Colorado]], [[Nevada]]) as well as for medical use only ([[South Dakota]])
* Restricting [[affirmative action]], passing in [[Michigan]]
* Requiring [[parental notification]] before an [[abortion]] for [[Minor (law)|minors]], failing in both states with such referendums ([[California]], [[Oregon]])
* Banning nearly all abortions, including those for victims of [[rape]] and [[incest]], which failed in South Dakota
* [[Instant-runoff voting]], which passed in the city of [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
* A referendum to ease restrictions on [[wine]] sales in [[Massachusetts]], which failed.
* Rhode Island voters approved a constitutional amendment to reextend the franchise to former criminals following their release, effectively enfranchising individuals on parole or probation.
* In California, voters endorsed a $37 billion package of bonds (Propositions 1A through 1E) to pay for transportation projects, housing, levee repairs and other infrastructure—said to be the largest program of its kind in U.S. history.<ref>{{cite news|title=Key Ballot Measures|url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/ballot.measures/|date=November 8, 2006|publisher=CNN|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911003521/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/ballot.measures/|archive-date=September 11, 2013}}</ref>

==Local elections==
Numerous other elections for local, city, and county public offices were held.

An unusual local election occurred in [[South Dakota]]; [[Marie Steichen]] was elected to [[Jerauld County]] Commissioner, despite the fact that she died two months before the election. Her name was never replaced on the ballot, and voters who chose her were aware of her death.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15622299|work=[[NBC News]]|date=November 8, 2006|access-date=October 7, 2023|title=Dead woman wins County Commissioner's race|archive-date=December 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205013958/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15622299/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In [[Richmond, California]], a city of more than 100,000 residents, the Green Party challenger, City Councilperson [[Gayle McLaughlin]], unseated Democratic incumbent [[Irma Anderson]] and became the first Green Party Mayor of a city of that size.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/09/GREENMAYOR.TMP |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=November 9, 2006 |access-date=November 14, 2006 |title=Green Party likely to win in Richmond Mayor's race |first1=Jason B. |last1=Johnson |first2=Peter |last2=Fimrite |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920023709/http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2006%2F11%2F09%2FGREENMAYOR.TMP |archive-date=September 20, 2008 }}</ref>

Two candidates in Nevada's branch of the [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]], called the [[Independent American Party (Nevada)]], were also elected to office. Jackie Berg was elected [[Eureka County]] Clerk with 54.1% of the vote, easily topping [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] and [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]] opposition. Also, Cel Ochoa will be the new Constable in [[Searchlight, Nevada]] by virtue of winning 54.93% of the vote to defeat her Republican rival. Another Nevada Independent Party member, Bill Wilkerson, was elected to the [[Elko, Nevada]], School Board, in a non-partisan race.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.constitutionparty.com/news.php?aid=359|publisher=[[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]]|date=November 9, 2006|title=Constitution Party Celebrates Election Victories|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070113141455/http://www.constitutionparty.com/news.php?aid=359|archive-date=January 13, 2007}}</ref>

In [[Missoula County, Montana]], residents passed a measure to encourage the County Sheriff's Department to make marijuana enforcement a last priority.<ref>{{cite news |last=Scott |first=Tristan |url=http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/11/08/news/mtregional/news06.txt |publisher=Missoulian| date=November 8, 2006 | access-date=October 7, 2023 |title=Missoula County approves marijuana initiative |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216031404/https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/missoula-county-approves-marijuana-initiative/article_39513285-83c6-5772-9bcf-9fea7a0e8f88.html |archive-date=December 16, 2018}}</ref>

In [[Dallas County, Texas]], Democrats regained control in 41 out of 42 contested GOP judgeships, as well as the district attorney's office and the county judge's seat.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Egerton|first1=Brooks|last2=Tharp|first2=Robert|last3=Grabell|first3=Michael|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/elections/2006/stories/111206dnmetjustice.333a85c.html|publisher=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|date=November 12, 2006|access-date=November 14, 2006|title=Voters put a new face on justice|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930043752/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/elections/2006/stories/111206dnmetjustice.333a85c.html|archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref>

==Reasons for Democratic win==
Beginning just after George W. Bush's [[2004 United States presidential election|reelection]], political analysts point to a number of factors and events that led to the eventual Republican defeat in 2006. It is generally agreed that the single most important issue during the 2006 election was the [[war in Iraq]], and more specifically President Bush's handling of it and the overall public weariness over it.

Public opinion polling conducted during the days just before the election and the weeks just after it showed that the war in Iraq was considered the most important election issue by the largest segment of the public.<ref>{{cite news | first1=Dan | last1=Balz | first2=Jon | last2=Cohen | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102300766.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=October 24, 2006 | access-date=October 8, 2023 | title=Independent Voters Favor Democrats by 2 to 1 in Poll | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061215222729/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102300766.html | archive-date=December 15, 2006 }}</ref> Exit polling showed that relatively large majorities of voters both fell into the category of disapproving of the war or expressing the desire to withdraw troops in some type of capacity. Both brackets broke extremely heavily for Democrats.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/08/election.why | publisher=CNN | date=November 8, 2006 | access-date=April 23, 2007 | title=Exit polls: Bush, Iraq key to outcome | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070101072122/http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/08/election.why/ | archive-date=January 1, 2007 }}</ref> The issue of the war seemed to play a large part in the nationalization of the election, a departure from previous midterm elections, which tended to be about local, district-centric issues.<ref name="ABC-Analysis">{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2006/story?id=2637650|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|date=November 8, 2006|access-date=October 8, 2023|title=Much-Diminished GOP Absorbs the Voters' Ire|first1=Gary |last1=Langer|first2=Dalia |last2=Sussman|first3=Peyton |last3=Craighill|first4=Rich |last4=Morin|first5=Brian |last5=Hartman|first6=Bob |last6=Shapiro|archive-date=February 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217062814/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2006/story?id=2637650|url-status=live}}</ref> The effect of this was a general nationwide advantage for Democrats, who were not seen as being as tied to the war as Republicans, led by George Bush, were.

President Bush himself, seen as the leader and face of the Republican party, was a large factor in the 2006 election. Exit polls showed that a large block of the electorate had voted for Democrats or for third parties specifically because of personal opposition to or dislike for Bush. The size of the segment that said it had voted specifically to support Bush was not as large.<ref name="ABC-Analysis"/> Opposition to Bush was based on a number of factors, these not limited to opposition to his [[Social Security debate (United States)|Social Security privatization plan]], the slow response of his administration to [[Hurricane Katrina]], his perceived inaction in the face of and association with [[Oil price increases since 2003|rising gas prices]], and as mentioned above, his continued commitment to the war.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna10005341 | title=Political roundtable: Bush, Iraq, 2006 and more | work=NBC News | date=November 11, 2005 | access-date=October 8, 2023 | archive-date=August 14, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814120039/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10005341 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Congressional approval, which had been slightly negative since before the 2004 election, began a steady drop beginning in March 2005. Congress's unprecedented and unpopular involvement in the [[Terri Schiavo]] controversy is often pointed to as the catalyst for this drop. Congressional scandals, such as the [[Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal|Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal]], the sentencing of [[Duke Cunningham]] to over eight years in prison, the [[Tom DeLay corruption investigation|indictment of then House majority leader Tom DeLay]], the corruption of [[William J. Jefferson]] and [[Bob Ney]], the misconduct of [[Cynthia McKinney]], and the [[Mark Foley]] scandal all continued to pull down congressional popularity. In the months leading up to the election, congressional approval ratings flirted with all-time historical lows. Because congress was controlled by Republicans, this high disapproval affected Republicans much more negatively than it did Democrats.

Democrats were successful in portraying the congress as a lazy, greedy, egotistical and inefficient "Do-Nothing Congress.", which they contrasted with their "[[New Direction for America]]" campaign. Indeed, the congress had been in session much less than previous ones had<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/daysinsession |publisher=[[Sunlight Foundation]] |access-date=April 13, 2007 |title=The Most Do-Nothing Congress Since 1948 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070429124908/http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/daysinsession |archive-date=April 29, 2007}}</ref> (including those under Republican control), and numerous public opinion polls showed that large majorities believed that the congress had accomplished less than normal. This too, took a toll on Republicans (as the leaders of the government).

The listed scandals were all dwarfed by the highly publicised [[Mark Foley scandal]], which broke in late September and rapidly metastasized to include the House Republican leadership. Florida Representative [[Mark Foley]], who ironically headed the [[House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children]], was found to have been making sexually lewd and highly inappropriate contacts online with male congressional pages, and it was soon found that members of the Republican leadership knew in some capacity of Foley's advances, yet took little action. The scandal allowed Democrats to adopt corruption as a campaign issue, and exit polls on election day showed that corruption remained an important issue, one that Democrats held an advantage on.<ref>{{cite news| title=Exit polls: Scandals hurt GOP more than war| date=November 7, 2006| agency=Associated Press| url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15614139| access-date=October 8, 2023| archive-date=September 13, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913232734/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15614139/| url-status=live}}</ref> In addition, many (at the time and after the fact) cited the scandal as an event that sealed the fate of the Republican congress.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-can-democrats-not-win-house-and.html |publisher=[[The Rothenberg Political Report]] |access-date=April 14, 2007 |title=How Can the Democrats NOT Win the House ... and the Senate? |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107153725/http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-can-democrats-not-win-house-and.html |archive-date=November 7, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15319792 |last=Murray |first=Mark |date=October 19, 2006 |work=[[NBC News]] |access-date=October 8, 2023 |title=Big Democratic wins likely on Election Day |archive-date=October 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020034630/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15319792/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> After the election, top Republican strategist Karl Rove specifically named the Foley scandal as the cause of the Republicans' loss of congress.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/11/AR2006111101103.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=October 8, 2023 |title=Rove Remains Steadfast in the Face of Criticism |first=Peter |last=Baker |date=November 12, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209041602/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/11/AR2006111101103.html |archive-date=February 9, 2011}}</ref>

The result was that on election day, many congressional seats had been touched by Republican scandals and were easier to pick up for Democrats than under normal conditions. These include but are not limited to the [[Montana United States Senate election, 2006|Montana Senate]], [[Virginia United States Senate election, 2006|Virginia Senate]], [[California's 11th congressional district|CA-11]], [[Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district|PA-07]], [[Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district|PA-10]], [[Texas's 22nd congressional district|TX-22]], [[Ohio's 18th congressional district|OH-18]], [[Florida's 16th congressional district|FL-16]] and [[New York's 20th congressional district|NY-20]] races.

Almost all of the gains made by Democrats came from large gains among independents, not Republicans. Democrats, Republicans, and independents all accounted for proportions of the electorate similar to what they did in 2004. Democrats and Republicans voted nearly as loyally for their parties in 2006 as they did in 2004, but independents exhibited a large swing towards Democrats. In 2004, independents split 49–46, slightly in favor of Democrats,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/H/00/epolls.0.html | title=CNN Election results, 2004 | access-date=October 8, 2023 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804032932/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/H/00/epolls.0.html | archive-date=August 4, 2010 }}</ref> but in 2006 they voted 57–39 for Democrats, a fifteen-point swing and the largest margin among independents for Democrats since the [[United States elections, 1986|1986 elections]].<ref name="ABC-Analysis"/>

==Voting issues==
There were scattered reports of problems at polling places across the country as new electronic voting systems were introduced in many states. The problems ranged from voter and election official confusion about how to use new voting machines to apparent political dirty tricks designed to keep certain voters from casting their votes to inclement voter suppressing turnout.

Some reported problems:
* Millions of allegedly harassing and deceptive "robo-calls" were reported or placed in at least 53 house districts. The vast majority of the calls were reported to begin with the message "Hello, I'm calling with information about (Democratic candidate)" and continue with a negative message concerning the candidate. Regulatory statements concerning the sponsor of the message (usually the NRCC) allegedly did not come until after the message, instead of before, as the FCC mandates. Citizens reported receiving calls several times an hour and as late as 2:30 AM, and many held the mistaken belief that the calls were from Democratic campaigns.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/11/01/how_do_you_like_those_nasty_telephone_calls_from_the_campaigns/?page=2 | title=How do you like those nasty telephone calls from the campaigns? | first=Philip |last=Elliott | date=November 1, 2006 | publisher=The Boston Globe | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102221557/http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/11/01/how_do_you_like_those_nasty_telephone_calls_from_the_campaigns/?page=2 | archive-date=January 2, 2007 }}</ref>
* Massive undervoting in several [[Florida]] counties, likely caused by bad ballot design.<ref>{{cite journal
 |first1=Arlene |last1=Ash |author1-link=Arlene Ash |first2=John |last2=Lamperti
 |date=Spring 2008
 | title = Florida 2006: Can Statistics Tell Us Who Won Congressional District-13?
 | journal = Chance
 | volume = 21
 | issue = 2
 | pages = 18–24
 | publisher = [[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]]
 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44899225
 | via = [[ResearchGate]]
 | access-date = October 8, 2023
 | doi = 10.1007/s00144-008-0015-5
 }}</ref> An analysis from the [[Orlando Sentinel]] claims the undervoting swung an election to the GOP in [[Florida's 13th congressional district]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Stratton |first=Jim |date=November 22, 2006 |title=Analysis: Ballots favored Dems |url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-mvote2206nov22,0,1913349.story |url-status=dead |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061123011711/http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-mvote2206nov22,0,1913349.story |archive-date=November 23, 2006 |access-date=October 8, 2023}}</ref> Democratic candidate [[Christine Jennings]] brings a lawsuit to court.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/NEWS/611210505/-1/NEWS0521|title=Buchanan declared winner; rival Jennings sues|first=Lloyd|last=Dunkelberger|date=November 21, 2006|work=[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]]|access-date=April 29, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034820/http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/NEWS/611210505/-1/NEWS0521|archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref>
* In [[Gateway, Arkansas]], an 80% turnout was recorded, including two towns where the number of votes surpassed the estimated number of voters from the previous year's census.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Bev |date=September 25, 2009 |title=Letter of Complaint - Request for Investigation, Re: Federal antitrust concerns, Asserted under the Clayton Act, Title 15 U.S.C. § 18 et. al., to The Honorable Eric Holder, Attorney General |url=http://saveourvotes.org/reports/2009/9-25bbv-antitrust-letter.pdf |publisher=Black Box Voting |via=SAVEourVotes}}</ref>
* [[Waldenburg, Arkansas]] mayoral candidate, Randy Wooten, gets no votes despite claiming he voted for himself and "at least eight or nine people who said they voted for [him]."<ref>{{cite news |date=November 11, 2006 |title=Candidate: Zero Vote Tally Off - by 1 |url=http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Nov11/0,4670,ZeroVotes,00.html |url-status=dead |work=[[Fox News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061114060238/http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Nov11/0,4670,ZeroVotes,00.html |archive-date=November 14, 2006 |access-date=October 8, 2023}}</ref>
* In the [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]] area, officials could not print reports to verify that voting machines were secure and did not already have votes in them.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.salon.com/2006/11/07/pennsylvania_6/ | title=Pennsylvania: Faulty machines, closed polls in black neighborhoods |first=Rebecca |last=Traister | date=November 7, 2006 | publisher=Salon Media Group | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025164241/https://www.salon.com/2006/11/07/pennsylvania_6/ | archive-date=October 25, 2012 |access-date=October 8, 2023}}</ref>
* Voting-machine problems kept polls open until 9:00 PM, an hour later than scheduled, in [[Lebanon County, Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu.poconorecord.com/story/news/2006/11/08/two-pa-counties-extend-hours/53025465007/ |title=Two Pa. counties extend hours over voting machine problems |date=November 8, 2006 |publisher=[[Pocono Record]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012155856/https://www.poconorecord.com/story/news/2006/11/08/two-pa-counties-extend-hours/53025465007/ |archive-date=October 12, 2023 |access-date=October 12, 2023}}</ref>
* A man in [[Allentown, Pennsylvania]] smashed an electronic voting machine with a paperweight. The votes were recovered.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://mobile.mcall.com/news.jsp?key=18695 | title=Voter smashes touch-screen machine in Allentown | author1=Daniel Patrick Sheehan | author2=Wendy Solomon | name-list-style=amp | date=November 7, 2006 | publisher=[[The Morning Call]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927214204/http://mobile.mcall.com/news.jsp?key=18695 | archive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref>
* In a small town in Oklahoma, a power outage in a polling station was caused by a squirrel gnawing on a power cable.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/television-elections-dc/networks-play-it-safe-on-election-night-idUSN0848163620061109 | title=Networks Play It Safe On Election Night | first=Paul J. |last=Gough | date=November 7, 2006 | work=Reuters | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012154938/https://www.reuters.com/article/television-elections-dc/networks-play-it-safe-on-election-night-idUSN0848163620061109 | archive-date=October 12, 2023 |access-date=October 12, 2023}}</ref>
* Officials and experts reported electronic voting machine malfunctions in Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, Colorado and Florida.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.us.reuters.com/top/news/usnN07421791.html |title=Democrats win House |first=John |last=Whitesides |date=November 7, 2006 |work=Reuters |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103123033/http://elections.us.reuters.com/top/news/usnN07421791.html |archive-date=January 3, 2007 }}</ref>
* A bomb threat at East High School caused a voting shutdown in [[Madison, Wisconsin]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.channel3000.com/news/10265056/detail.html | title=Voting Interrupted At Madison School After Bomb Threat | publisher=Channel3000.com | date=November 8, 2006 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111011421/http://www.channel3000.com/news/10265056/detail.html | archive-date=November 11, 2006 }}</ref>
* A Kentucky poll worker was charged with choking a voter.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15611865 | title=Poll worker jailed after allegedly choking voter | work=NBC News | date=November 8, 2006 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517173423/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15611865 | archive-date=May 17, 2021 |access-date=October 12, 2023}}</ref>
* Vandals chained the main door and broke keys into the locks of New Jersey Republican candidate for Senate Tom Kean Jr.'s headquarters. Accusations have been made towards Democratic incumbent Bob Menendez, but they deny any involvement in the situation.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/11/07/11670.aspx | title=First Read : 'Dirty tricks' in Jersey? | author=Ron Allen | publisher=[[MSNBC]] | date=November 7, 2006 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107200615/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/11/07/11670.aspx | archive-date=November 7, 2006 }}</ref>
* Disabled voters were asked by election officials in [[Bonneville County, Idaho]] to use punch card ballots.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/legacy/uploadedfiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/reports/improving_elections/electionlineanalysis1106pdf.pdf |page=16 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012165830/https://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/legacy/uploadedfiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/reports/improving_elections/electionlineanalysis1106pdf.pdf | url-status=live | archive-date=October 12, 2023 | title=electionline analysis | year=2006 | publisher=[[The Pew Charitable Trusts]] |access-date=October 12, 2023}}</ref>
* Irregularities with [[Diebold Election Systems|Diebold]] and other [[voting machine]]s have been reported in the early elections.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061101-8131.html | title=Primary and early e-voting problems point to gathering storm | author=Jon Stokes | date=November 1, 2006 | publisher=Ars Technica | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913153056/http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061101-8131.html | archive-date=September 13, 2008 |access-date=October 12, 2023}}</ref>
* The Chicago Board of Elections has been running a Web site that has allowed, by a simple programming hack, the exposure of personal information of a million registered voters (fixed on October 21, 2006).<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/108366,CST-NWS-hack24.article | title=Board of Elections Web site leaves Social Security numbers vulnerable | author=Art Golab | date=October 24, 2006 | publisher=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109194418/http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/108366%2CCST-NWS-hack24.article | archive-date=November 9, 2006 }}</ref>
* Reports from Virginia:<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1972&Itemid=113 | title=Sec. of Virginia State Board of Elections Finds Widespread Incidents of Voter Suppression | date=November 6, 2006 | publisher=VoteTrustUSA | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914062055/http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1972&Itemid=113 | archive-date=September 14, 2007 }}</ref>
** FBI looking into possible Virginia voter intimidation.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.kvlytv11.com/artman/publish/article_1409.shtml | title=FBI looking into possible Virginia voter intimidation | date=November 7, 2006 | publisher=[[MSNBC]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107191922/http://www.kvlytv11.com/artman/publish/article_1409.shtml | archive-date=November 7, 2006 }}</ref>
** Calls that voting will lead to arrest.
** Telling voters that their polling location has changed.
** Fliers in Buckingham county say "Skip the election"
** Voting machine problems.
* On Election day November 7, talk show host [[Laura Ingraham]] prompted listeners to jam the Democratic Voter Protection hotline where voting problems were to be reported,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/07/ingraham-voter-line/ | title=Ingraham Tells Listeners To Jam Voter Protection Hotline | date=November 7, 2006 | publisher=[[Center for American Progress]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061120193542/http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/07/ingraham-voter-line/ | archive-date=November 20, 2006 }}([https://web.archive.org/web/20061108213327/http://websrvr80il.audiovideoweb.com/il80web20037/ThinkProgress/2006/ingraham.mp4 audio])</ref> reminiscent of the [[2002 New Hampshire Senate election phone jamming scandal]].
* In Maryland, some voters were given sample ballots by Republican supporters that incorrectly listed Republicans Robert Ehrlich and Michael Steele as Democrats.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/07/AR2006110700740.html | title=Sample Ballots in Pr. George's Misidentify Candidates | author=Ernesto Londono | date=November 7, 2006 | newspaper=Washington Post | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909070034/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/07/AR2006110700740.html | archive-date=September 9, 2017 |access-date=October 13, 2023}}</ref>
* Electronic voting machine problems in [[Kane County, Illinois]] kept the polls open until 8:30pm CST, an hour and a half later than scheduled.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/07/washington/07cnd-day.html | title=Problems Lead 8 States to Extend Some Voting Hours | first1=Christine |last1=Hauser |first2=John |last2=Holusha | date=November 7, 2006 | work=[[The New York Times]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001015158/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/07/washington/07cnd-day.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin |archive-date=October 1, 2017 |access-date=October 13, 2023}}</ref>
* In western [[Washington (state)|Washington]], flooding from heavy rainfall interfered with the elections.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/291509_problems08.html | title=Other states have dirty tricks; we have flooding | author=Carol Smith | date=November 8, 2006 | work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016174043/http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Other-states-have-dirty-tricks-we-have-flooding-1219219.php |archive-date=October 16, 2012 |access-date=October 13, 2023}}</ref>
* In [[Denver, Colorado]], the computer system containing the voter registration rolls slowed down and crashed on several occasions during the day causing lines that were over two hours long at some vote centers.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5126521,00.html | title=Denver voters seethe in lines | author1=Ann Imse|author2=Lou Kilzer|author3=James Meadow|author4=Laura Frank | date=November 8, 2006 | publisher=[[Rocky Mountain News]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930221945/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5126521,00.html | archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref>  Some vote centers ran out of provisional ballots, and sample ballots had to be used instead.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5126340,00.html | title=Ballot shortage forces desperate measure | author1=Gargi Chakrabarty | author2=Rachel Brand | name-list-style=amp | date=November 8, 2006 | publisher=[[Rocky Mountain News]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111111851/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5126340,00.html | archive-date=November 11, 2006 }}</ref>
* Also in Denver, 44,000 absentee ballots were misprinted with the "yes" and "no" positions on a ballot issue reversed. Also, the [[bar code]] designating the ballot style was misprinted, requiring the ballots to be hand sorted which delayed results by over a week. The problem is blamed on ballot misprints by [[Sequoia Voting Systems]]. Some ballots had to be hand-copied onto other ballots before they could be counted.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5142404,00.html | title=Big bar code misfire | author=Ann Imse | date=November 14, 2006 | publisher=[[Rocky Mountain News]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103224517/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5142404,00.html | archive-date=January 3, 2007 }}</ref>
* A new voter ID law in [[Maricopa County, Arizona]] was subject to a lawsuit, [[Purcell v. Gonzalez]], in which the Supreme Court established the [[Purcell Principle]] against changing rules very close to an election.

==Ramifications==
Many political analysts concluded that the results of the election were based around President [[George W. Bush]]'s policies in the [[War in Iraq]] and corruption in Congress.<ref>{{cite news | title=Midterm Election Roundtable | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/audio/2006/11/08/AU2006110800644.html | date=November 8, 2006 | newspaper=Washington Post | first=Audio | last=By | access-date=May 26, 2010 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103032124/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/audio/2006/11/08/AU2006110800644.html | archive-date=November 3, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Elections Bring New Landscape to Capitol| author1=Sheryl Gay Stolberg| author2=Philip Shenon| name-list-style=amp| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/us/politics/08cnd-elect.html| date=November 8, 2006| work=The New York Times| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160717061654/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/us/politics/08cnd-elect.html| archive-date=July 17, 2016}}</ref>  At a press conference given to address the election results, President Bush called the cumulative results of the election a "thumpin'" by the Democrats.<ref name="Thumping">{{cite web | url=http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B1AEB9978-9BE4-4A3F-8C97-5180E05A5987%7D&siteid=google&dist= | title=Embattled Rumsfeld to resign | author=William L. Watts | date=November 8, 2006 | publisher=[[MarketWatch]] | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918131535/http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B1AEB9978-9BE4-4A3F-8C97-5180E05A5987%7D&siteid=google&dist= | archive-date=September 18, 2008 }}</ref>

===Democratic agenda===
Democrats promised an agenda that included raising the [[minimum wage]], implementing all of the [[9/11 Commission]] recommendations, eliminating subsidies for oil companies, restricting lobbyists, repealing tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, lowering interest rates on [[student loan|college loans]], expanding [[stem-cell research]], investigating political appointees for actions taken during and leading to the [[Iraq War|war in Iraq]], allowing current tax cuts to expire,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/3638/1/2?TopicID= | title=Tax Policy on the Campaign Trail | date=November 7, 2006 | publisher=OMB Watch | url-status=dead | archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20061108211842/http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/3638/1/2?TopicID= | archive-date=November 8, 2006 }}</ref> and negotiating [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] prescription drug prices. They planned to legislate these issues within their first 100 legislative hours of power in January 2007.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/08/pelosi.speaker | title=Pelosi ready for House helm, battle over issues | date=November 9, 2006 | publisher=CNN | access-date=May 26, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090917103156/http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/08/pelosi.speaker/ | archive-date=September 17, 2009 }}</ref> According to Brian Wright, president of Democrasource, LLC (an Ohio-based national political consulting group), "There's no question, the administration and Iraq set the tone for this year. This new balance of power can be a true catalyst to get the country back on track."

====Six-point plan====
Prior to the election in July 2006 Democrats unveiled a six-point plan they promised to enact if elected with congressional majorities. The plan was billed the "Six for 06 agenda" and officially called "A New Direction For America"<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.democraticleader.house.gov/pdf/NewDirection.pdf | title=A New Direction For America (pdf) | author=Congressional Democrats | publisher=[[Nancy Pelosi]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061114004629/http://www.democraticleader.house.gov/pdf/NewDirection.pdf | archive-date=2006-11-14 | access-date=2006-11-15 }}</ref> and compared to the 1994 Republican "[[Contract with America]]".<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/27/campaign.2006 | title=Democrats launch 'Six for '06' agenda | author1=Dana Bash | author2=Ted Barrett | name-list-style=amp | date=July 28, 2006 | publisher=CNN | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060821145859/http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/27/campaign.2006/ | archive-date=August 21, 2006 }}</ref> The six-points of the plan include: "honest leadership and open government, real security, energy independence, economic prosperity and educational excellence, a healthcare system that works for everyone, and retirement security".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.democrats.org/agenda.html | title=6-point plan for 2006 | author=Democratic National Committee | date=July 28, 2006 | publisher=[[Democratic National Committee]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090707002314/http://www.democrats.org/agenda.html | archive-date=July 7, 2009 | author-link=Democratic National Committee }}</ref>
* Real security
**  In regards to "real security" they propose a "[[Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq (2007–2011)|phased redeployment]]" of U.S. forces from Iraq, doubling the size of U.S. military [[United States Special Operations Forces#Counter-Terrorist Units|special forces]] to capture [[Osama bin Laden]] and destroy terrorist groups such as [[al Qaeda]], and implementing the 9/11 Commission proposals to secure the national borders of the United States and screen every container arriving at U.S. ports.
* Economic prosperity and educational excellence
**  Democratic plans for economic prosperity include ending the congressional pay raise until the federal [[minimum wage]] is raised and withholding tax breaks from U.S. companies that [[Outsourcing|outsource]] jobs to foreign countries. Within education they plan to cut college loan rates, expand federal [[Pell grant|grants]], and ensure that funds used for college tuition are not taxed.
* Energy independence
**  The Democratic plan for achieving an end to American dependence on foreign countries for [[oil]] consists of repealing tax incentives given to oil companies, higher penalties for [[price gouging]] gasoline products, increasing tax incentives and funding for the research and development of technologies intended to improve fuel-efficiency and creating viable alternative fuel supplies such as [[biofuels]].

===Domestic===

====Donald Rumsfeld====
With apparent reference to the impact of the Iraq war policy, in a press conference held on November 8, Bush talked about the election and announced the resignation of [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]] [[Donald Rumsfeld]]. Bush stated, "I know there's a lot of speculation on what the election means for the battle we're waging in Iraq. I recognize that many Americans voted last night to register their displeasure with the lack of progress being made there."  Prior to the election, Bush had stated that he intended to keep Rumsfeld on as Secretary of Defense until the end of his presidency. However, Bush then went on to add Rumsfeld's resignation was not due to the Democratic victories on November 8. Rumsfeld's job reportedly had been on the line for several months prior to the election, and the decision for him to stay until after the election, if he was going to be let go at all, was also reportedly made several months earlier. All this led to his resignation.<ref>{{cite news | title=Removal of Rumsfeld Dates Back to Summer | author=Jim Rutenberg | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/10/washington/10rumsfeld.html | date=November 10, 2006 | work=The New York Times | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160717061705/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/10/washington/10rumsfeld.html | archive-date=July 17, 2016 }}</ref>

====Republican leadership====
On the same day, then [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]], Representative [[Dennis Hastert]] of the 14th Congressional District of [[Illinois]], said he would not seek the [[Minority Leader]] position for the [[110th Congress]].

====Voting trends====
In the aftermath of the election ''[[The Weekly Standard]]'' published a number of articles highly critical of how the Republican Party had managed the United States Congress. It called the electoral defeat for the G.O.P. "only a little short" of "devastating" saying the "party of reform ... didn't reform anything" and warned that the Democratic Party has expanded its "geographical sphere of Democratic power" to formerly Republican-held states such as Montana, Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, while it solidified former swing states like [[Illinois]] as Democratic strongholds. In the New England region, popular Republican Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]] was defeated, despite having approval ratings near 60% and Republicans now only control a single district, the CT-04 seat held by [[Chris Shays]], out of 22 congressional districts. The Democrats also became the clear majority in the [[Mid-Atlantic states|Mid Atlantic]] region as well. Two Republican incumbent Congressmen were defeated in [[New York (state)|New York]] state and the Democrats picked up a Republican open seat, all from Republican regions upstate, and four Republican Congressmen were defeated in [[Pennsylvania]]. Democrats picked up seats in all Northeastern state legislatures holding elections, except [[Rhode Island]], which remained unchanged (and Democrats clearly in the majority), winning a [[supermajority]] in both the Connecticut House and Senate, and winning both houses of the New Hampshire legislature for the first time since 1874. Democrats kept both vulnerable Senate seats in [[Maryland]] and [[New Jersey]], winning them by wider margins than predicted, and they won the heavily contested Senate seats in [[Missouri]] and [[Virginia]].

The Democratic expansion into Indiana, Virginia and Ohio has "seriously diminished the chances for future Republican success" it claimed. The paper, which has been described as the "quasi-official organ of the Bush Administration"<ref>{{cite news| title=WHY WE HATE BUSH (It's the Stolen Election, Stupid) | author=Ted Rall | date = September 25, 2003 | publisher=Yahoo!| author-link=Ted Rall }}</ref> also stated that more people would have to "bendover" to get anywhere in a political office and has called on Republicans to move to the center for the sake of the party's future viability saying "conservatives won't want to hear this, but the Republican who maneuvered his way into the most impressive victory ... won  ... after moving to the center" and that "the South is not enough space to build a national governing majority".<ref>{{cite web | title=Republicans find themselves increasingly confined to the Sun Belt | author=Matthew Continetti | url=http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/921bvzsc.asp | date=November 8, 2006 | publisher=[[Weekly Standard]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116223537/http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/921bvzsc.asp | archive-date=2006-11-16 | access-date=2006-11-14 | author-link=Matthew Continetti }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Why Republicans got shellacked in the midterms | author=Fred Barnes | url=http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/923kemje.asp?pg=2 | date=November 8, 2006 | publisher=[[Weekly Standard]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210134/http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/923kemje.asp?pg=2 | archive-date=2007-09-30 | access-date=2006-11-14 }}</ref>

===International===

====Asia====
* {{Flag icon|PRC}} The government of the [[People's Republic of China]] was said to be nervous about the effect a Democratic-led Congress might have on its exports to the United States market and the possible controversy that could result because of the country's [[human rights]] record. [[Nancy Pelosi]], who became the Speaker of the House, is a noted critic of Chinese policy. Concerns likely to be raised include the [[Renminbi|undervalued Chinese currency]], blamed by some for the recent losses in the American manufacturing industry, and issues such as [[internet censorship]], [[piracy]], limited market access within China itself for companies based in the U.S., and [[religious freedom]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://dailynews.muzi.com/news/ll/english/10026302.shtml | title=China to come under tighter scrutiny by new US Congress | date=November 12, 2006 | publisher=Muzi.com | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061121141928/http://dailynews.muzi.com/news/ll/english/10026302.shtml | archive-date=November 21, 2006 }}</ref> The [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China|Chinese Foreign Ministry]] spokeswoman Jiang Yu stated that she hoped the United States would play a "constructive role" in maintaining "sound, healthy and stable relations between China and the U.S.".<ref name="International"/>

====Europe====
* {{Flag icon|Belgium}} [[Belgium|Belgian]] [[Minister of Defence]] [[André Flahaut]] expressed his approval of Rumsfeld's resignation. He said Rumsfeld was "obstinate", and he hoped that the elections would bring upon a change in the United States' foreign policy.<ref name="International"/>
* {{Flag icon|Denmark}} [[Prime Minister of Denmark|Danish Prime Minister]] [[Anders Fogh Rasmussen]] said he hoped that President Bush and the newly elected Congress could find common ground and resolve issues regarding the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]] and the [[War in Iraq]]. Rasmussen also said Denmark would keep its troops in [[Iraq]] and neither the election nor the resignation of [[Donald Rumsfeld]] would change government foreign policies.<ref name="International">{{cite web | url=http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=150627 | title=World contemplates fallout for Iraq of U.S. election | date=November 9, 2006 | agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061122205512/http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=150627 | archive-date=November 22, 2006 }}</ref>
* {{Flag icon|France}} France's [[Minister of Defence (France)|Minister of Defence]] [[Michele Alliot-Marie]] said that her American counterpart, [[Donald Rumsfeld]], had "taken the consequences" of an election in which voters punished the government over the war in Iraq.<ref name="International"/> The former [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist]] [[Prime Minister of France]], [[Laurent Fabius]], was quoted as saying, ""A lot of Americans have realised that Mr. Bush has lied to them."<ref name="Europe"/>
* {{Flag icon|Germany}} The German [[Foreign Office (Germany)|Foreign Office]]'s coordinator for German-American cooperation, Karsten D. Voigt, said that he believed that the Democratic-controlled Congress will be more cooperative with the world, but he expects that Europeans will have to carry more influence on such foreign issues of importance, such as the war in Iraq and in Afghanistan, and the nuclear weapon programs of [[North Korea]] and [[Iran]]. Voigt further stated that Europe needed to develop a stronger relationship with the United States, especially with newly elected Congressional politicians. Voigt went on to say that doing so would help "better convey European positions on major international issues and make concerted efforts to find constructive political solutions for the future."<ref>{{cite news |last=Casagrande |first=Sabina | url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2230672,00.html | title=US Elections | date=November 8, 2006 | work=[[Deutsche Welle]] | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906191755/http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2230672,00.html | archive-date=September 6, 2007 |access-date=October 14, 2023}}</ref>
* {{Flag icon|UK}} [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] [[Member of Parliament]] [[John McDonnell (politician)|John McDonnell]], a critic of United Kingdom [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]], said, "the message of the American people is clear – there needs to be a major change of direction in Iraq. Just as in Britain, people in the U.S. feel that they have been ill advised, misled and ignored."<ref name="Europe">{{cite news | url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,447246,00.html | title=European Reaction- "End of a Six Year Nightmare" | date=November 8, 2006 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205223128/http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,447246,00.html | archive-date=December 5, 2006 | newspaper=Spiegel Online |access-date=October 14, 2023}}</ref> McDonnell, who became the first Labour Party MP to announce that he would stand for [[2007 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|leadership]] in 2007, also said, "These election results have not only damaged Bush, they mean that Blair is now totally isolated in the international community."<ref name="Europe"/>
* {{Flag icon|Italy}} [[Prime Minister of Italy]], [[Romano Prodi]], believed that it was [[George W. Bush|Bush's]] Iraq policy that had led to the complete turnover in the elections. He said that Bush would "have to negotiate with the opposition on all issues."<ref name="Europe"/>
* {{Flag icon|Spain}} The ruling [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] responded to the elections stating that they hoped the elections "would help to change the course of U.S. foreign policy."<ref name="Europe"/>

====Middle East====
* {{Flag icon|Iran}} [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Iran's Supreme Leader]] Ayatollah [[Ali Khamenei]] on Friday called U.S. President George W. Bush's defeat in congressional elections a victory for Iran. "This issue (the elections) is not a purely domestic issue for America, but it is the defeat of Bush's hawkish policies in the world", Khamenei said in remarks reported by [[Iran]]'s student news agency ISNA on Friday. "Since Washington's hostile and hawkish policies have always been against the Iranian nation, this defeat is actually an obvious victory for the Iranian nation." "The result of this election indicates that the majority of American people are dissatisfied and are fed up with the policies of the American administration", the IRNA state news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-11-10T140135Z_01_L10266591_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-ELECTIONS-IRAN.xml&src=rss&rpc=22 | title=Khamenei calls elections a victory for Iran | author=Jon Hemming | date=November 10, 2006 | work=Reuters | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103223734/http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-11-10T140135Z_01_L10266591_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-ELECTIONS-IRAN.xml&src=rss&rpc=22 | archive-date=January 3, 2007 }}</ref>
** In a letter to the American people released on Wednesday, November 29, 2006, via Iran's Permanent Mission to the [[United Nations]] in New York City, [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] wrote:

{{blockquote|I'd also like to say a word to the winners of the recent elections in the U.S. :

The United States has had many administrations; some who have left a positive legacy, and others that are neither remembered fondly by the American people nor by other nations.

Now that you control an important branch of the U.S. Government, you will also be held to account by the people and by history.

If the U.S. Government meets the current domestic and external challenges with an approach based on truth and Justice, it can remedy some of the past afflictions and alleviate some of the global resentment and hatred of America . But if the approach remains the same, it would not be unexpected that the American people would similarly reject the new electoral winners, although the recent elections, rather than reflecting a victory, in reality point to the failure of the current administration's policies. These issues had been extensively dealt with in my [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's letter to George W. Bush|letter to President Bush earlier this year]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15947213 | title=U.S. governs by 'coercion,' Iran leader writes | work=NBC News | date=November 29, 2006 | access-date=November 17, 2019 | archive-date=August 14, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814114331/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15947213 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15952309 | title=Text of Iran president's letter to the U.S. | work=NBC News | date=November 29, 2006 | access-date=November 22, 2019 | archive-date=August 14, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814114758/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15952309 | url-status=live }}</ref>}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* Jacobson, Gary C. ''A Divider, Not a Uniter: George W. Bush and the American People: The 2006 Election and Beyond'' (Longman Publishing Group, 2008)

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070313022836/http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9004591 E-voting state by state: What you need to know], Computerworld, 1 November 2006
* [https://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/special/election06/ Election coverage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605053043/http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/special/election06/ |date=2010-06-05 }} on the [[Tavis Smiley]] show
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061004192141/http://uspolitics.einnews.com/2006-midterm-elections U.S. Midterm Election News Coverage] – Comprehensive news coverage of all election campaigns and candidates
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061111173251/http://www.bluestatesredstates.com/BSRS_Special_Elect2006.html BSRS Newsservice Coverage of US Midterm Elections] – Humorous coverage of the all national and statewide races in the 2006 midterm elections
* [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/lcwa/html/elec2006/elec2006-overview.html United States Election 2006 Web Archive] from the U.S. [[Library of Congress]]

{{2006 United States elections}}
{{United States elections}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:United States Elections, 2006}}
[[Category:2006 elections in the United States| ]]
[[Category:General elections in the United States|2006]]
[[Category:United States midterm elections|2006]]
[[Category:November 2006 events in the United States]]