U.S. ELECTIONS TODAY

Chronicle (Levin), 5 November 1946, Page 5

U.S. ELECTIONS TODAY

Press Assn.

, Republicatis Confident POSSIBILITY OF GAINS

By Telegraph

Copyright

Received Alonday, 1Q.25 p.m. NEW YORK, Nov. 4. Between 34,000,000 and "40,000,000 Aiuericans in 47 States are expected to vute tomorrow for "the fateful 80th" i'ongress whicli tneets 011 Alarch 3. Only once in modern history — in 1934 — has the majority party gained seats in the liiid-term eiection, and oniy twice has the partv Whicli won the mid-term eiection, faileil to elect tlie president tAV'o years later. Tlius, as the Democrats hold only.narrow majorities in both ilouses and are widely believed to be at their weakest since the landslide to Roosevelt in 1932, the Republicans are coniident of controlling the House at least by increasiiig their Senatc representation and paving the way to elect a Republican president in 1948. The majority party automatically takes the speakerslnp of both Houses and tlie eiiuirniansliip of all committees. The Truman adiuinistration has been frequently rebuffed by unofficial coalition Republicans and soutliem Democrats, and if a hostile Congress is eleeted for the reniaining two years of President Triiniiin 's te'rin, a legislative deadlock would probably ensue. Foreign policy is", however, substantially bipartisan and if the llouse or Senate or both went Republican, tlie foreign policy niight not greally cliange.. Eiection Figures. The state of the parties when Congress rose was: — Senate: Democrats 5(1, Republicans 3.!), Progressiye 1. Jiouse: Democrats 23(5, Republicans .182, Progressive 1, Ameriean Labour 1, vacaucies 5. Tlie nation toniorrow will elect 37 Senators tthirty-one for a six-year terni, four for a two year tenu and two w hose ternis expire when the new Congress meets. Alaine, whicli voted iu Eepteniber, has eleeted one Republican) and 432 representati ves in addition to tlie three already chosen froin Alaine, all for two year ternis. The Republi cans need to gain ten seats to win a majority in the Benate whicli is a more dilticult feat than gaiiiing the 2(5 seats necessary to control the House. Thirty-three Htate governorships will also be delennine'd toniorrow and a net gain of two would give the Repulilicans a niajority of governorships. Alany other >State and local legislative or oilier elective oliices will also be decided in toniorrow 's ballot. Goveniors certnin of re-election iuclude Alr. Earl Warren, Rejmbliean, Cali l'ornia, who has both Republican and Deiuocrat nominations and is the polential President ial nominee. The most inleresting guberuatorial conlest is New Vork wliich Alr. Dewey is exjx'ded to hold against ex-Senator Aread. A sufficieut ly large victory niight help Mr. Dewey as a national figure and jtlace liim in line for Presidential nomiiialimi in 1918. Desjiite the Republican l.iadil ion, a del'eafed eandidate .does not get another cliance. New York, as Ihe most jiojiiilous state, is the. key jmint in all campaigns and Afr. Dewey is opjiosed by tlie liest organised surviving elemenls of the Roosevelt new deal.