 Democrats Take Over Congress in Midterm Elections (Nov. 7): Democrats pick up 27 seats in the House of Representatives, giving them a 230 seats to Republicans' 205. In the Senate, Democrats gain six seats, enough for a 51–49 majority. |
Rumsfeld Resigns as Defense Secretary (Nov. 8): A day after a majority of American voters voiced their opposition to the war in Iraq, Donald Rumsfeld announces his resignation as U.S. Secretary of Defense. President Bush nominates Robert Gates, the former chief of the CIA, as his successor. |
Members of Congress Select New Leaders (Nov. 15): Mitch McConnell is elected Republican minority leader. Trent Lott, the former Senate majority leader, prevails over Lamar Alexander by one vote to become minority whip. (Nov. 16): Democrats select Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House and Steny Hoyer as House majority leader. Pelosi is the first woman to hold the position. She had supported Rep. John Murtha over Hoyer as majority leader. (Nov. 17): Republican members of the House of Representatives elect John A. Boehner of Ohio as minority leader.
|