Evening star., 1946-11-03
Republicans to Control House,
Gaining 80 Seats Perhaps More;
Senate Dominance Is Possible
Extent of Revolt
Is Chief Question
In Tuesday, Vote
By GouId Lincoln

Republican control OF the next
House of representatives. be-
cause of a revolt of rank and file
voters against the Democratic
administration, will result from
next Tuesdays elections.
Republican control of the Senate
has, in the closing weeks of the
congressional campaign, moved from
the realm of possibility toward
that of probability. Whether the
Democrats retain control of the Up
per House or lose it, the political
division in that body in the new
Congress will be extremely close.
Net Republican gains in the House
will, it Is expected, be not less than
80 seats and may go as high as SO
plus, depending on the extent of the
present uprising of voters.
Must Gain rs Seats.
In the present Congress, the Re-
publicans have 1913 House seats,
counting Representative Hull of Wis
consin, who has changed his party
allegiance from Progressive to Re-
publican. Mr.. Hull is sure OF re-
election. To obtain a majority, the
COP must hold its present strength
and take Is seats from the opposi-
ton. A bare majority of the House
is 2lS.
Winning a majority in the SEN
ate is tougher job for the Repub-
lican party. It must have all the
breaks. The decision will rest with
the voters in less than a score OF
States. If the Republican tide,
which has apparently set in, runs
as strongly as now seems likely.
the COP will control the Senate
by a narrow margin, perhaps 4s
to AZ. There could be tie-48 to 48.
The political division in the Sen
ate today is 56 Democrats and 40
Republicans-if Senator La Toilette
of wisconsin, listed in the past as
a Progressive but who sought a
Republican nomination this year, Is
counted a member of the COP. A
gain of nine seats from the Demo-
Gratis would give the Republicans a
majority of one.
Only two Republican Senate seats
are threatened by the Democrats
in the coming elections-in Cali
fornia and Kentucky The proba-
bilities are both States will elect
Republicans.
Best Republican Chances.
The Republicans have the best
chances to acquire Senate seats
held by Democrats in the following
nine States; Delaware, Idaho, Mas
sachusetts, Missouri, New York,
Ohio. Pennsylvania, West Virginia
and wyoming. They may gain
seats in Maryland, Montana, Wash
ington and New Mexico, although
these States seem more likely to go
Democratic. Long chances for the
Republicans are Utah and Rhode
Island. :
Next In interest to control of
Congress in the coming elections
is the fate of Governors OF "a
states. No gubernatorial elections
are held this year in the other IA
States.
Leading the interest in the guber-
material contests Is Gov. Thomas T..
Dewey's fight for election in New
York. A Dewey victory is virtually
conceded by Democratic leaders
although they keep stiff upper lip
and publicly declare that Senator
Mead, their nominee, will win by
approximately 10000 votes. The only
real question. however, appears to
be the size of Gov. Dewey's plurality
when the votes are counted.
May Win by 100000.
Gov. Dewey's lead, if newspaper
and other polls are to be credited,
will 20 as high as half million
votes, and if the New York Daily
News straw vote is to be credited,
he would win by more than a mil
lion, and would carry New York City.
Such estimates, however, are con-
sidered fantastic. Few believe Gov.
Dewey's lead will be less than 300,-
600. That goes for Democrats as well
as Republicans. Gov. Dewey's ma
jority over Democrats, American
Labor and liberals in 1912 was 243,-
900.
On the results of the elections will
(See LINCOLN, Page A-4D