Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 January 2008
In the week following the November 2006 midterm elections, which gavethe Democratic Party control of Congress, both parties in the Househeld elections for various leadership offices. A total of sixpositions in both parties were contested, an unusually large number,but the campaign for one office—the Democratic majorityleader—garnered the most attention. That race pitted two moderateDemocrats against each other, threatened to split the party, andfeatured a remarkable intervention by the incoming speaker.Thanks to Doug Harris, Jeffrey Lewis,Keith Poole, and Eric Powers for their valuable suggestions andassistance.