Centrist Republicans will play a particularly critical role in the Senate where Democratic gains were held to five seats. “Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer failed in their quest to build a 60 vote, filibuster proof majority,” continued Davis. “A big win by Main Street Senator Susan Collins (ME) and an apparent win by Main Street Senator Norm Coleman (MN) guarantee that Republicans will be able hold back any effort to overreach by the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate.”
In the House, Main Street PAC-endorsed Republican Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) scored one of the few GOP pickups, defeating Democratic incumbent Nancy Boyda in Kanas’ 2nd Congressional District. In addition to the Jenkins win, Main Street PAC-endorsed candidates held difficult open seats in Ohio’s 15th District (Steve Stivers), and New Jersey’s 7th District (Leonard Lance).
Current Main Street House members also prevailed in a number of hotly contested House races. These include both Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart who prevailed in their respective races in southern Florida, as well as Mark Kirk in Illinois’ 10th Congressional District, and Jim Gerlach in Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District.
“Over the next two years there are big challenges facing our country, and Main Street’s centrist elected membership stands ready to do the hard work of finding common-sense, pragmatic solutions to these challenges,” concluded Davis.
