The Week November 6-12

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NATION

Wipe-Out

Despite furious last-minute campaigning, the Comeback Kid failed this time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Weary of the ways of Washington, frustrated voters ejected President Clinton's Democratic majorities from the halls of Congress, handing control of both houses to the G.O.P. for the first time in 40 years. In all, not a single incumbent Republican Senator, Representative or Governor lost. Jubilant party leaders reveled in the political revolution -- on the one hand openly stretching out an arm of cooperation to the President, on the other eagerly preparing to flex their invigorated conservative muscles. Following the devastating-to-Democ rats results, a humbled and reflective President gladly took up the offer of cooperation on issues like welfare reform and streamlining government but promised to stand firm and fight on matters of "conviction" like education, gun control and jobs.

The Senate

Republicans won eight seats and got a bonus ninth when Richard Shelby, Democrat of Alabama, switched parties, bringing the new G.O.P. majority to 53 to 47. Among the big-name Democrats felled by voters were Tennessee's Jim Sasser and Pennsylvania's Harris Wofford. A number of struggling Democrats survived: Massachusetts' Ted Kennedy, New Jersey's Frank Lautenberg, Virginia's Charles Robb (who beat out controversial Iran-contra figure Oliver North) and, apparently, California's Dianne Feinstein. Kansas' Bob Dole, a possible presidential contender, will become the new Senate majority leader. Colleagues in line to head key committees include Strom Thurmond at Armed Services, Jesse Helms at Foreign Relations, Orrin Hatch at Judiciary and Alfonse D'Amato at Banking.

The House

Republicans have their first shot at running the House of Representatives since 1954. The shift is expected to produce a series of political tremors for the next two years as the Speaker's chair is transferred to the often corrosively partisan Newt Gingrich. The Speaker-in-waiting sent only a limited peace signal to the Clinton Administration -- "Cooperation, yes; compromise, no," -- and wasted little time in blasting "counterculture McGovernicks" and "left-wing elitists" at the White House. Among the Democratic war-horses sent out to pasture by the electorate: Illinois' Dan Rostenkowski, Texas' Jack Brooks and Washington's Tom Foley, the current Speaker.

The Governors

One of the Democratic Party's most eloquent voices was silenced: New York Governor Mario Cuomo lost to G.O.P. challenger George Pataki. In Texas, George W. Bush, the former President's eldest son, beat Democratic incumbent Ann Richards. But in Florida, Jeb Bush, the other Bush son running this year, lost to Lawton Chiles -- handing him the distinction of being the only big-state Democratic Governor left in the nation. California stayed Republican, re- electing Pete Wilson.

Ballot Measures