A razor-thin majority for Republicans in Congress could lead to gridlock on issues critical to trucking, while the outcome of the presidential election will affect the regulatory climate for the industry for the next four years, analysts said last week. That was the assessment as the nation waited for the winner of the Nov. 7 balloting to be determined.
As of Nov. 9, Democrats had picked up three seats in the Senate, leaving Republicans with a 50-49 edge and the possibility of an even split: One seat, Republican Slade Gorton’s in Washington state, was still being contested as Transport Topics went to press.
In the House, incumbents kept a strong grip on their seats and Republicans held a 220-211 edge, with two races — in Florida and New Jersey — still up in the air.
But without a serious change to the balance of power in Congress for the next two years, the outcome of the presidential race may be the most vital to trucking interests. Transportation industry lobbyists were hoping for a Bush victory.
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