By Tom Nelson, USCM Intern
November 11, 2008

In a year of political transitions, the United States Senate has been transformed in the national elections. The Senate race in Alaska between Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich and incumbent Republican Senator Ted Stevens shows Stephens with a slight advantage with roughly 60,000 votes yet to be counted. There is another tight Senate race in Minnesota involving a former mayor between former St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman (1993-2001) and Al Franken, his democratic challenger, where a recount is pending. Wyoming Republican Senator Michael Enzi, former mayor of Gillette (1975-1982), was re-elected, as was Oklahoma Republican Senator James Inhofe, former mayor of Tulsa (1978-1984). Mike Johanns, former mayor of Lincoln (1991-1998), was elected to his first Senate term in Nebraska. Johanns resigned as Secretary of Argriculture to run for the Senate and before joining the Bush administration was Nebraska Governor.

In a year where Alaska was in the forefront of the political spotlight, the highly publicized race between Begich, 46, and Stevens, who in his 40th year is the longest serving Republican Senator, was too close to call as U.S.Mayor goes to press. In the most recent count, Stevens had 48.1 percent of the vote compared to 46.5 percent for Begich, a mere 3,353 votes separating the two. With up to 60,000 votes still to be counted state election officials have said determining a winner could take ten to fourteen days. The votes still uncounted include some 40,000 absentee ballots and roughly 9,000 early ballots. Begich is in his fifth term as mayor of Anchorage, and is chair of the Conference of Mayors Community/Military Relations Task Force. The polls in Alaska closed just nine days after Stevens was found guilty on federal felony charges by a federal grand jury for failing to report gifts from VECO Corporation.

In another highly contested race (and also the most expensive), incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman holds a slight lead over comedian-writer turned politician, Democrat Al Franken. At last count, Coleman led Franken by 477 votes of the 2.9 million cast. A recount has been ordered, which will begin in a few weeks. Coleman was elected mayor of St. Paul in 1993 where he served until 2002. In 2003, he became a Minnesota Senator and serves on four senate committees. Franken, a former Saturday Night Live writer and author of five New York Times bestselling books (including Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot) ran as a member of the Democrat-Farmer-Labor-Party.

The Minnesota and Alaska races, along with an undecided Senate race in Georgia, bear significant consequences, as a 60-vote filibuster proof majority for the Democrats depends on the three races.

In races with decided winners, Junior Senator Enzi won with 76 percent of the Wyoming vote, compared to 24 percent for challenger Chris Rothfuss, an instructor at the University of Wyoming. Enzi was first elected to the Wyoming Senate in 1996. In 2005, he became chairman of the HELP Committee, the first Wyoming Senator to hold that position since the 1890’s. Enzi has worked toward affordable education and for independent farmers, as evidenced by his opposition to meatpacker ownership of livestock. He also has twice appealed to bring his laptop on the Senate floor, saying the senate is in a new century, but the ban on laptops still stands.

Senator James Inhofe defeated 35-year-old Andrew Rice, an Oklahoma State Senator, 57 percent to 39 percent. Inhofe, the senior senator of Oklahoma, was elected in 2004 and joined the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, having served in the Army from 1958-59. He is also the ranking minority member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Having defeated Scott Kleeb 58 percent to 40 percent, Mike Johaans will succeed Republican Senator Chuck Hagel in Nebraska, who is retiring. In addition to his seven year service as mayor (1991-98), Johanns was also Governer from 1999-2005 and U.S. Agriculture secretary from 2005-2007.

Additionally, there were six mayors turned senators who were not up for re-election this cycle, including; former San Francisco (CA) Mayor Diane Feinstein; former Union City (NJ) Mayor Robert Menendez; former Chattanooga (TN) Mayor Robert Corker; former Indianapolis (IN) Mayor Richard Lugar; former Burlington (VT) Mayor Bernard Sanders; and former Cleveland (OH) Mayor George Voinovich.

New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici, former Mayor Ex-Officio of Albuquerque (1967-1970) decided not to run for re-election. He was the state’s senior Senator, and decided to retire due to health issues. “I am not willing to take a chance that the people who have so honored me with their trust for 40 years might not be served as well as they deserve in the United States Senate,” he said at an October 4 press conference.

Former mayors will make up a sizable population of the House this year. Among the former mayors re-elected to the House and their defeated opponents are:

Former Somerville, (MA) Mayor Michael Capuano(1989-1998), (uncontested);

Former Kansas City, (MO) Mayor Emmanuel Cleaver (1991-1998), (Jacob Turk 64 percent to 35 percent);

Former Byrdstown, (TN) Mayor Lincoln Davis (1978-1982), (Monty Lankford 59-38);

Former Ft.Worth, (TX) Mayor Kay Granger (1991-1995), (Tracey Smith 68-31);

Former Cleveland, (OH) Mayor Dennis Kucinich (1977-1979), (Jim Trakas 57-39);

Former Santa Clarita, (CA) Mayor Buck McKeon (1987-1988), (Jackie Conaway 58-42);

Former Carrollton, (TX) Mayor Kenny Merchant (1984-1987), (Tom Love 56-41);

Former Macon, (GA) Mayor Jim Marshall (1995-1999), (Rick Goddard 57-43);

Former Alexandria, (VA) Mayor Jim Morgan (1985-1990), (Mark Ellmore 68-30);

Former Charlotte, (NC) Mayor Sue Myrick (1987-1991), (Harry Taylor 62-36);

Former Springfield, (MA) Mayor Richard Neal (1984-1989), (uncontested);

Former Paterson, (NJ) Mayor Bill Pascrell (1990-1996), (Ronald Straten 71-29);

Former Englewood, (NJ) Mayor Steve Rothman (1983-1989), (Vince Micco 68-32);

Former West New York, (NJ) Mayor Albio Sires (1996-2006), (Joseph Turula 75-22);

Former Dayton, (OH) Mayor Mike Turne (1994-2002)r, (Jane Mitakides 60-40);

Former Ft. Yukon, (AK) Mayor Don Young (1964-1966), (Ethan Berkowitz 52-44).

Three former mayors are joining the House for their first term, including:

Former Montgomery, (AL) Mayor Bobby Bright;

Former Warrensville Heights, (OH) Mayor Marcia L. Fudge; and

Former Johnson City (TN) Mayor Phil Roe.

Two-term Kansas City (MO) Mayor Kay Barnes ran for the House in sixth district Missouri, but was defeated by incumbent Republican Sam Graves 59 percent to 36 percent. Barnes was the first woman mayor of Kansas City.

Charlotte (NC) Mayor Patrick McCrory was defeated in his race for Governor against Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue 50 percent to 47 percent. This makes him the fifth straight Charlotte mayor to lose in a campaign for state office. He is Charlotte’s longest serving mayor, currently in his seventh term, and served as chair of the Conference of Mayors Committee for the Environment and is a senior advisory board member of the Conference. His current term ends in November 2009.