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1. Read the article and look up the meaning of the underlined words and phrases in the dictionary. Republicans win Senate and hold the House

Republicans have swept to victory in midterm elections in the United States, gaining control of the Senate. The Republicans captured high-profile Senate races from North Carolina to New Hampshire while winning governors' races in what traditionally had been Democratic Party states. In Georgia, a little-known former state senator, Sonny P., upset the incumbent Democratic governor, Roy B.

The Republicans also solidified their hold on the House of Representatives. The results mean that a single party, the Republicans, will once again control both houses of Congress and the White House. The party lost the Senate in June 2001, when Senator James J. of Vermont defected from it and became an independent, though mostly voting with the Democrats. «We made history tonight», Representative Thomas D., chairman of the Republican Congressional Campaign committee, said as results came in late Tuesday. «It was a great win for the president of the United States».

Norm C., a Republican, sent former Vice-President Walter Mondale back into political retirement after beating him in the Senate race in Minnesota. In a brief, emotional speech Wednesday morning, Mondale said he had «no regrets at all» over the campaign, which he described as «electric».

The US president planned no public statements Wednesday on the election results. The Republicans emerged Wednesday with 51 Senate seats to the Democrats' 46, with two races still awaiting final outcomes and an independent holding one seat. The Democratic incumbent in South Dakota tentatively appeared to have won, but the margin of victory was so small — about 500 votes — that the Republican challenger was seeking a recount. The Democratic incumbent in Louisiana fell a bit short of the 50 per cent margin needed to avoid a runoff election⁵ in December after running well ahead of three Republican challengers.

Meanwhile, the Republicans won 227 House seats to the Democrats' 203, with four races still undecided shortly before midday Wednesday and an independent holding one seat. The outcome of the balloting Tuesday marked a break with historic patterns in which the party that controls the White House almost invariably lost seats in midterm congressional elections.

The result signaled a major change in the way Washington does business, removing what president had repeatedly complained in recent days was Democratic opposition that had prevented him from winning confirmation of his judicial nominations and such measures as a permanent tax cut and a homeland security bill.

In Maryland, Kathleen K., a Democrat and a daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, lost her bid for governor to Representative Robert E. Jr. — the first time a Republican was elected governor of that state since Spiro Agnew in 1966.

In Alabama, the governor's race was thrown into chaos when both the Democratic incumbent, Don S., and his Republican challenger, Representative Bob R., claimed victory — a situation that most likely will take a court ruling to untangle. That predicament came about when election officials in Baldwin County, which is considered a Republican stronghold, initially showed Don S. with 19,070 votes but later cut that tally to 12,736 votes. That change, if allowed to stand, would put Bob R. ahead by 2,752 votes.

In California, the Democratic incumbent, Gray D., withstood an unexpectedly tough challenge from Bill S., a Republican, to win a second term.

Democrats tried to put the best light on the outcomes, arguing that they had faced a tough task from the beginning because of Bush's high approval rating and the financial advantage enjoyed by Republicans. But the result was particularly distressing for the Democratic congressional leaders: Tom D., Senate majority leader, and Richard G., House minority leader. They are viewed as prospects for president.

«What you've got to look at is the incredible amount of special interest money that was on their side», Richard G. said. «There were races where we were outspent 4 to 1,5 to 1. The pharmaceutical companies probably spent $60 million across the country».