On Election Day 2008, all 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives will be up for grabs. attention so far in 2008, but these House races could arguably have the biggest impact on national legislative policy. My colleagues in Public Affairs at Fleishman Hillard have put together a guide that helps you sort through it.The House currently has 235 Democrats, 199 Republicans, and one vacancy. A significant gain of seats for either party may lead to vast changes at the federal level in 2009 and 2010. In addition to the "power of the purse" (power to initiate revenue bills), the House has a robust committee system with many specific policy sub-committees, and has the exclusive power to initiate articles of impeachment.incumbents for defeat in 2008.
A total of 400 House districts feature an incumbent running for re-election this year, and the majority of them are considered “safe” prospects for re-election. However, factors such as close results in the 2006 election, districts without a clear advantage in voter registration for either party, or negative sentiment toward the incumbent have led both national parties to “target” certain
A targeted designation typically entails support from national parties and advocacy groups in the form of staffing, advertising, polling, and fundraising. Along with open seats where an incumbent has retired, targeted races represent the best potential for the national parties to pick up or lose seats and will be the races to watch on November 4. This document will analyze 21 of the most competitive targeted seat races in this election cycle.
High-profile Presidential, Senate, and Gubernatorial races have attracted a great deal of attention. But as far as FDA and pharmaceutical marketing reform are concerned, look at these seats to see how the makeup of the House might change.
