Updated Nov. 6 | 9 p.m.

Election 2002 had its share of winners, losers

By CHUCK RAASCH
GNS Political Writer

WASHINGTON — The Bush political dynasty was a big winner in Tuesday's elections. So was former Christian Coalition operative Ralph Reed, who now chairs the Georgia Republican Party.

Losers included anyone tied to the Democratic leadership. They lost ground in Congress, and there were post-election rumblings of a challenge to House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt.

Here's a look at the winners and losers:

Winner: The Bush brothers. President George W. Bush staked his bully pulpit on close races in 15 states over the last week, and the Republicans won enough of them to retake the Senate and House. Jeb Bush became the first Republican to be re-elected governor of Florida, and did so convincingly. Former President George Bush - "41" in White House parlance - introduced his son Jeb at the victory party.

Winner: The state of Florida. Irrespective of who won the election, fears of widespread voting problems did not materialize.

Loser: Democratic National Chairman Terry McAuliffe, who guaranteed far more victories than his party delivered. Now, in a new era of campaign finance reform, the DNC may be at a bigger money disadvantage than before because it is restricted in raising the large "soft money" donations it had used this year to narrow the money gap with the Republicans. And in politics, success begets fund-raising success. Look for the money gap to widen even further.

Loser: House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt, who could face a challenge in his own caucus. And, to a lesser degree, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, whose party will no longer be in control come January. Daschle may still save some face if Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., hangs on in an extremely close fight with Rep. John Thune, R-S.D. That race was portrayed for more than a year as a surrogate fight between Daschle and President Bush.

Winner: Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott. Not only is his party back in control in the Senate, albeit narrowly, but a few weeks back a potential rival, Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., said he would not challenge Lott for the GOP leadership.

Winner: Walter Mondale. The former vice president stepped in to run a weeklong campaign for the Minnesota Senate after Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., died in a plane crash. Mondale narrowly lost to Republican Norm Coleman, but he campaigned and conceded with class. Addressing young people, he said: "It's important for you to know your ideals are often tested more in defeat than in victory." Serving in the minority party in a closely divided Senate may not have been that much of a prize either for a 74-year-old man who has already had a long political career.

Loser: The Kennedy dynasty. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the oldest child of the late Robert F. Kennedy, became the first Democrat to lose a governor's race in heavily Democratic Maryland since Spiro Agnew won in 1966. Her national aspirations, if she had any, may be dashed.

Winner: Reed. A confidant of Bush in the 2000 election, the former Christian Coalition operative had a rocky record as a political consultant before Tuesday night. But his Georgia Republican Party scored two of the biggest upsets when Rep. Saxby Chambliss won the Senate race over incumbent Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga.; and when Sonny Perdue upset Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes.

Loser: The news media. Two years ago, the press spent 36 days of Florida recount chaos pronouncing that democracy was in disarray. But the meltdown of the exit polling system by the news consortium, Voter News Service, left the media with an egged face and far fewer numbers to chew on in 2002. Gone was that ability to analyze why voters under 30 east of the Mississippi were more inclined to vote one way or another. But there may be a silver lining: The lack of exit polls also proved that elections go on and democracy survives without them. And when media counted actual votes, the drama seemed more real.