The last congressional race of the 2010 midterm election was decided Wednesday, December 8, when Republican Randy Altschuler conceded victory to incumbent Democrat Tim Bishop in the NY-01 congressional district comprised of the eastern half of Long Island.
Republicans will control the 112th House of Representatives with a 242-193 majority, a net change of 63 seats from the now lamest-of-ducks 111th. It will be the largest Republican majority since the 80th Congress (246-189) elected in the first post-World-War-II midterm of 1946. The highest Republican majority since then, achieved in George W. Bush's post 9/11 re-election of 2004, was 231-203 with one seat vacant. It will be the fifth largest Republican majority since the House went to 435 seats almost a century ago in 1913.
In a less exultatory tone, on the day before the election, Monday, November 1, I predicted here that the final split would be 243-192 and the final swing 64 seats.
Now, with Altschuler's concession, I am forced to admit the one-seat error of my ways.
