by Bob Jones
Cover Story | Early on Nov. 8, long after one presidential candidate has gone to bed a winner, Dennis Hastert and Richard Gephardt may still be wondering which of them will wield the Speaker's gavel. In one of the tightest races for control of the House, Republicans hold a bare 11-seat majority. If the Democrats can take over just six current Republican seats, they'll wrest control of the lower chamber-and with it, much of the nation's legislative agenda. Though all 435 seats are up for grabs, only 50 or so are considered truly competitive. Republicans are largely resigned to losing seats in the West, where demographic shifts have left them at a disadvantage. But with GOP candidates showing surprising strength in the East, can they pick up enough seats to offset their Western losses? Bob Jones visited four of the hardest-fought congressional districts for a sample of what Election Night might hold. Here's a region-by-region look at 14 key races around the country.
