The Roads to Congress 2008 offers readers straightfoward and detailed case studies of the campaigns, candidates, key issues, and outcomes of over one dozen of the most important and interesting races of 2008. This includes both House and Senate campaigns, contests from all regions of the country, and seats held by Democrats and Republicans, as well as open seats. Every two years the pageantry of American politics unfolds when all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and roughly one-third of those in the U.S. Senate are up for election. These elections provide voters with an opportunity to evaluate their members of Congress and the institution as a whole. They also offer a regular and frequent barometer for the health and practice of American democracy. The 2008 election cycle, in particular, was in many ways one of the most intriguing and pivotal elections in many years and for many reasons, which are explored in this book.

Robert P. Watson is the Director of American Studies at Lynn University. He is also the author and editor of many books, including The Presidents' Wives, Israel and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman, and America's War on Terror.

Chapter 1 ForewordPart 2 INTRODUCTIONChapter 3 1. The 2008 Congressional ElectionsPart 4 HOUSE ELECTIONSChapter 5 2. Mississippi District 1 Race (Childers v. Davis)Chapter 6 3. Missouri District 6 Race (Barns v. Graves)Chapter 7 4. Illinois District 14 Race (Foster v. Oberweis)Chapter 8 5. New York District 13Race (McMahon v. Straniere)Chapter 9 6. Texas District 23 Race (Rodriguez v. Larson)Chapter 10 7. California District 26 Race (Warner versus Dreier)Chapter 11 8. Ohio District 16 Race (Boccieri v. Schuring)Chapter 12 9. Florida District 21 Race (Martinez v. L. Diaz-Balart) Florida District 25 Race (Garcia v. M. Diaz-Balart)Chapter 13 10. Florida District 13 Race (Jennings v. Buchanan)Part 14 SENATE ELECTIONSChapter 15 11. Louisiana Senate Race (Landreieu v. Kennedy)Chapter 16 12. Virginia Senate Race (Warner v. Gilmore)Chapter 17 13. Alaska Senate Race (Begich v. Stevens)Chapter 18 14. Colorado Senate Race (Udall v. Schaffer)Part 19 CONCLUSIONChapter 20 15. The Legacy of Election 2008Chapter 21 AppendixesChapter 22 About the Contributors