House Majority Leader and university alumnus Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) cruised to reelection last night, winning more than 70 percent of the votes in his district and helping Democrats maintain control of the House.
Hoyer, who represents the district that includes the university, beat out Republican Collins Bailey and Libertarian Darlene Nichols to launch his second term as majority leader and 15th two-year term in Congress.
The win comes amid huge gains for Democrats, with a Democratic President-elect and a left-leaning House and Senate.
In the House of Representatives, Democrats defeated 11 Republican incumbents and took an additional eight seats left open by GOP retirements. It is the first time in more than 75 years Democrats made such big gains in the House in back-to-back elections.
“This will be a wave upon a wave,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said yesterday before the results were announced.
In the Senate, Democrats ousted Republican Sens. Elizabeth Dole (N.C.) and John Sununu (N.H.), also taking seats held by retiring Republican senators in Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado.
Hoyer’s victory is especially significant considering his commitment to the university. Last year alone, Hoyer helped sponsor six earmarks for the university that totaled over $7 million, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.
“It’s definitely what we expected,” College Democrats President John Allenbach said amid his post-election celebration. “He’s been a huge advocate of student loans and Pell grants and everything that students look for.”
Allenbach added that simplified loans, earmarks for research and more affordable tuition are also priorities of Hoyer and the Democratic-leaning Congress.
“Both Barack Obama and the new leaders in the House will make higher education a priority,” he said.
Hoyer, who was at a Democratic Party event in Washington at the time the election was announced, was not available for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. jeanettedbk@gmail.com
