South's Power In Washington Hits 50-Year Low

South's Power In Washington Hits 50-Year Low

Near the end of Smith's tenure in 1965, Southerners headed about two-thirds of the committees in the House and Senate. In the current Congress, no Southern senator is a committee chairman and there are just four in the House -- fewer than from the state of California alone.

Only one Southerner is in the Democratic leadership: House Whip James Clyburn (news, bio, voting record) of South Carolina.

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