Midterm Election Spending Thrusts Spooked Lawmakers Into Permanent Campaign Mode

Midterm Election Spending Thrusts Spooked Lawmakers Into Permanent Campaign Mode

Several veteran Democrats accustomed to winning reelection by lopsided margins went down in defeat -- partly because of the anti-incumbent mood of angry voters, but also because of the millions of dollars spent by outside groups in last-minute television ads.

Those who survived already are plotting how to deal with the attacks next time. There is no down time. Even the most entrenched incumbents -- including many Republicans, who could face left-leaning independent attacks in 2012 -- feel compelled to go into permanent campaign mode, further impinging on the already limited time lawmakers spend on policymaking and constituent service.

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