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Members of Congress finished their pre-election legislative business on September 18 before departing Washington and heading for the campaign trail in advance of Election Day on November 4.  Congress is next expected to convene in Washington for a lame duck session tentatively scheduled to begin on November 12.

The biggest question heading into the fall is which party will end up in control of the U.S. Senate.  Republicans need a net gain of six seats to take over the chamber – a number that appears well within reach.  At a minimum the party is expected to win open-seat races in West Virginia, Montana, and South Dakota, and Republican candidates are also running competitive races in Arkansas, North Carolina, Alaska, Louisiana, and Iowa, among others.  Democrats, on the other hand, are looking to potential pickup opportunities in Georgia and Kentucky to save their Senate majority, along with a suddenly competitive Kansas race where a long-term Republican incumbent is running neck-and-neck with an independent challenger.

There is much less drama in the House of Representatives, where Republicans are expected to preserve, and likely add to, the party’s current 17-seat majority.  This all adds up to mean that the government will continue to be divided in 2015 between a Democratic president and at least one chamber of Congress controlled by the opposition party.

None of the most competitive races in the Senate or House involve leading champions of the water sector, but utility officials may want to keep an eye on several second-tier contests.  In Oregon, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee member and WIFIA supporter Jeff Merkley (D) is currently running ahead of Republican challenger Monica Wehby, but the race could tighten if a GOP “wave” develops before Election Day.  Similarly, most polls have Colorado Democratic Senator Mark Udall, who has been active on energy and natural resource issues, leading Republican challenger Rep. Corey Gardner.  But Gardner is running a strong campaign, so the numbers could move in his favor over the next few months.