Area Hoping to Cash In on Hill

Wolf, 67, laments the losses. "They got caught up in this tsunami that was off the coast that was coming in."

The economic fallout from the Democratic takeover is uncertain, experts said.

Stephen S. Fuller, a regional economist at George Mason University, noted that the last time Congress changed hands, in 1994, was also the last time there was no increase in local federal procurement spending.

The federal budget impasse that followed the Republican takeover "basically stopped federal procurement contracting in the region for six months," Fuller said Monday. "It affected tourism. They closed down the Washington Monument. They didn't have money to do things."

"I bring that up as an illustration of what is possible," he said. "I think there are going to be some budget battles as priorities are adjusted. The Democrats clearly are going to want to shift some money from one bucket to another. . . .

"It's going to have to come from somewhere, and if it gets to vetoing spending bills or arguing about appropriations, it has a consequence here."

Staff writers Amy Gardner, Yolanda Woodlee and Miranda S. Spivack contributed to this report.