The 11th Crystal Ball Competition
The Midterm, With Clairvoyance
Sunday, November 3, 2002; Page B01

How can an election with so few competitive races be so close? Here's how: A divided Congress. A divided electorate. A divide between voters and no-shows. But here at Outlook Crystal Ball headquarters, there's (mostly) a consensus among this year's 12 contestants: The GOP holds the House. Democrats keep the Senate. But wait: There's division on the governor's races and Maryland's 8th Congressional District.

Next week, we announce a winner -- unless a likely Dec. 7 runoff in Louisiana's Senate race becomes a deciding factor in our tabulation, forcing a delay. (Holy shades of 2000!)

Senate: Current composition
49		Republicans
49		Democrats
1		Independent
1		Vacancy

Benjamin Bannekar Acedmeic High School, 11th grade social studies students 49 Republicans 50 Democrats 1 Independent Tucker Carlson, co-host, CNN's "Crossfire" 51 Republicans 48 Democrats 1 Independent Sheila Tate, vice chairman, Powell Tate Public Relations 50 Republicans 49 Democrats 1 Independent Amy Walter, political analyst, The Cook Political Report 49 Republicans 50 Democrats 1 Independent Anne Wexler, lobbyist, Wexler & Walker Group 47 Republicans 52 Democrats 1 Independent Armstrong Williams, conservative commentator 49 Republicans 50 Democrats 1 Independent		Herndon High School, 12th grade AP government students 47 Republicans 52 Democrats 1 Independent William Kristol, editor, The Weekly Standard 47 Republicans 52 Democrats 1 Independent John Micklethwait, U.S. editor, The Economist 49 Republicans 50 Democrats 1 Independent Ralph Nader, consumer advocate 48 Republicans 51 Democrats 1 Independent Peggy Noonan, author, WSJ contributing editor 48 Republicans 51 Democrats 1 Independent Travis Smiley, NPR's "The Travis Smiley Show" 51 Republicans 48 Democrats 1 Independent