The election to a large extent became a national referendum on Bush and the war in Iraq, according to exit polls. Sixty per cent of voters leaving the polls yesterday said they opposed the war in Iraq, and 40 per cent said their vote was a vote against Bush.

In addition, a significant number of voters said corruption was a crucial issue in their decision, in a year in which Republicans have struggled with scandal in their ranks.

Independent voters, a closely watched group in a polarized country, broke heavily for Democrats over Republicans, the exit polls showed. Democratic leader in the House and the first woman Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi took note of the importance of the war in the outcome in her own victory speech early this morning. “Nowhere did the American people make it more clear that we need a new direction than in Iraq,” she said, speaking to cheers.

“We cannot continue down this catastrophic path. So we say to the president, ‘Mr. President, we need a new direction in Iraq. Let us work together to find a solution to the war in Iraq.’”

—ADAM NAGOURNEY & DAVID STOUT