US News
Bush casts vote in key election
By DPA
Nov 7, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Washington - US President George W Bush cast his ballot at a Texas polling place on Tuesday in Congressional elections that could cost his Republican party its majority in Congress.

Bush is not on the ballot, but many analysts have said his declining popularity and dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the war in Iraq could sway the vote for the opposition Democrats.

Bush has expressed confidence that his party will be able to pull out a win, but has confined his campaigning for Republican candidates to areas that are already largely friendly to his policies.

'We live in a free society, and our government is only as good as the willingness of our people to participate in it,' Bush told reporters in Crawford, Texas, after casting his vote. 'No matter what your party affiliation, or if you don't have a party affiliation, do your duty, cast your ballot and let your voice be heard.'

Bush was scheduled to return to Washington Tuesday afternoon to await the election results.

At stake Tuesday are all 435 House seats and one third of the 100- seat Senate. To win both chambers, the Democrats must pick up 15 House seats and six in the Senate.

An opposition-controlled Congress would likely step up pressure for Bush to change course in Iraq, but he would retain broad powers to set foreign policy and as commander-in-chief of the US military.