The midterm contests for the Senate, House of Representatives, and 36 governorships produced drama aplenty in 2002. A tragic plane crash killed a U.S. senator just ten days before the election, casting his state into mourning and political confusion. Anot

Mark Z. Barabak is a political writer for the Los Angeles Times James W. Brosnan has been the Washington reporter for The Memphis Commercial Appeal since 1983. Charles S. Bullock III is a professor in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia Michael Cornfield is an associate research professor at the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University and the director of the Institute for Politics, Democracy, and the Internet Peggy Fikac is the Austin bureau chief of the San Antonio Express-News Thomas Fitzgerald is a staff writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer Linda L. Fowler is the director of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College and is a professor in the Government Department Mike Glover is the Iowa statehouse reporter and chief political writer for the Des Moines bureau of The Associated Press Paul Green is the director of the School of Policy Studies and Arthur Rubloff Professor of Policy Studies at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He is also known for his political commentary on WGN Holly A. Heyser is the state government editor for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and president of the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors, a national organization of statehouse journalists Daniel J. B. Hofrenning is an associate professor at St. Olaf College. He has contributed works to several journals and newspapers including the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press Mark Jurkowitz is a columnist with the Boston Globe, where he focuses on media coverage of political news David Kranz is a columnist for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader and has covered South Dakota politics for thirty years Steve Kraske is a political correspondent for the Kansas City Star. Bruce A. Larson is an assistant professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, specializing in the American electoral process Daniel LeDuc is the deputy national editor for The Washington Post. Susan A. MacManus is the Distinguished University Professor of Public Administration and Political Science at the University of South Florida and a frequent media commentator and political analyst Jay Root is Austin bureau chief of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Dr. Sabato is director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, and is the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics Maureen Schweers is the editor of The House Race Hotline, a twice-weekly news briefing that "covers the coverage" of the most competitive House races, with an emphasis on special elections, open seats, and endangered incumbents Ryan Thornburg has recently returned to washingtonpost.com's OnPolitics page. He formerly served as the editor and publisher of The Carolina Political Report Chuck Todd is editor-in-chief of The Hotline, Washington's premier daily briefing on American politics David Yepsen is a political columnist for the Des Moines Register and has covered Iowa politics for twenty-five years