[dirtboy]

What do you mean 'no longer'. When did they ever?

I know that 1994 seems like eons ago, but the GOP DID win both houses in that election because they ran on conservative values, not pandering. If the GOP wishes to run on pandering, voters will tend to vote for the Dems, because if they want pandering the Dems are much better at it.

[eyespysomething]

My congressman, Charlie Norwood, voted against the Medicare bill saying he wasn't elected in 94 by his constituents to increase the size and largesse of government:

“I don’t believe that I, or anyone in the Class of ’94, was elected to burden the taxpayer with another open-ended entitlement. I actually believe we were elected to fight to the last to stop this type of entitlement. That is why I am voting ‘no’ today.”
- Charlie Norwood, June 26, 2003

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ga09_norwood/6_26_03hr1.html

[MEGoody]

"I know that 1994 seems like eons ago, but the GOP DID win both houses in that election because they ran on conservative values, not pandering."

Why not? At that point, they had nothing to lose, so go for the 'gusto'. And with Clinton as President, people were more willing to vote conservative for the sake of 'balance.'

As everyone on this thread should know, maintaining such a 'lock' as we have today is tenuous business. It rarely happens and simply doesn't stay that way, particularly if the policies put forth during that 'lock' are not 'centrist'.