61.   Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas, said the party has no choice but to move toward the center if it wants to become the majority party again.

62.   Republicans have five openings on the Finance Committee, three due to retirements and two more slots because they are now the majority party.

63.   Republicans defended it as fair, equitable and no more partisan than districts designed by majority parties in other states.

64.   Since Democrats have far more seats to defend, the Republicans are counting on the discontent with incumbents to take a far bigger toll on the majority party.

65.   Such petitions are considered a challenge to the majority party and rarely succeed.

66.   Such petitions rarely gain the necessary votes because they are viewed as a challenge to the right of the majority party to control the congressional agenda.

67.   Such a petition effort rarely succeeds because supporting one is viewed as an act of disloyalty to the majority party.

68.   That system favors large majority parties, since the winner in each district takes the seat.

69.   The ability to run investigations is one of the many levers of power held by the majority party.

70.   The committee chairman is the longest-serving member of the majority party.