Rep. Mark Udall, a Democrat, has claimed the open U.S. Senate seat in Colorado, defeating former Rep. Bob Schaffer. Schaffer, who served on the education committee during his time in Congress, was an ardent opponent of the No Child Left Behind Act’s expansion of the federal role in education. Schaffer attacked Udall for his supporting the law in 2001 on the campaign trail. Last year, Udall sponsored a bill that would offer states more flexibility in measuring student progress under the law.
In Pennsylvania, Rep. Jason Altmire, a Democrat and freshman on the House Education Committee, has fended off a challenge from Rep. Melissa Hart, whom he defeated in 2006.
And a social studies teacher from North Carolina appears headed to Congress: Larry Kissell, a Democrat and vehement critic of the No Child Left Behind Act, has defeated Rep. Robin Hayes, a Republican.