After Election Day 2010, one frequently repeated analysis was that this election was not about foreign policy.  Voters’ minds were focused mostly on domestic issues such as the economy and unemployment, and weren’t giving much thought to America’s relations with the world outside our borders.  However, the dramatic shift in power in Washington, DC means that some new members coming to Congress, and some current members taking on new roles, may have a profound impact on the United States’ engagement with the United Nations, International Criminal Court (ICC), and other multilateral organizations which Citizens for Global Solutions strongly supports.

Citizens for Global Solutions is deeply saddened by the defeat of Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin. Senator Feingold, a longtime friend and ally of CGS, lost his bid for re-election to Republican challenger Ron Johnson.

Senator Feingold has been one of the staunchest champions of global issues on Capitol Hill throughout his time in office. He has always been a member of Congress that CGS could count on, whether to introduce legislation or to vote in support of our priorities in the Senate. This year, Senator Feingold took the lead in creating effective U.S. policy on genocide prevention by sponsoring new legislation. We appreciated the opportunity to work with him and his staff on this critically important issue.

Senator Feingold earned a strong "A" average during his Senate career in CGS's Congressional Report Card, with extra credit for introducing legislation on nuclear non-proliferation and international engagement. We will miss his leadership on these issues and many others.

Following his loss, Senator Feingold thanked his supporters and said, "No one has ever had such a strong foundation of support as I have. You gave me my backbone. In the words of Bob Dylan: 'But my heart is not weary. It's light and free. I've got nothing but affection for those who have sailed with me.'"

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, one of CGS's strongest internationalist allies on Capitol Hill, won a hotly contested re-election race and will be returning to Congress next year. Senator Reid defeated his opponent, conservative Tea Party candidate Sharron Angle, by 50 to 45 percent.

Senator Reid has been a staunch supporter of the issues that matter to CGS over the years. As Majority Leader, Senator Reid makes decisions about how much Senate floor time will be provided for votes on treaties and important legislation, and he has been greatly supportive of our issues including the New START nuclear weapons treaty which we hope to see the full Senate vote on this year. To learn more about Senator Reid's outstanding "A" record on global issues, check out his 2010 CGS Congressional Report Card record.

With less than two weeks left until Election Day, many congressional candidates around the country are locked in extremely tight races.  In several states, CGS-endorsed candidates appear to be picking up momentum as the final stretch of the campaign begins, as illustrated by the recent polls showing positive signs for Joe Sestak (D) in the Pennsylvania Senate race and Senator Russ Feingold (D) in the Wisconsin Senate contest.

Two polls released in the last several days gave Sestak a slight lead in Pennsylvania over conservative former Rep. Pat Toomey (R) after trailing for months.  Another poll showed Sestak and Toomey tied.  Other polls have shown Toomey with a slight lead, but it seems clear that Sestak has closed the polling gap with Toomey over the last few days.  To read Sestak's Candidate Questionnaire, visit http://www.globalsolutions.org/politics/elections_and_candidates/questionnaire/2010?id=S0PA00434.  To see his 2010 Congressional Report Card score and voting record, visit http://www.globalsolutions.org/politics/congressional_report_card/2010/grades?STATE=PA&UserDistrict=07.