Five hotly contested Senate races were expected to play a major role in deciding which party controlled that house of Congress. Three of the seats were held by Democrats and two by Republicans.

On the Democratic side, Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone defended his seat against Republican Rudy Boschwitz in a rematch of their race six years ago. But Nebraska Gov. Ben Nelson failed to keep the seat of retiring Sen. Jim Exon, losing to businessman Chuck Hagel. And Sen. Tom Harkin won a tough race against Rep. Jim Ross Lightfoot.

Republicans were hard-pressed to defend two midwestern Senate seats. Larry Pressler of South Dakota lost to Rep. Tim Johnson. And in the seat Bob Dole resigned from in a futile effort to jump-start his presidential campaign, Rep. Sam Brownback turned back a spirited challenge from Democrat Jill Docking. Republican Pat Roberts won the Kansas Senate seat formerly held by longtime Senator Nancy Kassebaum (R).

One of the more interesting House races took place in Missouri, where Jo Ann Emerson, running as an independent, was elected to succeed her late husband, Bill Emerson, who died in June, after the filing deadline closed. The Democratic candidate was timber company owner Emily Firebaugh. The Republican nominee was Coast Guard veteran Richard Kline, who originally had filed to challenge Rep. Emerson in the primary. The Republican establishment in the race supported Mrs. Emerson.

Also in Missouri, one of the Democrats’ most endangered House incumbents, Harold Volkmer, faced a rematch against the Republican who almost defeated him two years ago, Kenny Hulshof. Hulsof defeated the ten-term incumbent and captured the seat for the GOP.