Triumphant only two years ago, the Democratic Party could lose its House majority, and possibly its Senate dominance as well. To stave off defeat, it is refashioning its campaign and policy strategies in a political season marked by the rise of hardcore conservatives in Republican ranks. Along with President Obama's election, Democrats won majorities in both houses of Congress. Back then, some commentators were predicting a Democratic "realignment" on the model that Franklin D. Roosevelt built in the 1930s, and which lasted (with some interruptions) for decades. But continuing high unemployment and economic uncertainty gave an opening to the conservative Tea Party upsurge among Republicans. In a year marked by hard-fought congressional elections and the beginning of preparations for the 2012 presidential race, Democrats are debating whether their party has been too liberal in its stimulus approach to the economic crisis, or not liberal enough. And some have faulted Obama himself for poor leadership.

Peter Katel is a CQ Researcher contributing writer who previously reported on Haiti and Latin America for Time and Newsweek and covered the Southwest for newspapers in New Mexico. He has received several journalism awards, including the Bartolomé Mitre Award for drug coverage from the Inter-American Press Association and awards for investigative and interpretive reporting from the New Mexico Press Association. He holds an A.B. in university studies from the University of New Mexico.