The 2001 United States elections were held on November 6 of that year (with some exceptions for local elections and other special elections across the country). The 2001 recession was a dominant issue throughout the year as well as the September 11 attacks and subsequent War on Terror. Federal elections No elections to either the Senate or House were regularly scheduled to occur in 2001. U.S. House of Representatives special elections In 2001, seven special elections to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives were held. Special elections were held for Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district (on May 15), California's 32nd congressional district (June 5), Virginia's 4th congressional district (June 19), Massachusetts's 9th congressional district (October 16), Florida's 1st congressional district (October 16), Arkansas's 3rd congressional district (November 20), and South Carolina's 2nd congressional district (December 18). Only one district, Virginia's 4th congressional district, changed hands with state Senator Randy Forbes' (R) victory to the seat previously held by Norman Sisisky (D). Thus Republicans increased their majority in the House by one seat. State elections Gubernatorial elections During the 2001 gubernatorial elections, the governorships of two states and one territory were up for election. Going into the elections, Republicans held the Governorships of twenty-nine states and one territory, Democrats held the governorships of nineteen states, four territories, and the Mayorship of the District of Columbia, and two governorships were held by incumbents of neither party. Democrats gained the governorships of Virginia and New Jersey. However, Republicans retained the governorship of the Northern Mariana Islands. Thus the balance of power between Republicans and Democrats was changed from 29–19 to 27–21. Other statewide elections The offices of Lieutenant Governor (in Virginia as a separate election and the Northern Mariana Islands on the same ticket as the gubernatorial nominee) and state Attorney General in the former were up for election. There were no other statewide elective offices in New Jersey open with the office of governor aside. State legislative elections In 2001, seats in both houses of the New Jersey and Virginia legislatures, and both houses of the territorial legislature of the Northern Marina Islands were up for election. Republicans maintained control of both houses of the Virginia legislature, while Democrats won control of the New Jersey General Assembly, and turned the state Senate from Republican to tied. Local elections Mayoral elections During 2001, several Major American cities held mayoral elections in that year,