Some powerful new Irish-American voices have entered the national political arena following Tuesday's elections, led by Pennsylvania's Bob Casey, who defeated Republican senator Rick Santorum.
The son of a popular governor of Pennsylvania, Mr Casey (46) is conservative on social issues, opposing abortion and gay marriage but espousing mainstream Democratic policies on economic issues. Criticised by some Democrats as too conservative and dismissed by others as a dull and uninspiring candidate, Mr Casey won his race with a comfortable margin.
Baltimore mayor Martin O'Malley (43, below right) won his race to become governor of Maryland, campaigning on a platform of social justice and effective government. Steeped in Irish culture and history, Mr O'Malley promises to continue playing with his band O'Malley's March after he moves to the statehouse. Eloquent and telegenic, many Democrats consider him a future presidential prospect.
Missouri's Claire McCaskill, who defeated Republican senator Jim Talent, is Scots-Irish, as is Jim Webb, the Democrat still locked in a close race with Republican George Allen for Virginia's Senate seat. A prolific author, Mr Webb has written a history of the Scots-Irish in America called Born Fighting.
Irish-American Democrats newly elected to Congress include political scientist Chris Carney in Pennsylvania, Connecticut's Chris Murphy and Indiana's Joe Donnelly.
Most Irish-American Republicans escaped the worst of the election night rout and New York's Peter King, chairman of the Homeland Security committee, was returned comfortably.
Jim Walsh, a Republican who has represented his New York district for 18 years, survived after an unexpectedly close race but John Sweeney lost the New York seat he has held since 1998.
In Massachusetts, Senator Edward Kennedy coasted back into the Senate and Democratic congressman Richie Neal was returned unopposed.
Denis Staunton