More than a third of Dems who opposed FCC reclassification lost

More than a third of Democrats who signed a letter against a contentious Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposal known as "reclassification" lost their races on Tuesday.

The letter expressed opposition to an FCC proposal to increase regulations on broadband providers. It was organized by Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) in May. 

Around 37 percent of the Democrats who signed the letter were not reelected, according to an analysis by Free Press, a group that favors reclassification. The letter had 73 Democratic signers; 27 were not reelected.

Free Press compares that to the 32 House Democrats who signed a letter in favor of reclassification. None of them lost House reelection bids. That letter was organized by Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) in June.

The FCC proposed reclassification in May, prompting strong pushback from the industry. The proposal would change the legal classification of broadband services in a way that would give the FCC a stronger legal basis to create new regulations for phone and cable companies.

The analysis came after a central proposal for broadband regulation— net neutrality — seemed to take a hit on Wednesday: every Democratic candidate who signed a pledge supporting net neutrality lost his or her race. The pledge had 95 names on it.