Voters boot three SOPA-sponsoring Hollywood allies from Congress

When the new Congress takes office in January, Hollywood will have lost at least four staunch allies in the House of Representatives. Three co-sponsors of the Stop Online Piracy Act lost their seats in the election: Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rep Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), and Rep Joe Baca (D-CA). A fourth member of Congress from Southern California who will not be returning next year is Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA).

Like many of his fellow members of Congress from the greater Los Angeles area, Rep Gallegly was an original SOPA co-sponsor. He announced on January 5 that he would not be seeking re-election. Two other one-time SOPA supporters, Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA) and Rep. Ben Quayle (R-AZ) will not be returning for the new Congress. Both candidates initially co-sponsored the Stop Online Piracy Act but withdrew their support after January's Internet backlash. And both were defeated in primary challenges earlier this year.

According to Congress' official legislative website THOMAS, the Stop Online Piracy Act received a total of 31 co-sponsors. Eight of these representatives withdrew their support after January's historic protest against the legislation, leaving 23 members of Congress who stood by Hollywood in the face of an intense public backlash.