Thursday, May 15, 2008
GOP Faces Bloodbath in Nov
On Tuesday night, Republicans lost a Republican congressional district in a special election in Mississippi.
Party insiders fear the loss may be just another sign of a coming bloodbath for congressional Republicans this November.
Democrat Travis Childers’ victory over Republican Greg Davis in Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District yesterday dealt the GOP its third straight loss of a solid Republican district to insurgent Democrats in this year’s special elections.
With nearly all precincts reporting, Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Childers held a 54 percent to 46 percent lead over Southaven Mayor Davis.
The seat was vacated by Republican Roger Wicker when he was appointed to fill the Senate seat that Republican Trent Lott vacated when he retired.
Wicker had held the seat since 1994, never winning re-election with less than 63 percent of the vote, the Washington Post reported.
The district, a Republican stronghold, had backed George Bush with 59 percent of the vote in 2000 and 62 percent in 2004.
Childers’ victory hands the Democrats their second special election victory in the South in less than two weeks. On May 3, Democratic State Rep. Donald Cazayoux Jr. defeated former Republican State Legislator Woody Jenkins in a Louisiana district that had been in GOP hands for 33 years.
Richard Baker had vacated the seat when he resigned in February.
And in March, Democrat Bill Foster defeated Republican Jim Oberweis in an Illinois district that former Republican House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert had held for nearly 21 years.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said in a statement: “After three consecutive special election defeats in districts that President Bush twice won easily, it is abundantly clear the American people have turned their back and shut the door on the special interest-driven agenda of the Republican Party. There is no district that is safe for Republican candidates.”
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole acknowledged that the GOP faces a challenge and “must undertake bold efforts to define a forward-looking agenda that offers the kind of positive change voters are looking for.”
On Tuesday night, Republicans lost a Republican congressional district in a special election in Mississippi.
Party insiders fear the loss may be just another sign of a coming bloodbath for congressional Republicans this November.
Democrat Travis Childers’ victory over Republican Greg Davis in Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District yesterday dealt the GOP its third straight loss of a solid Republican district to insurgent Democrats in this year’s special elections.
With nearly all precincts reporting, Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Childers held a 54 percent to 46 percent lead over Southaven Mayor Davis.
The seat was vacated by Republican Roger Wicker when he was appointed to fill the Senate seat that Republican Trent Lott vacated when he retired.
Wicker had held the seat since 1994, never winning re-election with less than 63 percent of the vote, the Washington Post reported.
The district, a Republican stronghold, had backed George Bush with 59 percent of the vote in 2000 and 62 percent in 2004.
Childers’ victory hands the Democrats their second special election victory in the South in less than two weeks. On May 3, Democratic State Rep. Donald Cazayoux Jr. defeated former Republican State Legislator Woody Jenkins in a Louisiana district that had been in GOP hands for 33 years.
Richard Baker had vacated the seat when he resigned in February.
And in March, Democrat Bill Foster defeated Republican Jim Oberweis in an Illinois district that former Republican House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert had held for nearly 21 years.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said in a statement: “After three consecutive special election defeats in districts that President Bush twice won easily, it is abundantly clear the American people have turned their back and shut the door on the special interest-driven agenda of the Republican Party. There is no district that is safe for Republican candidates.”
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole acknowledged that the GOP faces a challenge and “must undertake bold efforts to define a forward-looking agenda that offers the kind of positive change voters are looking for.”
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