Republican Election Losses Stir Fall Fears

[Pirate Smile]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — The Republican defeat in a special Congressional contest in Mississippi sent waves of apprehension across an already troubled party Wednesday, with some senior Republicans urging Congressional candidates to distance themselves from President Bush to head off what could be heavy losses in the fall.

The victory by Travis Childers, a conservative Democrat elected in a once-steadfast Republican district on Tuesday, was the third defeat of a Republican in a special Congressional race this year. In addition to foreshadowing more losses for the party in November, the outcome appeared to call into question the belief that Senator Barack Obama of Illinois could be a heavy liability for his party’s down-ticket candidates in conservative regions.

-snip-
“They are canaries in the coal mine, warning of far greater losses in the fall, if steps are not taken to remedy the current climate,” Mr. Davis said in a memorandum. “The political atmosphere facing House Republicans this November is the worst since Watergate and is far more toxic than it was in 2006.”
The result in Mississippi, and what Republicans said was a surge in African-American turnout, suggested that Mr. Obama might have the effect of putting into play Southern seats that were once solidly Republican, rather than dragging down Democratic candidates.

-snip-
The special election results left Democrats and Republicans in rare agreement about one thing: President Bush looms as a drag on Republicans. Democratic leaders said a combination of anxiety among voters about the state of the country and the prospect of an unusually heavy turnout of African-Americans meant that many new Senate and House seats could be in play, including those in states like North Carolina that just two years ago seemed out of reach for Democrats.
Woody Jenkins, a Louisiana Republican who lost in a special House election this month, said in an interview that the high African-American turnout in his district was “probably the decisive factor” in his loss.




Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/15/us/politics/15repubs.html?hp

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This article reads like a lovely gift to the Obama campaign wrapped up, decorated with a pretty bow and delivered to all superdelegates tomorrow morning at their front door. :)

[whistle]

1. How many more dump GOP contests will take place before the November election?

[existentialist]

2. That's it

We've had the last of the special elections prior to November unless someone unexpectedly resigns or dies.

[Jim Lane]

18. That depends. There might be one here in NYC.

Recent headlines about DWI, adultery, and an out-of-wedlock child have been devastating to Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Naturally, as the Top Ten would describe him). He's widely expected not to seek re-election. The word is that the national Republican Party wants him to resign now, to put the bad PR behind the party.

If he resigns before July 1, Governor Paterson could call a special election to fill out the rest of the term. The District (NY-13) has long been in Republican hands, but it has a of D+1. A special election for an open seat would be a huge battle.

- map and Wikipedia article.

[AlinPA]

3. They'll need to fire up the old Gay Marriage hate message, have WalMart sell some cheap flags,

scream about Democrats taking everyone's gun away, wave the Bible and a cross and get a constitutional amendment to force prayer in school and push for stopping science in schools and getting control over women's bodies.

[Wyndendra]

4. McCain is toast

supports the war in Iraq, has a weaker plan on the environment than both Democrats, has ties with Hagee. You name it. The problems keep piling on.

[clixtox]

5. Don't forget about "Cinderella"...

McSame's lovely, clueless, bimbo, arm candy, second wife.

Their "loving" relationship is truly inspirational.

So sweet...

[Earth Bound Misfit]

7. WOW tombstoned after just 4 posts?

Could be a new record.:nuke:

[0rganism]

11. I guarantee you, it's not a record

plenty of one-hit wonders out there. I seem to recall a 0 post tombstone, based on identical ip address to a recent ban, for a sock-puppet back in 2004 -- but I could be hallucinating.

[ozymandius]

14. my favorite: "GUN TOTIN' REPUB"

Honestly. That was the name of one who never made it to the "post message" button..

[frog92969]

6. How would the neocons put it?

"So!" "get over it"

:nopity:

[Historic NY]

8. We need many more of these Republican victories.......

:hide: the more money they have to spend the less they will have come Nov.

[Miss Chybil]

9. This is the first time I will say this and mean it from the bottom of my heart...

THANKS, BUSH!

:bounce: :bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce:

[Wizard777]

10. The republicans only have one chance. Begining the Impeachment of Bush & Cheney.

Then and only then would the Democrats have something to REALLY worry about. Their base would come running back to them with a hell of a lot of democrats right behind them. Quite frankly at this point I don't care who does it. It just has to be done. I will support whoever tries 110%. EVEN IF IT'S THE REPUBLICANS.

[rooboy]

12. This will all turn around once the nation hears about Bush quitting golf...

:sarcasm:

[ozymandius]

13. "if steps are not taken to remedy the current climate"

Good luck with reversing eight years of incompetence and malice. Same goes with thirty-five years of Nixon's southern strategy race-baiting.

I feel that - like dinosaurs - they only have seen a few traces of sparks before the meteor hits.

[Maeve]

15. locking, feature/analysis

not LBN

[roseBudd]

16. But i thought the uneducated white voters were the ones we need! HRC said so!

[tanyev]

17. George W. Bush, Albatross-in-Chief.

:patriot:

[ToughLuck]

19. Oh well, purge your party of the neocons and try again 8 years from now..ha ha