Tupelo and the Tier
In yesterday’s most controversial post, we discussed Democrats’ near-victory in the reddest of red territory — Mississippi’s first Congressional district. The folks at TPM Election Central have some more info on the race that has possible implications for local races:
Both Childers and Davis are strong social conservatives, so it might be useful to look at the major issue dividing them: Iraq, with Childers supporting a timetable for withdrawal and Davis in favor of staying.
Bear in mind, this is a huge upset in a district that voted 62%-37% for President Bush in 2004, and where the last Democrat to represent the place was Jamie Whitten, who spent a good part of his career as an old-time Southern conservative segregationist.
Bear in mind, rural Mississippi makes the Southern Tier look like Central Park West. And people there turned out to vote for ending the occupation of Iraq.  The Corning Leader editorial page has already come out in favor of withdrawl (in an eloquent, forcefully worded piece). The cherished media myth that people in rural areas love Dubya and the war simply isn’t true and everyone who’s serious about Congressional races should be well aware of this.
I agree that it’s starting to look like supporting the war is an electoral suicide wish. I wonder if some R MOCs will change position before the Fall. Also, those running for open seats need not enter into a suicide pact with those who are in power - it will be interesting to see what position on the war comes from the R’s in NY-25 and NY-26.
anyone have any idea how much the DCCC is going to drop (or has dropped) into the LA-06?
370K
Thanks
drip drip drip…
[...] We’ve written before about the surprising Democratic successes in special elections in the south and midwest and what these might tell us about the races in NY-25, NY-26, and NY-29.ÂÂ ÂÂ There’s another one today in Louisiana’s sixth Congressional district.ÂÂ The Democratic candidate is favored although the district is very conservative.ÂÂ Here’s a bit about the way the way race is going from Congressional Quarterly: That makes Saturday’s primary something of a test of a strategy that the Republicans hope to deploy widely in this fall’s national House campaign. Though the Democrats hold major advantages at this point in the national campaign  in terms of fundraising, candidate recruitment, incumbent retention and public opinion concerning the two parties  Republican planners contend they have a trump card: There are 61 seats currently held by Democrats in districts that favored President Bush in 2004, compared to just eight currently held by Republicans in districts that went for Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry . [...]