ELECTION NOTEBOOK
Democrats capture GOP seat in special Mississippi election
Loss in solidly Republican area may spell trouble for party in fall
By Robert Schroeder, MarketWatch
Last update: 10:48 p.m. EDT May 13, 2008
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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Travis Childers, a Democrat, won a special election for a House seat in Mississippi on Tuesday night, defeating Republican opponent Greg Davis and lengthening a string of Democratic victories in solidly Republican congressional areas.
The win by Childers adds to potential trouble for the Republican party in the fall. Last week, Rep. Don Cazayoux, D-La., won a House seat in a heavily Republican district in the Baton Rouge area. In March, a Democrat won the seat of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert in Illinois.
Davis was narrowly defeated by Childers in an election last month, but neither candidate won over 50% of the vote, making a runoff necessary on Tuesday.
Highlighting the importance of the election to Republicans, Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned in the state on Monday for Davis. Davis, 42, is the mayor of Southaven in Mississippi's fastest-growing county, DeSoto.
Childers, 50, said he disagreed with the national Democratic party on some issues, characterizing himself as a Mississippi Democrat who is conservative on social issues.
Childers will serve the remainder of the term in a House seat vacated by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Democrats now control 236 seats and the Republicans 199 seats in the 435-member House of Representatives. Democrats also have a majority in the Senate, albeit a razor-thin one, and a handful of Republican seats are also vulnerable in that chamber in the November election. Read column by Rex Nutting.
Democrats capture GOP seat in special Mississippi election
Loss in solidly Republican area may spell trouble for party in fall
By Robert Schroeder, MarketWatch
Last update: 10:48 p.m. EDT May 13, 2008
PrintPrint EmailE-mail Subscribe to RSSRSS DisableDisable Live Quotes
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Travis Childers, a Democrat, won a special election for a House seat in Mississippi on Tuesday night, defeating Republican opponent Greg Davis and lengthening a string of Democratic victories in solidly Republican congressional areas.
The win by Childers adds to potential trouble for the Republican party in the fall. Last week, Rep. Don Cazayoux, D-La., won a House seat in a heavily Republican district in the Baton Rouge area. In March, a Democrat won the seat of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert in Illinois.
Davis was narrowly defeated by Childers in an election last month, but neither candidate won over 50% of the vote, making a runoff necessary on Tuesday.
Highlighting the importance of the election to Republicans, Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned in the state on Monday for Davis. Davis, 42, is the mayor of Southaven in Mississippi's fastest-growing county, DeSoto.
Childers, 50, said he disagreed with the national Democratic party on some issues, characterizing himself as a Mississippi Democrat who is conservative on social issues.
Childers will serve the remainder of the term in a House seat vacated by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Democrats now control 236 seats and the Republicans 199 seats in the 435-member House of Representatives. Democrats also have a majority in the Senate, albeit a razor-thin one, and a handful of Republican seats are also vulnerable in that chamber in the November election. Read column by Rex Nutting.
