Indiana

THAT?S GOTTA HURT

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

The National GOP has got be sweating like a bunch girl scouts at R. Kelly’s house.  Republicans suffered a major defeat in a special election in Mississippi.  Democrat Travis Childers beat Republican incumbent 54-46. 

The special election was to fill the seat of former Rep. Roger Wicker who was appointed to to fill the vacancy left by Trent Lott.  President Bush won the district in 2004 by 62 percent.   This was a classic race, heavy GOP spending, appearances by Dick Cheney, recorded messages by the President, Laura Bush and John McCain, as well as GOP attempts to tie Childers to Barack Obama.  None of it flew.  Childers won by adopting the simple adage that “all politcs is local” and he kept it that way.

Republicans have a shot at getting the seat back in November, but party divisions may hamper those efforts. 

Republicans have lost in special elections in “safe” districts in Illinois and Louisiana.  If something like this can happen in Republican rural Mississippi, just imagine what could take place here in Indiana. 

My friends on the second floor of 47  South Meridian probably are. 

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on May 14, 2008 (boomark / email).