WP: Democrats Struggle in Campaigns to Retake House

[kskiska]

Monday, October 25, 2004; Page A01

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- If ever a congressional district was tailor-made for Democrats, it is Georgia's 12th -- a long, narrow stretch of southeastern Georgia where Al Gore won 57 percent of the vote in 2000 and African Americans make up 42 percent of the population.

Yet Republican Max Burns, a former college professor and county commissioner, snatched the seat two years ago after making an issue of his Democratic opponent's shoplifting record. Now Democratic challenger John Barrow is struggling to dislodge Burns in one of the closest House races in the country.

Barrow's challenge underscores a larger quandary for Democrats in their battle to recapture control of the House. Democratic leaders exerted considerable effort last year to recruit top-flight candidates. But in many cases, Republicans have overwhelmed the challengers with the power of incumbency, superior fundraising skills and hard-edged ads focused on such hot-button issues as terrorism and same-sex marriage.

The GOP holds a 227 to 205 advantage in the House, and the combination of Republican firepower, Democratic miscues and a controversial Republican redistricting plan in Texas virtually assures the continuation of GOP rule, independent political analysts say.

"There's not a chance in the world, I don't think, of the House turning over," political analyst Charles E. Cook Jr. said last week.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59698-2004Oct24.html

[Lefty48197]

1. I wonder if the gerrymandering has landslide proofed the House?

We may just get a chance to find out.

[JolietDem]

2. Maybe not today...

...you know the old Casablanca quote..."and maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life."

Not a threat of dictatorship, but I think the GOP will lose seats this year, and I think a lot of Dems will get led in on the Kerry/ABB coattails, and the GOP has run some real losers this year...I live in Joliet, Illinois, and I think this is the year we finally get to dump our GOP Sucker, Jerry Weller, because he's marrying the daughter of a right-wing fanatic, being one himself...but in any event, I think the Senate's ours come Nov. 2nd and the House...2006?

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. I agree. Democrats could get 212-214 seats.

218 is a Majority and I see the Rethugs getting at least that.

The Senate, however, can be won back!

[lakeguy]

4. agreed...

think about all those newly registered voters who will lean to Kerry. will they not lean towards the other democrats on the ballot as well?

[nolabels]

5. As he explained the rationale:

Ah, come on guys, how about that four years of "MORE OF THE SAME"

Lies about Iraq rise to level of the absurd

(snip)
As he explained the rationale:

"We could not accept the grave danger of Saddam Hussein and his terrorist allies turning weapons of mass destruction against us or our friends and allies."

Of course, no such grave danger existed. Having failed to find any WMD, we know that now. More importantly, we knew it in the fall of 2002, when this push for war began. Even back then, the CIA was using terms such as "unlikely" and "low probability" to describe the odds of Saddam handing WMD to terrorists.

Somehow, "low probability" and "unlikely" were transformed into "grave danger." Claims about Saddam's nuclear program have followed a similar trajectory.

In January 2002, the CIA reported that Iraq's nuclear weapons program consisted of no more than low-level theoretical work, an assessment that time has proved quite accurate. Yet eight months later, Cheney was somehow claiming that Iraq was close to completing The Bomb.
(snip)
http://mypaper.pchome.com.tw/news/myata2/3/4167099/20031017024240/

At the rate Bushco is going with it's trajectory (also if some even more tragic doesn't happen in the mean time) we will easily surpass the US death toll of WTC with the the preventable death toll of GI's in Iraq.

Shouldn't it be a glorious affair to help actually elect bushco for the first time after all :crazy:

[BQueen]

6. Actually a little worried about that

I know of at least one House race (OH-15 Pryce-R) where the Dems did not field a candidate because she's popular and moderate. There IS a Democratic candidate, however, and he's SCARY.

Apparently, he got enough sigs to get on the ballot as a declared Dem independently -- not like they can prevent him -- anti-choice and other RW crap. I visited his site when I first heard about it and thought that it was odd, but maybe just for experience or name recognition and downloaded the .pdf of his grand plan.

Glad I did, because when I tried to go there yesterday, I got an "Under construction" message...

The reason I thought it might be something more is that Pryce is often referred to as the most powerful R female in the House. She's reasonable, and was an honorable judge before she ran for the House. She's a moderate R we can't afford to lose to a DINO...

If this guy, as I suspect, got his sigs from a bunch of anti-choicers in the HUGE district 15 and they are instructed to vote Dem, and Dems vote straight party-line without thinking, this could be a big November surprise.

Does anyone else know how many, if any, other moderate Rs are not opposed by an "official" Democratic candidate?

I'm composing a post on this issue, but wanted to put it up for maximum visibility....any suggestions? I don't start many threads...