Democrats net four House seats in South
By Hastings Wyman
Southern Political Report
November 5, 2008 — The Democrats appear to have won seven previously Republican US House seats in the South yesterday, but that includes three that they hold by razor-thin margins (AL2, VA2 & VA5). Even if they keep all seven seats, however, they will only net a gain of four seats, because the GOP won three seats currently held by Democrats. This represents only a small share of the Democrats projected gain of 25 new US House seats. The Democratic gains include two new seats in Florida, where businessman Alan Grayson (D) defeated four-term Ric Keller (R), and state legislator Suzanne Kosmas (D) beat three-term Tom Feeney (R), who had been tied to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff (R). But the GOP also won a new seat, with wealthy ex-prosecutor Tom Rooney (R) defeating freshman Tim Mahoney (D), who was ensnared in a sex scandal in the closing weeks of the campaign. Moreover, all three of Florida’s Cuban-American members of Congress -- the Diaz-Balart brothers and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen -- were re-elected, despite a concerted effort by Democrats to unseat the trio. Virginia was a bright spot for the Democrats. If their slim leads hold up in two close races, the Democrats will win three congressional seats currently held by Republicans. Democratic challengers are currently ahead of two GOP incumbents, second-termer Thelma Drake (R) and sixth-termer Virgil Goode (R). In addition, County Executive Gerry Connolly (D) easily won the Northern Virginia seat being vacated by US Rep. Tom Davis (R). In North Carolina, high school history teacher and former textile employee Larry Kissell (D) won a resounding 10-point victory over five-term US Rep. Robin Hayes (R). This was Kissell’s second try; he lost in 2006 by a mere 329 votes. The Republican gains, in addition to Rooney’s victory in Florida, were in Louisiana, where state Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) won a surprisingly easy victory over freshman Don Cazayoux (D), elected in a special election earlier this year. Cazayoux was hurt by the presence of African-American Michael Jackson as an independent candidate. The GOP also won a new seat in Texas, where ex-US Senate staffer reclaimed ex-US Rep. Tom DeLay’s (R) old seat from freshman Nick Lampson (D). In another contest of interest, indicted US Rep. William Jefferson (D) defeated ex-TV news anchor Helen Moreno (D) in the Democratic congressional runoff, tantamount to election. In Louisiana’s 4th District, both parties picked nominees in runoffs, who will meet in a December 6 General Election. Here are results from competitive races across the South. Asterisks denote incumbents. Alabama 2 (Dothan, etc.) Bobby Bright/D 50.3% Jay Love/R 49.7% Alabama 5 (Huntsville, etc.) Parker Griffiths/D 52% Wayne Parker/R 48% Florida 8 (Orlando, etc.) Alan Grayson/D 52% Ric Keller/R* 48% Florida 13 (Sarasota, etc.) Vern Buchanan/R* 55% Christine Jennings/D 38% Florida 16 (West Palm Beach, etc.) Tom Rooney/R 60% Tim Mahoney/D* 40% Florida 18 (Miami/Dade) Ileana Ros-Lehtinen/R* 58% Annette Taddeo/D 42% Florida 21 (Miami, etc.) Lincoln Diaz-Balart/R* 58% Raul Martinez/D 42% Florida 24 (Orlando, etc.) Suzanne Kosmas/D 57% Tom Feeney/R* 41%
Florida 25 (Naples, etc.) Mario Diaz-Balart/R* 53% Joe Garcia/D 47% Georgia 8 (Macon, etc.) Jim Marshall/D* 55% Rick Goddard/R 45% Kentucky 2 (Owensboro, etc.) Brett Guthrie/R 53% David Boswell/D 47% Kentucky 3 (Louisville, etc.) John Yarmuth /D* 59% Anne Northup/R 41% Louisiana 2 (New Orleans) William Jefferson (D)* 56% Helen Moreno (D) 44% Louisiana 4 (Shreveport, etc.) John Fleming/R 56% Chris Gorman/R 44% Paul Carmouche/D 62% Willie Banks/D 38% Louisiana 6 (Baton Rouge, etc.) Bill Cassidy/R 48% Don Cazayoux/D* 40% Michael Jackson/Ind. 12% North Carolina 8 (Concord, etc.) Larry Kissell/D 55% Robin Hayes/R* 45% South Carolina 1 (Charleston, etc.) Henry Brown/R* 56% Linda Ketner/D 44% Texas 7 (Houston) John Culberson/R* 56% Michael Skelly/D 42% Texas 10 (Austin, etc.) Mike McCaul/R* 54% Larry Joe Doherty/D 43% Texas 22 (Sugar Land, etc.) Pete Olson/R 53% Nick Lampson/D* 45% Virginia 2 (Virginia Beach, etc.) Glenn Nye/D 51% Thelma Drake/R* 49% Virginia 5 (Charlottesville, etc.) Tom Perriello/D 50.2% Virgil Goode/R* 49.8% Virginia 11 (Annandale, etc.) Gerry Connolly/D 53% Keith Fimian/R 45% |
