Democrats eye big House gains

[ProSense]

Democrats eye big House gains

Energized by GOP scandals, they grow more confident of winning control of Congress.

By Linda Feldmann | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

WASHINGTON – California Democrat Francine Busby's first-place showing in Round 1 of Tuesday's special congressional race may give her party a jolt of optimism in its quest to retake the House in November.

But come the June 6 runoff, analysts say, reality will set in: The seat she seeks to occupy, the one vacated by the now-imprisoned Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R), represents a strong Republican district and the odds are steep against her in a two-person race against a Republican. The GOP has a 15-point registration advantage in the San Diego district. In at least the past 40 years, the Democrats have never defeated a Republican in a district with more than about a four-point GOP registration advantage, says Gary Jacobson, a political scientist at the University of California, San Diego.

Still, Democrats remain energized about November, when every House seat is up for election, and they seek to wipe out a 15-seat Republican margin of control and then some. Only about 35 of the 435 races are competitive, so there's little room for error. Privately, some GOP political handicappers, in a race-by-race assessment, predict that the Democrats will pull it off, as the national mood toward President Bush and the Republican-ruled Congress sours further.

Snip...

The long spate of bad news for Republicans - from indictments in Congress and the White House to a stalled agenda to the Iraq war - has sparked aggressive Democratic recruitment of candidates and fundraising.

Intensity of feeling also favors Democrats. There's little danger that droves of Republicans will vote Democratic, but there is a danger that Republicans will stay home in numbers large enough to swing some contests.

more...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0413/p01s02-uspo.html

[electropop]

1. Pukes will stay home in droves.

Many can no longer ignore their consciences.

I'm just waiting for the day my brother the Bushbot finally sees the light. I'm surprised it's taking so long - he's got a genius-level IQ. Wierd.

[Pryderi]

3. YES! I was thinking that if republicans can't bring themselves to vote

for a dem, they should just abstain from voting.

[BlueAwards]

2. Not to get sappy....

But I would cry so hard with joy.... we can only hope.

[ChiciB1]

4. HOPE Is All We Have!!

There has been some movement from "some" Dems, but they are going to have to get BUSY!

[FrenchieCat]

5. That's why the No-Nothing Talking Heads Pundits keep talking about

Censure and Impeachment! In hopes that they will stimulate the dumbasses aka The Republicans, to go and vote to save their Prezdnt! :eyes:

[cyclezealot]

6. do any of us talk to these Repukes.

They are clueless as to the way of the world. They think Faux news is on a one way track from god. It might be possible to control by a couple seats, but nothing big. TO off set lobbysist we need win big time.TOo many worthless Democrats will again call themslves, was it bollwevils. Unless we win big. and with gerrymandering under REpug state legislatures, you are asking a lot.
Might be possible. Remember under Nixon's Watergate fiasco, Gerald Fords House seat went Democrat for two years. But, only two years.That's when Democrats controled most state legislatures. When we lost state legislatures after 2000, we were screwed.
We need change the whole national electoral system so elections mean something again.