Even if you are not an Obama supporter this has got to make SW Ohioans and Democrats everywhere happy. Turns out that the downticket Obama effect of increased turnout in African American majority precincts put GOP congress critters who happen to have too many African Americans in their districts at risk. Chabot at 25% is in the risky category.
Will Obama knock out Chabot?
Posted by CarlWeiser at 5/29/2008 9:14 AM EDT on Cincinnati.com
An interesting take on the 1st Congressional District race from Bloomberg's Laura Litvan
May 29 (Bloomberg) -- In 2006, Ohio Republican Representative Steve Chabot barely survived the electoral drag of the Iraq War, congressional scandals and an unpopular president. Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy this year may deliver a knockout blow.
More than a quarter of the voters in Chabot’s Cincinnati district are black, the highest concentration for any incumbent House Republican in a competitive race this fall. Obama’s likely spot at the top of the Democratic ticket may fuel a surge in turnout among black voters that could help the party pick up a half-dozen new House seats.
There has already been record turnout of black voters in this year’s primary contests. The Obama campaign and political experts expect that trend to continue in the fall, imperiling incumbents in Republican-held House districts that have a double-digit black vote.
"You’ll see a record proportion of the vote in each district that is African-American," said Dave Wasserman, House editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report in Washington.
Chabot’s district gave President George W. Bush only a little more than 50 percent of its vote in 2004. Still, Chabot said he is confident he will win re-election against Democrat Steve Driehaus.
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If you don't know who Chabot is, you have no idea how sweet this is.