Reichert, Burner debate as parties monitor race

[flamingyouth]

BELLEVUE -- Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., and Darcy Burner, the Democrat challenging him in the suburban 8th Congressional District, faced off last night for the campaign's first and only debate.

The race has become a big part of the Democrats' hopes to bump Republicans out of at least 15 seats and retake the majority in the U.S. House for the first time since 1994.

Though the 8th District has never been held by a Democrat, changing voting patterns and demographics make it a prime target for Democrats as well as turf that the GOP will fight to keep.

The 8th District spans affluent suburbs east of Seattle and blue-collar towns and suburbs east of Tacoma. The district has always elected Republicans to the House. At the same time, it has repeatedly given majorities to Democrats running for other offices, including Bill Clinton and Al Gore.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/288265_debate11.html

[geniph]

1. The Times also hosted an online Q&A with Darcy

and her answers to the questions were excellent: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/election2006/2003292595_qa_burner.html

(and yeah, she finished with my question, and no, she didn't have it beforehand)