TakeAway: Dems have lost a string of special elections because of national issues that have eroded independent and seniors’ support, and lackluster turnout — especially among minorities, young people, and far-lefters.
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Excerpted from WSJ: Health Care’s Coattails, Oct. 15, 2009
Last week, Republicans captured Albuquerque mayor’s office for the first time in 28 years.
On Tuesday, the GOP won a pair of special elections in Tennessee and Oklahoma, picking up seats held by Democrats for decades.
The reason: Republican intensity and lackluster Democratic turnout.
In Tennessee, Republican businessman Pat Marsh won 56% of the vote to defeat Democrat Ty Cobb. It wasn’t as if Mr. Cobb had a name unknown to voters. His brother Curt had held the seat before resigning to take another government office (and it probably didn’t hurt having the same name as a baseball legend).
But Mr. Cobb attributed his defeat to “national issues . . . the health care issue was the main one.”
A couple of states over, national issues may also have played a role in the GOP capture of an Oklahoma House seat held by Democrats since 1965. Republican Todd Russ won 56% of the vote even though registered Democrats have a two-to-one edge in the district.
The twin victories mean Republicans have captured a total of six state legislative seats from Democrats in special elections this year. The other wins came in Delaware, Texas, New Hampshire and Virginia.
Next up: the VA and NJ governor races in November.
Full article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704107204574475292426931168.html?mod=djemEditorialPage#printMode
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The Homa Files 
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