Frost/Session Matchup Declared Most Competitive In Nation

Political State Report ^ | March 20, 2004 | Vince Leibowitz

[rhinohunter]

The Congressional District 32 race between 13-term Democratic Congressman Martin Frost and four-term Republican Pete Congressman Pete Sessions will be the most competitive race in the nation, according to Congress Daily, a publication of National Journal.

In its annual report on the top House races, Congress daily noted:

"Thirteen-term Democratic Rep. Martin Frost and four-term Republican Rep. Pete Sessions are already slugging their way to the general. This battle symbolizes the culmination of partisan hatred over the redistricting battle and will be the most competitive in the nation. The publication also offered its thoughts on a number of other Texas races, as well as national races.

For the CD 19 race featuring Congressman Charles Stenholm and GOP Congressman Randy Neugebauer, it noted the two face off "in a test of experience vs. demographics." It noted that, although Stenholm is a tough campaign veteran, the GOP candidate has Bush's support--not to mention a 64 percent GOP voting pattern to his advantage.

In CD 2, they noted that former State District Judge Ted Poe will have to catch up to Democratic Congressman Nick Lampson. Obviously, however, Lampson will have a tough fight in a 60 percent Republican district.

The CD1 race, Congress Daily noted, will be different from any Democratic Congressman Max Sandlin has faced before, not only because of the heavily GOP-leaning district, but also because Sandlin's "tough challenges" in 1996 and 2000 were were underfunded. Assuming Gohmert wins the run-off with John Graves, that won't be the case this time.

In discussing CD 25, Congress Daily noted that, although former Public Utility Commission chair Rebecca Armendriz Klein will be well financed, Lloyd Doggett's heavily Hispanic, heavily Democratic district won't likely be a top GOP target.

Although Congress Daily is only accessible by subscription, Martin Frost's Campaign website has posted much of the Congress Daily story, which includes predictions for several Western states.

[rhinohunter]

PO--LEEZ!!!

Sessions will wipe the floor with Frost.

If there's a competitive House race, it's the Neugebauer-Stenholm race.

[YaYa123]

I hope you're right. Frost has been one nasty demo dude. Oh how sweet that would be!!!!

[MeekOneGOP]

[ken5050]

Ya think he's gonna import Nancy Pelosi to campaing for him?..She'd go over real well down there....hard to believe just a short while ago he was running for House Minority Leader..still, a little part of me admires the guy for going down fighting, and NOT throwing in the towel by retiring...

[Diddle E. Squat]

Have you got any predictions on these Texas races yet?

[Torie]

No, but I will say, that the way it looks now, the Frost-Sessions race will NOT be one of the most competitive in the nation, unless the Dems are gaining a fair number of seats overall. If I had to guess, the Edwards seat will be the tightest one in Texas. And that one is not as tight as some others, elsewhere, outside of Texas. Delay was not interesting in carving districts that were 50-50 propositions. He was interested in maximizing the body count.