Republicans wins Kentucky and Mississippi governor race

Caster Star ^ | 11/4/03 | Robert Tanner

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Rep. Ernie Fletcher easily won the Kentucky governor's race Tuesday, becoming the first Republican to lead the state in 32 years, while the GOP hoped to take another Democratic governor's seat in Mississippi.

With 55 percent of precincts reporting, Fletcher -- who got a big campaign assist from President Bush in the campaign's final days -- led with 54 percent, or 339,688 votes, to Democratic Attorney General Ben Chandler's 46 percent, or 285,941 votes.

In both states, candidates tried out slogans and strategies that could well be used in the 2004 presidential race.

In Kentucky, party activists argued that a vote for Chandler would tell the White House its economic policy is a failure. Mississippi Democrats criticized Republican Haley Barbour as a "Washington insider" as Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other top GOP officials came to campaign for him.

Democrats in Mississippi complained Tuesday of intimidation at black voting precincts, echoing an earlier clash over race in Kentucky's final days. In both states, Democrats alleged that GOP poll observers sought to suppress the black vote, though Kentucky activists said they saw few problems on Election Day.

Spending records fell in Mississippi's race, where Democratic Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, seeking a second term, was outspent by Barbour, a top Washington lobbyist and former head of the Republican National Committee.

Elsewhere, three big cities -- Houston, Philadelphia and San Francisco -- chose mayors. In New Jersey, voters could break the tie in the state Senate. Ballot items around the country dealt with gambling, mass transit and other issues, including a proposal to reduce stress in Denver.

A third Southern governor's race goes before the voters in Louisiana on Nov. 15. That race will decide who replaces term-limited GOP Gov. Mike Foster.

Democrats hold the governor's office in both Kentucky and Mississippi, though voters in both states supported Bush in 2002.

Each race turned on state issues, but as the highest-level elections before the 2004 White House contest, they drew close scrutiny from political strategists.

Each party will try to frame the outcome to its own advantage, said political science professor Alan Rosenthal of Rutgers university: "The winners will make it national, and the losers will make it idiosyncratic and local."

Recent polls showed the Democrats vulnerable. In Kentucky, term-limited Gov. Paul Patton is leaving after an infidelity scandal that soured voters. Fletcher campaigned on a promise to "clean up the mess in Frankfort."

Chandler's campaign tried to rally voters with criticism of Bush. "It sends a message to the rest of the country: We're tired of the biggest budget deficit in history," said former Democratic governor and Sen. Wendell Ford, stumping for the Democrat.

Democrats had complained that GOP plans to put poll observers at black precincts would suppress the black vote. But few problems materialized, according to a top state civil rights coordinator.

In Mississippi, state officials said they were investigating dozens of reports of irregularities, including allegations that observers followed voters into ballot booths or videotaped voters and their completed ballots.

"The Republican Party has run this election with a fist full of dollars in one hand and a Confederate flag in the other," said state Democratic Party chairman Rickey L. Cole.

Earlier, Barbour had revisited another issue that divided the races -- the Confederate flag. Recent ads reminded voters that Musgrove had supported an unsuccessful 2001 referendum that sought to remove the Rebel X.

Musgrove won his seat four years ago in Mississippi's closest governor's race ever. The Democrat-dominated state House chose Musgrove after he failed to win both the popular vote and a majority of state House districts, as required.

Unlike his opponent, Musgrove has distanced himself from national party figures.

The race broke state records, with Barbour raising at least $10.6 million and Musgrove at least $8.5 million.

Elsewhere, legislative elections in New Jersey could break the Senate's 20-20 tie. The Democrats narrowly hold control of the Assembly. Voters also chose legislatures in Mississippi and Virginia.

In mayors' races:

-- Philadelphia Mayor John Street faced his second challenge from Republican Sam Katz. Street got a bounce in the polls after it was learned that the FBI bugged his City Hall office; Street and his supporters have portrayed the investigation as an attempt by the Bush administration to bring down a black politician. Federal prosecutors have denied that.

-- Houston businessman Bill White led a field of nine going into the election. Mayor Lee Brown, the city's first black mayor, cannot seek a fourth term.

-- San Francisco was picking a new mayor; Willie Brown is barred from seeking a third term. Wealthy entrepreneur Gavin Newsom, who sought to get panhandlers off city streets, was considered the front-runner. A runoff was expected.

[MeekOneGOP]

I asked to see what a METROSexual looked like and BAM!

haha ! That's what one looks like alright !!

[MeekOneGOP]

haha! Hey !! I think ole terry is doin' a fine job !! lol !

[MeekOneGOP]