Hill (D) calls off recount in 9th District (Indiana)

IndyStar.com | 12/9/04 | Associated Press

[LdSentinal]

Due to copyright stuff, I can't post the text of the article on FR.

link

[zebrahead]

With Sodrel and Geoff Davis' victories, every congressional district in or around Greater Cincinnati is now Republican.

[Kuksool]

Great news. Hill is now defeated and so is his political future. If Hill stuck around in Congress, I could see him as strong Senate candidate in an open seat.

The election results in the IL-08 and IN-09 signify the nation trends of college educated suburbia going RAT and rural, small town America moving to the GOP.

[Clintonfatigued]

This is good news. Baron Hill was once a moderate. But when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 1990 (special election) after serving as state Rep., he flip-flopped on abortion, becoming pro-abort. In Congress, he made a few concessions to conservative voters, but his ultimate loyalty was to the 'Rat Caucus.

Sordel is the favorite going into 2006, and 'Rats will have to nominate more conservative candidates if they want a chance at winning this seat back.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"The election results in the IL-08 and IN-09 signify the nation trends of college educated suburbia going RAT and rural, small town America moving to the GOP."

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Kuksool, as I've written before, the IL-08 results signify bupkus. Bush got 56% in IL-08 in 2000, and I believe he got around 57% in the district in 2004 (the CD numbers aren't out yet, but Bush's percentage increased by 1.3% in Lake and 1.2% in McHenry and I believe it increased in NW Cook as well. Close-in suburban areas (outside of the South and a few Midwestern cities such as Cincinnati and Milwaukee) did trend Democrat in the 1990s as social issues such as abortion, gun control and the environment came to the forefront, but all that did in Crane's old CD was reduce the GOP percentage of the presidential vote from 70% to 56%, and I think the bleeding has stopped and such districts will not have Democrat majorities any time soon. Melissa Bean, who won because Phil Crane was seen as being out-of-touch and sticking around too long, will be a one-termer, the Democrat version of Michael Flanagan (the Republican who beat the scandal-tarred Dan Rostenkowski in his heavily Democrat Chicago district in 1994).

[Kuksool]

The IL GOP is in such disarray right now. I'll be surprised if a credible candidate comes forward for 2006. Melissa Bean may very get a free pass in the next couple of election cycles. Today, the people of IL view the IL GOP as a party of crooks and fools.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"I'll be surprised if a credible candidate comes forward for 2006."

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In a traditionally Republican district in which Bush got around 57% in 2004 and where Crane monopolized the seat for 35 years? Believe me, several top-notch candidates will run---winning in 2006 could be the ticket to a safe seat for 30 years. If outgoing Senator Peter Fitzgerald wants to return to politics, the seat is his for the taking.

And if no one big decides to run, you might as well make the jump---as the GOP nominee, you would almost certainly be favored against Bean even if you're a newcomer.

[Clintonfatigued]

"Believe me, several top-notch candidates will run"

Besides Peter Fitzgerald (who won't do it), who has been mentioned as possible candidates?

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Besides Peter Fitzgerald (who won't do it), who has been mentioned as possible candidates?"

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I have no idea, but when a district outside the South in which Bush got 56% in 2000 and around 57% in 2004 has a freshman Democrat incumbent, you can bet your arse that several state legislators, mayors and county chairmen are salivating over the chance of running.