Posted on 06/07/2006 2:40:21 AM PDT by RWR8189
A former Republican congressman narrowly beat his Democratic rival early Wednesday for the right to fill the House seat once held by imprisoned Randy "Duke" Cunningham, a race closely watched as a possible early barometer of next fall's vote.
Republican Brian Bilbray emerged victorious after a costly and contentious race against Democrat Francine Busby, a local school board member who ran against Cunningham in 2004.
With 90 percent of precincts reporting, Bilbray had 56,016 votes or 49.5 percent. Busby trailed with 51,202 votes or 45 percent. "I think that we're going back to Washington," Bilbray told a cheering crowd of supporters.
The race — one of dozens of election contests in eight states — was viewed by Democrats as an opportunity to capture a solidly Republican district and build momentum on their hopes to capture control of the House
Unless you're delusional and/or have serious mental problems, you can't expect a hardcore slate of conservatives to always win in a nation that is close to 50/50.
Just analyzing some of the voter info from the state of California election site...the news is much better for Republicans than even the MSM is revealing.
Consider:
In the runoff, there were FOUR candidates, one Republican, one Democrat, one "independent", and one Libertarian. If the independent Griffith was endorsed by the Minutemen (as noted by another FREEPer), then you essentially had THREE CONSERVATIVES going against one liberal.
These three candidates got about 55% of the vote.
In the "primary" for the November election, the total number of votes cast was 101,714...(as of the latest update). Republicans got 56.5% of the votes--the rest went to Democrats.
Democrats are not going to have a dreamy night next November--though every win they DO get will be touted as a giant victory. I don't think they'll be running the House or Senate, though.
Thank God.
Of course, we still have to work very very very hard to ensure that...but this election shows things are not as great for the 'rats as they want us to believe.
see my analysis post 142
Most people who visit Florida from California that I talk to think Arnold is great and still want Davis in jail...now I have to admit that most of these people I have spoken to reside in the north and central part of the state...but at least they have some brains left in them versus the hell that burns just south of them.
Thanks..excellent analysis...BTW..can you access the total number of Dem votes for the gubernatorial candidates in the district. If they are MORE than Busby polled, by a significant numer..it means there was a cross over..that Dems don't like illegals immigration..
Yes, this was just to fill the seat until November. Don't know if Busby will face Bilbray again.
Is this to hold the seat for six months?
Perhaps what happened on election day constituted a broad swing away from her based upon her encouragement of illegals to vote. My own opinion was that when push came to shove, angry Republicans simply couldn't stomach a Dem alternative. This does not portend well for the Democrats in November.
Moreover, CA voters apparently rejected class warfare and higher taxes resoundingly -- even at the expense of a touchy-feely measure backed by the Hollywood crowd.
To me, it appears Democrats are losing, not gaining, traction.
There is no cynicism in your post. It is 100% truth.
At best, he poll was probably stated in the most favorable manner to dems, and the Dems were oversampled...at worst it was manipulated.....it's used to "create" headlines..
In order to fulfill your goal I suggest you educate the voters who are NOT for the most part very conservative. Hence, we should be happy for marginal progress.
"Gee that was a nice ten yard gain."
"Well, it wasn't a touchdown so I'm not happy."
I haven't looked that closely...there may be a breakdown somewhere.
What a great pic.
That "agenda" is appropriate for the Nation.
There is NOTHING outside the GOP but varying degrees of Insanity.
I wasn't trying to create work for you...LOL..sorry..but if you can find it..it might be interesting
You're absolutely right - the MSM always does 2 things:
1) Finds some race where the Democrat may win and turn it into a national story as a "bellweather election." Of course, this is free political adverstising for the Democrat candidate.
2) If the Republicans win elections (like 2000, 2002 & 2004), they run stories within about a month of the election about how the Republicans really don't have any mandate and are "reaching too far to the right." They then start predicting electoral disaster in the next round of mid-term elections. See # 1 above for the next step.
No, they just don't care. Where do you think the 5% for the Minuteman came from.
Those RINOs in the Senate sure did a good job when they teamed up with almost all of the Democrats on their version of the Immigration bill, now didn't they?
RINO or Democrat is a distinction without a difference.
Polling within a congressional district is no more difficult than any other polling. Back in the late 80s and early 90s my daughter polled the congressional districts covered by our radio stations. She was quite accurate.
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