[GraniteStateConservative]

Well I'm just glad that Fletcher is at peace because God wanted another Democrat in the House.

[deport]

Interesting numbers..... The runoff vote was 28% below the primary vote..... The Statewide Senate race had an increase of 319 votes

Total Voters
12-07-02      170,922  -66,687
11-05-02      237,609

12-07-02
Alexander     85,720   +518
Fletcher      85,202 
Total        170,922


11-05-02
Alexander     52,952   -131,705
Others       184,657
Total        237,609

[deport]

This district is winnable by the correct Republican in 04 I suspect. It appears that Fletcher just wasn't the one to carry the banner.

[Theodore R.]

In retrospect, Fletcher may have been the innovative fresh face we thought, but he ran too poorly in rural areas to win, and the Fifth District is heavily rural in orientation if not in actual population numbers. I can see Alexander being challenged in 2004 by Fletcher AND Holloway. If so, I would suspect Alexander would win outright. LA voters tend to stick with incumbents unless they have erred egregiously.