Posted on 11/06/2002 6:16:50 PM PST by listenhillary
GOP takes Mo. House, Senate by clear margin
Republicans have not taken the control of the House in almost half a century. By ROBERT SANDLER November 6, 2002
JEFFERSON CITY — Republicans won enough state races Tuesday to take control of the Missouri House of Representatives – for the first time since 1954.
The final details of some elections were unknown at press time. The secretary of state's office was reporting that the St. Louis election computer systems had crashed, and workers were in the process of faxing information to Jefferson City.
But the results of many races are still clearly in hand with Republicans making huge gains. House Minority Leader Catherine Hanaway is expected to become speaker when the legislative session convenes in January, making her the highest-ranking woman in the history of the state legislature.
The GOP's success exceeded some people's expectations, as they won more than a dozen House seats and at least two Senate seats that had been held by Democrats.
However, Democrats kept control of the three House seats that include Columbia, with incumbents Chuck Graham and Vicky Riback Wilson winning in the 24th and 25th
districts, respectively, and newcomer Jeff Harris picking up the seat that Tim Harlan had to vacate because of term limits.
Republicans and Democrats split the other two local House districts that include parts of Boone County. Democratic incumbent Wes Shoemyer kept his seat in the Ninth House District, and Republican Steve Hobbs of Mexico, Mo., captured the 21st District seat that was held by Democrat Ted Farnen, who could not run again because of term limits.
At press time, the new makeup of the state House appears to be 91 to 68 for the Republicans with four seats not reporting results. The Senate appears to have a 19 to 13 Republican majority. Two Senate seats were too close to call at press time.
Throughout the campaign, both sides admitted the Democrats had at least two things working against them from the start: term limits and redistricting.
This year marked the first time Missouri felt the major effects of term limits, as 71 House incumbents and 12 senators were ineligible to run for re-election.
A majority of those veterans were Democrats, including many who had risen to leadership positions, including the House speaker and majority leader.
Some Republicans had complained that redistricting had been unfairly generous to Democrats, but it appears not to have helped.
In state Senate elections, Republicans seemed to have solidified what had been a weak majority. Nearly every close election was won by the GOP except for races in Springfield and suburban St. Louis that were too close to call at press time.
Secretary of State Matt Blunt said voter turnout in many areas was unusually high.
"We're very confident that we will exceed our 45 percent expectation for voter turnout," he said late Tuesday evening. "Some counties are reporting higher turnout than the presidential election, which is quite remarkable. It would be historic in a nonpresidential year to approach that amount."
How about passing a CCW Law and really get out of the doghouse?
The secretary of state's office was reporting that the St. Louis election computer systems had crashed,Anybody wanna guest why the computer systems crashed...
What a great Show Me State election!
America's Fifth Column ... watch Steve Emerson/PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
New Link: Download 8 Mb zip file here (60 minute video)
BGH
and they continue to...
Brag about having 50 thousand lawyers at the polls
File lawsuits when races don't go their way
Swap their corrupt candidates losing in the polls for candidates that are nearly dead ***
Having such a "Big Tent" that radical muslims intent on destroying America feel welcome in their party
Piss away MANY millions of UNION dollars in a race they can't win because an IMPEACHED president and his loser sidekick have a personal vendetta
These things don't sit well in voters minds living in the "Red Zone"
*** Even though Lautenberg(sp?) won, the effect on Repunblican turnout was huge
Great news!
That was because that nit-wit Governor of yours tried to force an income tax through.
What kind of Republican is that?
Hopefully, the Democrats will overplay their hand and the GOP will have learned their lesson.
Well not yet ............. but it's coming soon!;-)
Very well done y'all.
No! But it's good to see the MO house is controlled by the GOP. No doubt, the show me state voters are trying to vidicate themselves for being such IDIOTS!!
Partly, though not entirely. We had sabotage and fraud from other venues...
"What kind of Republican is that?"
A RINO, of course, and one who lost his mind, to boot. I smelled a 'rat and voted Democrat for Governor against him in '98 because the Dem was railing against the income tax and vowed to sue Sundquist if he implemented it. I wish THAT Dem had gotten the nomination this time around.
"Hopefully, the Democrats will overplay their hand and the GOP will have learned their lesson."
Until we can rid ourself of the RINO influence and get some real leaders with cajones who WANT to take the majority, we're going to continue to be on the losing end.
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