Free Republic

Democrats are now 'soft favorites' to take the House, according to an analysis by University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato and his team. The latest periodic installment of Sabato's 'Crystal Ball' newsletter handicapping congressional the elections shifts 17 House races in the direction of Democrats. Race-by-race rankings are moving several GOP incumbents into the tossup category. Among them are Texas Rep. John Culberson, Illinois Rep. Peter Roskam, Indiana Rep. Steve Chabot, and Iowa Rep. David Young.

Kerry Said to Have Many Ties to Royalty Mon Aug 16, 8:21 PM ET LONDON - Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) has blue blood from all the royal houses of Europe, with even more titled relations than President Bush (news - web sites), Burke's Peerage said Monday. Burke's Peerage, which researches genealogy, said the Democratic presidential candidate traces descent through his mother, Rosemary Forbes, to the royal houses of Albania, England, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Byzantium, Persia (Iran) and France. Forbes was descended from William Forbes, the Laird of Newe, an extended family that included many baronets, Burke's...