Free Republic

(AP) NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Republican Pat Marsh has a won a special election to fill vacated state House seat long held by Democrats. According to unofficial results from all precincts, Marsh received 4,931 votes, or 56 percent, to Democrat Ty Cobb's 3,663 votes, or 41 percent. The result means Republicans have expanded their narrow lead in the House to two seats. Democrats had hoped they could reverse their recent losing streak because the seat was previously held by Cobb's brother, Curt Cobb, who resigned earlier this year to take a position with the court system. The district represents all of...

Republicans seized another Democratic seat in the state House tonight in the special election to succeed Rep. Curt Cobb. Trucking company owner Pat Marsh beat Cobb's brother, Ty, handily by a vote of 4,931 to 3,663. That gives Republicans a 51-48 advantage in the House and makes it that much harder for Tennessee's beleaguered Democrats to return to power in the high-stakes 2010 elections. Democrats poured everything they had into this race to hold this seat. Many observers described the election as a bellwether for 2010, a strong indication of just how much Barack Obama's unpopularity here might hurt Democrats...