New York Times on MS-01: "Mississippi Congressional Race Appears Headed for Runoff "

While I think the writer missed a few things in his analysis of the First Congressional District, I must admit it is pleasing to see Mississippi Democrats make the big paper. For the second article in a row, he links Tupelo to the AFA and Donald Wildmon. Wildmon's influence is that of a national scope more than a local. Most of us from Tupelo know he is an anti-gay, racist, religious wacko, period. I get the feeling the writer thinks we still have snake handlers running wild up there.

Here is a link to the article: Mississippi Congressional Race Appears Headed for Runoff - New York Times


Here is an excerpt:

BOONEVILLE, Miss. — A closely fought Congressional contest over a Republican stronghold here was apparently left hanging on Tuesday, with the two top candidates likely to face a runoff next month.

A conservative Democrat, Travis W. Childers, was seeking to wrest the open seat in the First Congressional District in northern Mississippi from Republicans who have held it since 1994. But Mr. Childers appeared to fall short, getting only 49 percent of the vote, according to The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson. The special election was to fill the unexpired term of Roger Wicker, who moved on to the Senate.

Mr. Childers’s leading opponent, Greg Davis, the Republican mayor of Southaven, a Memphis suburb, got 46 percent. Four other people were on the ballot.

A runoff will be held May 13 if official tallies show no candidate won more than half the vote. After that, Mr. Childers and Mr. Davis are running against each other again in the November general election.

Mr. Childers, who differed little on social issues from his Republican opponent, exemplified the Democrats’ strategy of running conservatives in red districts, a tactic that proved successful in the 2006 midterm elections. Its potential was underscored here on Tuesday with a strong showing by Mr. Childers, a veteran courthouse official, in a conservative area that gave 62 percent of its vote to President Bush in 2004.

To read the rest go here: Mississippi Congressional Race Appears Headed for Runoff - New York Times