Democrats Sweep Special Elections For First Time In 30 Years

It's hard to comprehend the significance of Mississippi Democrat Travis Childers' win last night in his special election. Childers beat his Republican opponent, Greg Davis, by a solid eight points in one of the most conservative districts in the country. In addition to huge demographic advantages, the GOP brought in Trent Lott, Haley Barbour, Thad Cochran, and even Vice President Dick Cheney to stump for Davis. And the national groups contributed almost $2 million to the conservative candidate.

Marc Ambinder tries to give the Mississippi special election some perspective, noting that the district's vote for Bush in 2004 is roughly the same margin as the Los Angeles vote for John Kerry:

What it is similar to is the margin by which Kerry beat Bush in Los Angeles County -- 27.6%.

Can you imagine the meltdown if (in some hypothetical countywide election) L.A. County had just gone Republican by 8 points?

Daily Kos, meanwhile, rounds up headlines that foretell a gloomy GOP:

Newsmax: GOP Loses Congressional Election, Faces Bloodbath in Nov.

Hot Air: Disaster: Democrat beats Republican in Mississippi special election; Update: Panic time, say Boehner, Cole

Red State: Clean House at the NRCC

RCP: GOP Stunned By Loss in Mississippi

NRO:We Are Totally Frakked [Mark Krikorian]

Politico: Cole issues surrender declaration following Mississippi loss

MSNBC: Why GOP's Mississippi House loss resonates

US News: Mississippi Burning

First Read: House GOPers Stomping Mad Over Prospects

Josh Marshall breaks down what the past three special election losses by Republicans could mean in November:

Comments

[Cathexis]

It's kind of sad.

But what is sadder is the fact that, because they are absolutely incapable of meaningful introspection and honest evaluation, they will not change their ideology, but merely seek to change the packaging.

[dhfsfc]

Just how long did these crooks think that they could pull this scam on the American people? Eight years sounds like long enough! They rubber-stamped every corrupt suggestion floated by idiot-boy Bush, and now they are panicked that they might be out of jobs???? Eventually, people will catch on.

[GravitonX]

Equally as important, will they vote for Obama?

[loki]

The Gop is really not that pathetic. They are just doing what they are told to do by corporations, and what they learned to do in Harvard and Yale. " Screw thy brother for all ye can get" Its just that a lot of people are being tired of getting royally screwed. What they forget though is that it wont matter who is in DC representing you, because they really represent corporations, not the people. And we allowed it to happen. So pat yourselves on your backs America, we have created this monster by re-electing the same corporate puppets time and time again.
For DUH people, of DUH people,
and actually, made by DUH people.

[aceholiday]

if women and children weren't being blown to bits they would probably qualify as simply duh people.

[econdr]

finally the voters of mississippi are voting in their best interests...

[incontempt]

Out with the trash.

I'm proud of you Ol'Miss

[ajax2]

Did Rush forget to send out his new message to stop voting Democratic?

[ObserverinVancouver]

Snort!

[fourex]

Couple hope for war to save McCain,
Wars and rumors of wars.
Conversation overheard while waiting for medical exam.
Well groomed elderly couple maybe late 70's sitting next to me in upscale medical facility.

Woman,
"Obama scares me."
Man, ignores her and continues reading magazine.
Woman, louder,
"Obama frightens me."
Man, nods head but continues reading.
Woman,
"Doesn"t Obama scare you?"
Man,
"No." he continues to read.
Woman,
"He"s not patriotic. Doesn"t that bother you?"
Man,
"No, but he doesn"t have much experience, that could be a problem."
Woman,
"Damn Democrats. I can"t vote for Hillary."
They get up to go into doctor"s office.
Woman,
"Well, maybe we"ll have another war so we don"t have to worry about all of this."

[metalpipe]

I will attest to the existance of these (pardon the phrase) 'lambs led to the slaughter' created by the MSM. They honestly sound like play backs of MSM sound bites. Scary and sad. I run into them quite frequently, and have learned to have patience during the conversation to allow them time to digest the lies they have swallowed. It is interesting to watch their facial expressions while their soul combats with their ego over the obviously hate and fear filled nonsence going through their brain.

[DRaymond]

Well, LA did elect Richard Riordan as mayor for two terms!

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Sorry, but that's as ludicrous as Democrats winning Alaska.

[AmandaRuth]

Here is what I want to know - The Dems have taken every special election since 2006, we know we are going to kick repub butt in Nov, so when will the Corp media start treating us fairly and equally? And I am talking strong left liberal talkers, like Maddow - on the network evening news. Clearly, it is what the public wants, and as such, what the networks should be obligated to give us, and advertisers should take take notice too.

[fnygy]

When does Rachel NOT represent? Never seen it.

[realpolitic]

I wonder if these defeats were part of Karl Rove's idea of creating a permanent Republican majority? I doubt it!

[Ariesjill]

Re the unabashed and doomed, and now finally about to be history Rove mindset/agenda...the Founders, in their collective nobility and vision gestated something no form of Mein Kampf could mitigate forever.....as long as there was even a percentage of membersof the electorate who got and cherished that vision.

This is precisely why we are finally in the midst of a bloodless revolution! And not a moment too soon.

[SharonB]

What winning really means.
There is something more to this that just "WHOO HOO! WE WIN!"
There are a lot of people putting their families futures in the hands of Democrats. I hope that once our party does get controll of the House, Senater and White House we do not let the American people down.
When the Republicans got control of all three, they abused their power time after time. I expect a lot more out of Democrats. I do not want to be disappointed.
I suggest that we hold their feet to the fire.
When the elections are over, we need to let the leaders of the Democratic party know that we expect greatness out of them all.

[metalpipe]

Not to lower your expectations, Miss S., but the next administration and three or four rounds of congressmen will have their hands full trying to stop our country's collision with financial default. Even with an all out fighting force of politically active constituents, the likelyhood of anything truly great coming from our govt is fairly low. There will be a lot of posturing and in-fighting amongst Dems, especially the blue dogs vs. the rest over spending. While they blither their days away arguing over the best course to take, it will be business as usual for the corporates and the hawks.

[fnygy]

I sympathize with your cynicism - I tend toward it myself - but I've come to believe it's part of the problem. Time and circumstance can conspire to allow great change - I'm hopeful that the fiasco that has been the Bush Years will be just such a conspiracy and that BIG CHANGE will be possible because of it. Cynicism only clouds the view of such possibility so I'm trying to guard against mine. It's hard because I often feel like Charlie Brown with the football. But, maybe this time - we really CAN beat Lucy!!

[Ariesjill]

I think it is imperative for you to understand the real danger is if WE abrogate OUR on-going, pro-active involvement with and commitment to to the new leaders from NOW ON.

Because doing that is exactly what enabled the foxes to steal and then ravage the chicken coop.

[fnygy]

Bullseye! It's up to us.

[sanywhere]

i think this is a good post for several reasons. first, it humbles all of us who are treating this like a baseball game and second, it helps us regain perspective. the perspective we need is keeping our elected officials in line with what the public needs and elected them for. thank you sharon.

[dartagnan]

Good post, Sharon. I agree wholeheartedly.

One of the reasons the Republicans are in such deep doo-doo now is their "WHOO HOO! WE WON" attitude -- the attitude of not giving damn about the country as long as THEIR TEAM won. Americans finally caught on to that and became disgusted with them.

The Democrats can, and must, be different.

[marlainWA]

Strong Hillary supporter in my bookclub today told me after meeting, don't worry in the fall i will vote for Obama...and she is forceful supporter...

I think true democrats know we can't have another Bush.

[Nyland8]

"What if a Republican won Los Angeles by 8 Points?"

I'd give it to them. They can have it.

8

[jrterrier]

he did. his name is arnold schwartzeneger.

[Ariesjill]

Ok, I get you....it's about dissing entire cities and coastal throw downs and the Crips & the Bloods and like that, right? So, tell me, who really killed Tupac?

My God where are the ADULTS?

[Terriac]

This is sooooo great. I love it!

[oldrwsr]

Maybe after the bloodbath in November, the republican party will go the way of the Whigs. Or would the no nothing party be more appropriate.

[SensibleAmerican]

Obama launched his IL senate candidacy at the door-step of Bill Ayers the underground terrorist
One of his best friends in the Chicago elite circle was a fella named Rashid, an Iraqi with Hamas connections
Wright ... well we all know his Farrakhan, Libyan/Gaddafi connections and his longstanding relationship with Obama. Not to forget his inflammatory, racist, bigoted and seperatist speeches
Michele Obama claims America is a mean Country and she never had any reason to be proud of the Nation she is clamoring to be the first lady of!
Lack of lapel pin as a protest against patriotism
Crotch salute to the flag during the rendering of the National Anthem!

Well, no wonder Obama is the hero of all the far-left-loons-America haters!!!

[metalpipe]

SA's post resembles the nonsence hate talk I find all to often. I am sometimes embarassed to call myself an American with folks like him in my neighborhood.

[chronic]

SensibleAmerican,

Were you born dumb or did you evolve?

[boyblu95843]

Hmm, Michelle thinks America is mean? Maybe it's because of BS like this post by people who call themselves "Sensible"

[unity08]

Sean Hannity called...he wants his tirade back.

[Donk]

Get over it! Your boy McCain is unelectable. Even Lincoln would disassociate himself from the current crop of GOP idiocy. Ron Paul is probably the last honorable Republican alive and even he is getting tired of it.

[Ariesjill]

Lincoln represented the constructive manifestation of the GPO. Before it metamorphosed into the bastardized version. so I think he doesn't deserve the "even."

He was also whole enough to insist on cabinet members who would challenge him at every juncture.

We need at least two parties.....I would prefer three. And remember whose input was singularly responsible for Clinton's probably inadvertently sound fiscal policy: Ross Perot. Old School Republican. Without his little bar graphs and pointer.....America would have remained clueless about the deficit!

Let us also remember the aphorism re absolute power corrupting absolutely.

[Pyrrhus]

Dude, you're on the wrong website. You're looking for f-o-x-n-e-w-s-.-n-e-t

[sheraz]

LOLOLOLOL

That was meant to be sarcastic wasn't it? Like you were mocking all those ridiculous people who say things like a lapel pin=a protest against patriotism? So funny...thank you.

(I was being sarcastic)

[dartagnan]

Hey troll, to coin a phrase: "If you don't like it, LEAVE IT!"

[InjunTrouble]

People like you should form a third party - republican democrats.

You can have Hillary Clinton and Joe Lieberman as the leaders and then plan nice things like obliterating countries around the world.

[bitterinMT]

I heard he stomps on kittens too.