MS-1 Congressional District

It appears that Travis Childers(D-Prentiss) has forced Greg Davis(R-Southaven) into a runoff for this seat left open by Senator Roger Wicker(R).  This district composes of extreme N Mississippi and is heavily Republican but also a demographically fluctuating district.  It isn’t becoming more liberal or democratic, but it is becoming younger and more urban.

Nationally, most national media was focused on Hillary’s win in Pennsylvania, however, this Democratic victory demonstrates the real problems the Republicans must deal with this fall to retain the Oval Office.  No, I don’t think the actual problems of this country…Iraq, gas prices, economy, torture…will hurt McCain this fall.

Why?  Lets be honest, most Americans do not vote for a candidate on policy stands and distinctions, they vote on less tangible reasons…comfort, “down-to-earthiness, (R)/(D) next to name, how they run their campaign.

Now what does this have to do with the MS-1?  Greg Davis did not fail to win because he was conservative or a Republican.  Hell, Childers is probably farther to the right than Davis.  However, Davis ran the dirtiest campaign I’ve ever seen.  On a normal year, this would work, but even in a heavily Republican district, people are beginning to hit their limit.  People still don’t want answers, but they do want hope.  The politics of hopelessness of the past decade have worn on our body politic.  They want a “change”.  Not a change of policy necessarily, but of attitude.  McCain is a smart man; he realizes this as seen by his taking the NC Republican Party to task.  Now it remains to be seen if he can beat Obama on his turf….Hope.