Turning a Darker Shade of Blue

When things like this happen, I'm thinking even the 6th-MN may be in play:

A Democrat won the race for a GOP-held congressional seat in northern Mississippi yesterday, leaving the once-dominant House Republicans reeling from their third special-election defeat of the spring.

. . .

"No one could have imagined the tsunami that just crashed on Republicans in Mississippi," Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in an interview after the victory. "There is no district that is safe for Republican candidates."

And before the Righties start squawking about me just trying to stir the pot, here is a message from your own:

Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, sounded an alarm for all GOP candidates "to take stock of their campaigns and position themselves for challenging campaigns this fall" while lashing themselves to the presidential candidacy of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

"The political environment is such that voters remain pessimistic about the direction of the country and the Republican Party in general. . . . Time is short," Cole said in a statement.

Now, if you have been following these recent special election battles, you'll know that the Right has tried their standard attacks and attempted to see how a Barack 'ball and chain' would effect their electability. Their strategy failed . . . . miserably:

the National Republican Congressional Committee sponsored a television ad tying Childers to Obama and the Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

In the ad, Childers is shown next to Kerry and Obama while the Illinois senator's ranking from the National Journal as the most liberal senator is noted. Read more on the ad controversy

In an ad paid for by Davis, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is shown and a narrator chastises Childers for not publicly denouncing the pastor's controversial remarks.

It would appear that the RNC's tool box is empty, and their ability to get traction on new attacks has shown the electorate to be much less susceptible to the slime. This will force the Right to actually engage in debate, and discuss issues, a tactic they fear most.

Overall this is frustrating news for the Right, and especially local congressional Republican candidates. They are facing a competitive retention in the 3rd, where the Democratic candidate is a much closer moderate fit than the fringe candidate Paulson. Sgt. Sarvi is set up to be the Tim Walz sleeper in the 2nd. What is most embarrassing for the MNGOP is that Michele Bachmann is their best, and only credible hope at retention. They must be proud!

Flash