Democrats have already fared well in two special elections to the House: once in Illinois and again in Louisiana.  This time, as in Louisiana, a Democrat, Travis Childers, has closed the gap in a district where “the GOP ranks are as numerous as magnolia blossoms.”

NPR reports:

But the GOP is staring at another potential loss May 13 in Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District, vacant since Roger Wicker (R) was appointed to the Senate to succeed Trent Lott. The candidates there are Travis Childers (D), a local court official, and Greg Davis (R), the mayor of Southaven. At first glance, Davis is not a “flawed” candidate, so the Republicans don’t have that to fall back on. But some see the strategy being used in the district as being flawed.

 

One tactic the GOP employed in the Louisiana special — and that is being repeated in Mississippi — is attempting to tie the Democratic candidate to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or Barack Obama or both. Neither, the reasoning went, is especially popular in these two conservative bastions. But the Democratic candidates — winner Don Cazayoux (pronounced KAZH-oo) in Louisiana and hopeful Childers in Mississippi — are pro-life/pro-gun conservatives who aren’t the type to hang around with “liberal elites” such as Pelosi or Obama. (Cazayoux benefited from a sizable black turnout in Baton Rouge for his 49-46 percent victory.)