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By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS – 3 hours ago
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — It’s becoming a disturbing trend for Republicans: losing traditional GOP strongholds to Democrats in some hard-fought congressional races.
It happened again Tuesday, as Travis Childers beat Greg Davis in a special election to replace Republican Roger Wicker, who served in the House since 1994 and was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott.
Childers’ win will give him the chance over the next several months left in the seat’s two-year term to build a fundraising and publicity advantage as he heads into November’s general election. He will again face Davis, as well as two other opponents.
Childers’ win gave Democrats a 236-199 edge over Republicans in Congress.
Earlier this year, Democrats captured the Illinois district long represented by former Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert, who resigned from Congress. This month, Democrats claimed a seat in Louisiana that Republican Rep. Richard Baker vacated and that the GOP had held since 1974.
Childers is a socially conservative county official, while Davis is mayor of a fast-growing city across the state line from Memphis, Tenn.
Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned for Davis the day before the special election, and Davis ran ads trying to tie Childers to Barack Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the national Democratic Party’s policies.
Childers stressed his independence, emphasizing his support of gun rights and opposition to abortion. He said his values match those of most voters in the deeply conservative district.
Tom Cole, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said the Mississippi race showed that “Republicans must be prepared to campaign against Democrat challengers who are running as conservatives, even as they try to join a liberal Democrat majority.”
Cole said voters are “pessimistic about the direction of the country and the Republican Party in general” and the GOP must offer “positive change.”

ap.google.com

Tags: secretary, state, virginia, west

WEST WINDSOR — The attempted abduction of a 16-year-old student from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South this morning has prompted a massive police search in the area of the high school for the would-be kidnapper, authorities said.
The high school and a nearby grammar school in the area have been locked down as a precaution, West Windsor Police Chief Joe Pica said.
A letter concerning the incident by by West Windsor Superintendent of Schools Victoria Kniewel has been posted on the West Windsor schools Web site.
The kidnapping target, who was not harmed, reported the incident to school officials when she arrived at school about 7 a.m Thursday after having received an e-mail from the suspect, Pica said.
Police showed up at the school and found the suspect’s vehicle nearby but no sign of him, Pica said.
“He already took off on foot when we got there,” he said.
That prompted the school lockdown and a police manhunt involving about 20 officers from four different agencies, which were still searching the area and neighborhoods close to the school at 10 a.m. The school isn’t far from the Princeton Junction Train Station, Pica said.
A state police helicopter, as well as K-9 units from West Windsor, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office and Ewing police, are involved in the search.
The suspect and the girl he allegedly tried to abduct know each other, Pica said. He declined to divulge any more specifics yet about how they are acquainted.
The would-be kidnapper is described as a Hispanic male, 5 feet 4 inches tall, wearing dark glasses, light-colored pants and a dark jacket. “He’s really no danger to anyone at this point,” Pica said. “We know who the guy is. We got his car.”
Check here for further updates and read Friday’s edition of The Times for the latest developments.

nj.com

Tags: plainsboro, west, windsor