GOP anti-Obama ad campaign backfires -- prompts heavy black voter turnout, Dem victory.

[NorthernSpy]

The Republicans seem to have scored an "own goal" of sorts in Mississippi. From The California Progress Report:

Surge of Obama Voters Wipe Out the G.O.P. in Rural Missisippi Congressional Race--What This May Mean for the Fall Campaign

By Bill Cavala

(...)

In a largely rural Northern Mississippi Congressional District – Republican since the mid 1990’s – a Democrat won. Historically, the seat’s large African-American population that votes Democratic turned out in small numbers that were easily outdistanced by the Republican suburbs. Poor white rural voters supported the GOP.

George Bush carried this district with 62% of the vote four years ago. Yesterday, it sent Democrat Travis Childers – a local ‘courthouse’ official – to Washington with a 54-46 margin.

The RNC spent over a million dollars in an effort to retain the seat. Vice President Cheney and Governor Harley Barbour campaigned for the Republican. Robocalls were made by John McCain and by the President.

And, of course, Mississippi voters were reminded, then reminded again, that the Democrats were about to nominate a Black Man and that Travis Childers would be supporting that Black Man’s agenda. Willie Horton redux, the usual appeal to racial division that had served the Southern GOP well since 1964.

But this time, the result was a disaster for the Republicans: they wound up "energizing" the wrong voters!

Instead, there was a record high turnout of African-American voters who voted Democratic. Not because Travis Childers was supportive of their community’s agenda. He wasn’t: Childers is a conservative “blue dog” Democrat. But the connection between Democrat Obama and Democrat Childers was accepted by the Black community in Mississippi.

At the same time, it was rejected by enough white voters that – when combined with a weak turnout among dispirited Republican rank and file “base” who are “angry” at the President and find McCain uninspiring – to produce the upset.

:rofl:


:woohoo:


More on the Democratic victory:

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/14/1018594.aspx

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/mashek/2008/05/14/mississippi-burning.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aGXXSyAl3qd0&refer=home

[anonymous171]

1. I love it when attacks on Obama backfire.

:woohoo: GOBAMA!

[BattyDem]

2. Ha ... ha ha ... ha ha ha ...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[BOSSHOG]

3. dick cheney also came to the state to campaign for his fellow klansman

[yardwork]

9. I'm sure that helped. Come to think of it, Cheney was in NC recently, too.

Wherever Cheney goes, Obama wins. Hmmmmm....

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. We probably didn't need Cheney's help

but appreciate it anyway!

[Scurrilous]

4. K & R

:thumbsup:

[cali]

5. This is a very important post. Thanks.

It also gives lie to the silly hillbot claim that Obama had nothing to do with Childers winning. It's clear as day that he had a hell of a lot to do with it.

k&r

[Arugula Latte]

6. Bring it on, Rethugs ...

You'll be sorry!

[anonymous171]

7. They're not used to their attacks backfiring.

[ej510]

11. I am telling you that about 30% of Hillary supporters are racist.

[BeyondGeography]

8. It's a thing of beauty

:applause:

[panAmerican]

12. Proof that, contrary to HRC's assertions, the AA vote is crucial to breaking the tie

between White Repubs and and White Dems.

[angie_love]

13. Omg, thats amazing. I love it!

:woohoo: :rofl: