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{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see ] -->
''This is an article about the U.S. House seat formerly held by ]. For the election article regarding the general U.S. House election in Mississippi, see ].''
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2008 Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election
| flag_image = Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg
| type = by-election
| seats_for_election = ]
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi#District 1
| previous_year = 2006
| next_election = 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi#District 1
| next_year = November 2008
| election_date = April 22 and May 13, 2008
| image1 = File:Travischilders (cropped).jpg
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = ''']'''
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = '''58,037'''
| percentage1 = '''53.8%'''
| image2 = File:Greg Davis 2008 campaign headshot (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = ]
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 49,877
| percentage2 = 46.2%
| map_image = 2008 MS-01 Special.svg
| map_size = 180px
| map_caption = County results<br/>'''Childers''': {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{nowrap|{{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}}}}<br/>'''Davis''': {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}
| title = U.S. Representative
| before_election = ]
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = ]
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsMS}}
The '''2008 Mississippi 1st congressional district special election''' was a special election in the state of ] to determine who would serve the remainder of former ] ]'s term. After an April 22, 2008 ballot resulted in no candidate receiving a majority, ] candidate ] defeated ] candidate ] in a runoff election on May 13, 2008.


==Democratic primary==
{{future election in the United States}}


===Candidates===
On December 31, 2007, ] governor ] appointed ] to the Senate seat vacated 13 days earlier by Sen. ]. At the time of his appointment, Wicker was already a U.S. Representative for Mississippi's District 1. As a result of Wicker's appointment to the Senate, the U.S. House seat for District 1 is vacant.
*], ] ]
*], ]
*Marshall Coleman
*Brian H. Neely
*Ken Hurt, ] Democratic nominee for ]


===Results===
The party primaries were held on March 11.<ref name="commercialappeal"></ref> The primary runnoff election was held on ], ].<ref name="clarionPrimary"></ref>
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic Primary results<ref>{{cite web |title=Official Recapitulation of votes cast in the Democratic Party primary held in the State of Mississippi on the 11th day of March, 2008 |url=http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/Primary/DC%20Statewide/2008%20Statewide%20Democratic%20Primary%20Results.pdf |publisher=Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080402015624/http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/Primary/DC%20Statewide/2008%20Statewide%20Democratic%20Primary%20Results.pdf |archive-date=April 2, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Travis Childers
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 40,919
| percentage = 41.41
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Steve Holland
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 30,274
| percentage = 30.63
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Marshall Coleman
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 12,913
| percentage = 13.07
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Brian Neely
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 10,624
| percentage = 10.75
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Ken Hurt
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 4,095
| percentage = 4.14
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 98,825
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}


===Runoff Results===
According to Mississippi state election law, those who voted in the Democratic Primary on March 11 were only allowed to vote in the Democratic runnoff on April 1st. Mississipi was one of the states where right wing commentators such as Rush Limbaugh suggested people cross party lines on March 11 in order to keep the competition alive between Democratic Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Several websites such as the Daily Kos<ref></ref> and politico.com <ref name=politico></ref> have suggested that this is why the Republican primary runoff was so close between the more moderate McCullough and Davis as many of the more Conservative Republicans were not allowed to vote in that runoff. It is also believed that this has led to the final special election race involving a conservative Democrat (Childers) who has a better than usual chance to win the general election. Republicans were particularly concerned that a race between Childers and McCullough would've increased the Democrat's chances.<ref name="politico"/> Several candidates declared their candidacies on the Democratic and Republican sides and one Democrat who was asked to run, ], declined to run.
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary runoff results<ref>{{cite web |title=Official Recapitulation of votes cast in the Democratic Party primary run off held in the State of Mississippi on the 1st day of April 2008 |url=http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/Primary%20Run%20Off%2008/Statewide%20Dem%2008%20run%20off/2008%20Statewide%20Democratic%20Primary%20Runoff%20Results.pdf |publisher=Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121143123/http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/Primary%20Run%20Off%2008/Statewide%20Dem%2008%20run%20off/2008%20Statewide%20Democratic%20Primary%20Runoff%20Results.pdf |archive-date=November 21, 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Travis Childers
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 20,797
| percentage = 56.58
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Steve Holland
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 15,958
| percentage = 43.42
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 36,755
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}


==Republican primary==
The special election to fill the seat will be held on ] ]; if no one receives a majority of the vote, a runoff election will be held between the top two vote getters on ] ].<ref name=cqp>{{cite web|url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002674326|date=] ]|title=Date Set for Mississippi Special Election|last=Kapochunas|first=Rachel|publisher=CQPolitics.com|accessdate=2008-02-21}}</ref> The winner will be eligible to serve for the balance of Wicker's term, which ends at the end of 2008.


==Candidates== ===Candidates===
*], Mayor of ] and former ]
===Democratic===
*], former Mayor of ]
* ''']'''<ref name="clarionPrimary"/>, Prentiss County Chancery Court Clerk
*Randy Russell, ophthalmologist


===Results===
====Defeated in primary run-off====
{{Election box begin no change
* ]<ref name="commercialappeal"/>, Mississippi State Rep.
| title = Republican primary results<ref>{{cite web |title=Presidential Preference Primary Official Results |url=http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/Primary/RP%20Statewide/2008%20StatewideRP.pdf |publisher=Mississippi Republican Party |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121080337/http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/Primary/RP%20Statewide/2008%20StatewideRP.pdf |archive-date=November 21, 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Glenn McCullough
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 17,082
| percentage = 38.88
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Greg Davis
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 16,161
| percentage = 36.79
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Randy Russell
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 10,688
| percentage = 24.33
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 43,931
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}


====Defeated in primary==== ===Runoff results===
{{Election box begin no change
* Marshall W. Coleman<ref name="commercialappeal"/>, of ] current ].
| title = Republican primary runoff results<ref>{{cite web |title=Third U.S. Congressional District Official Results |url=http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/Primary%20Run%20Off%2008/Statewide%20Rep%2008%20run%20off/2008%20Statewide%20Republican%20Primary%20Run-off%20Results.pdf |publisher=Mississippi Republican Party |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121175613/http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/Primary%20Run%20Off%2008/Statewide%20Rep%2008%20run%20off/2008%20Statewide%20Republican%20Primary%20Run-off%20Results.pdf |archive-date=November 21, 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* James Ken Hunt<ref name="commercialappeal"/>, of ]
}}
* Brian Neely<ref name="commercialappeal"/>, ] attorney & Military Veteran
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Greg Davis
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 16,733
| percentage = 50.82
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Glenn McCullough
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 16,196
| percentage = 49.18
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 32,929
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}


==General election==
===Republican===
* ''']'''<ref name="commercialappeal"/>, current Mayor of ] and former State Rep.


===Candidates===
====Defeated in primary run-off====
*], ] ] (D)
* ]<ref name="commercialappeal"/>, former Mayor of ] and businessman
*], Mayor of ] and former ]
*John M. Wages Jr., former member of the ] Election Commission
*Wally Pang, ] restaurant owner


====Defeated in primary==== ===Campaign===
On December 31, 2007, ] ] appointed ] to the Senate seat vacated 13 days earlier by Sen. ]. At the time of his appointment, Wicker was already a U.S. Representative for Mississippi's District 1. As a result of Wicker's appointment to the Senate, his House seat became vacant, necessitating a special election to determine who would serve the remainder of Wicker's term.
* Dr. Randy Russell<ref name="commercialappeal"/>, ] ophthalmologist, former member of the Mississippi Board of Health


{{ushr|Mississippi|1|}} covers the northeastern part of the state, including the cities of ], ], ], ], and ]. The district had been represented by Republican ] since 1995. The district has demonstrated itself to be "reliably conservative" in past elections, with ] winning the district by 25 points in the 2004 presidential election.<ref name="WSJ">, Susan Davis, ''The Wall Street Journal'', May 13, 2008.</ref> Early speculation had Republicans ], ], and ] and Democrats ] and ] as contenders.<ref name="commercialappeal">{{Cite web |title='''commercialappeal.com''' Southaven mayor hopes to represent First District in Congress, January 12, 2008 |url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jan/12/davis-among-3-in-gop-race/}}</ref><ref name="WickerUp">{{Cite web |title='''The Clarion-Ledger:''' "Wicker moves up; who moves in?", January 1, 2008 |url=http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080101/NEWS01/80101016}}{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}}</ref> All but Franks ended up as candidates.
===Green Party===

* '''John M. Wages Jr.'''<ref></ref>, former member of the ] Election Commission, local farmer and family farm organizer, a holder of 7 US patents and current instructor at ]
The party primaries were held on March 11.<ref name="commercialappeal" /> The primary runoff election was held on April 1, 2008.<ref name="clarionPrimary">{{Cite web |title='''Clarion Ledger''': Election '08: Field set for congressional races |url=http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008804020360}}</ref> According to Mississippi state election law, those who voted in the Democratic Primary on March 11 were only allowed to vote in the Democratic runoff on April 1. Mississippi was one of the states where right wing commentators such as ] suggested people cross party lines on March 11 in order to keep the competition alive between Democratic presidential candidates ] and ]. Several websites such as the ]<ref> ''"DailyKos:''' Limbaugh's system-gaming could give us a new Democratic congressman ]</ref> and ]<ref name="politico">{{Cite web |last=Kraushaar |first=Josh |title=Primary shenanigans could backfire |url=https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9291.html |website=POLITICO}}</ref> suggested that this is why the Republican primary runoff was so close between the more moderate McCullough and Davis as many of the more Conservative Republicans were not allowed to vote in that runoff. It is also believed that this has led to the final special election race involving a conservative Democrat (Childers) who has a better than usual chance to win the general election. Republicans were particularly concerned that a race between Childers and McCullough would've increased the Democrat's chances.<ref name="politico" />

The initial special election to fill the seat was held on April 22, 2008; no one received a majority of the vote so a runoff election was held between the two top vote getters: Democrat ] (who was the top vote getter with 49.4% of the vote) and Republican ] (who received 46.3% of the initial special election vote) on May 13, 2008.

The ] spent over $1.3 million in support of Davis' bid for the vacant seat. ], a Republican-supporting advocacy group, purchased an additional $550,000 in advertising. The ] spent $1.5 million in support of Childers.<ref name="WSJ" />

Despite the district's Republican leanings, Childers defeated Davis in the final round of the special election by a 54% to 46% margin.<ref>{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Emily Waggster Pettus, Associated Press, May 13, 2008.</ref> Once sworn in, Childers will serve through the end of the ] in January 2009.

Childers victory represents the 3rd time during the 110th Congress that a Democrat has been elected to a previously Republican-held seat in a special election. Childers victory is seen as a surprise upset for the Republican party as Mississippi's 1st district has been historically right leaning. It is believed that this sends "a clear signal of national problems ahead for Republicans in the fall".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nossiter |first=Adam |date=May 14, 2008 |title=Democrat Wins House Seat in Mississippi |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/us/politics/14mississippi.html |via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> ] ads approved by Davis tried to link Childers with presidential candidate ] and his controversial former pastor Rev. ].<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 15, 2008 |title=Mississippi election loss is GOP 'wakeup call' - CNN.com |work=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/14/miss.election/index.html |access-date=May 12, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=May 4, 2008 |title=Republicans use Obama as the bad guy in negative ads - CNN.com |work=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/04/obama.ads/index.html |access-date=May 12, 2010}}</ref>

Childers and Davis faced off against each other in the November general election.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commercial Dispatch Online<!-- Bot generated title --> |url=http://www.cdispatch.com/articles/2008/05/14/state_news/state01.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708130241/http://www.cdispatch.com/articles/2008/05/14/state_news/state01.txt |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Again, Childers won that contest.

===Results===
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Mississippi's 1st Congressional District special election, 2008<ref>{{cite web |title=Total Votes Reported by County for the April 22, 2008 Special Election |url=http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/First%20Congressional%20Special%20Election/Congressional%20Election%20PDF/2008%20First%20Congressional%20Special%20Election%20Certification.pdf |publisher=Mississippi Secretary of State |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120131424/http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/First%20Congressional%20Special%20Election/Congressional%20Election%20PDF/2008%20First%20Congressional%20Special%20Election%20Certification.pdf |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = ]
|votes = 33,304
|percentage = 49.44
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = ]
|votes = 31,177
|percentage = 46.28
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = ]
|votes = 968
|percentage = 1.44
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = ]
|votes = 789
|percentage = 1.17
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Independent (politician)
|candidate = Wally Pang
|votes = 725
|percentage = 1.08
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Green Party (United States)
|candidate = John M. Wages, Jr.
|votes = 398
|percentage = 0.59
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 67,361
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}

===Runoff results===
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Mississippi's 1st Congressional District runoff special election, 2008<ref>{{cite web |title=Total Votes Reported by County for the May 13, 2008 Special Election |url=http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/First%20Congressional%20Special%20Election%20Run%20off/Cong%20Election%20Run%20Off%20PDF/PDF2/08%20RUNN%20OFF%20CERTIFICATE%20OF%20VOTE%20%282%29.pdf |publisher=Mississippi Secretary of State |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121105044/http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/2008/First%20Congressional%20Special%20Election%20Run%20off/Cong%20Election%20Run%20Off%20PDF/PDF2/08%20RUNN%20OFF%20CERTIFICATE%20OF%20VOTE%20(2).pdf |archive-date=November 21, 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = ]
|votes = 58,037
|percentage = 53.78
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = ]
|votes = 49,877
|percentage = 46.22
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 107,914
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box gain with party link without swing
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
|loser = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

==Newspaper endorsements==
Childers was endorsed by the '']'',<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 18, 2008 |title=EDITORIAL:Childers best choice |pages=4 (Section B) |work=] |url=http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=271891&pub=1&div=Opinion |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080919042945/http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=271891&pub=1&div=Opinion |archive-date=September 19, 2008}}</ref> '']'',<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 20, 2008 |title=Childers for Congress |work=] |url=http://cdispatch.com/articles/2008/04/20/opinion/opinion8730.txt |url-status=dead |access-date=May 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708130018/http://cdispatch.com/articles/2008/04/20/opinion/opinion8730.txt |archive-date=July 8, 2011 }}</ref> and '']''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 11, 2008 |title=Childers for Mississippi's 1st District |work=] |url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/may/11/editorial-childers-for-mississippis-1st/ }}</ref>


==See also== ==See also==
*]
*] *]
*] *]
*]
*]


==External links== ==External links==
* from Mississippi Secretary of State
*
* {{Cite web |title=NE MS Daily Journal, Election Results |url=http://www.djournal.com/pages/election2008.asp |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080919031613/http://www.djournal.com/pages/election2008.asp |archive-date=September 19, 2008 |access-date=April 23, 2008}}
*
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517044624/http://www.cdispatch.com/election/ |date=May 17, 2008 }}
*
*
*


===Campaigns' websites===
*{{Cite web |title=Childers for Congress |url=http://www.childersforcongress.com/tc_district.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080903193522/http://www.childersforcongress.com/tc_district.html |archive-date=September 3, 2008 |access-date=February 6, 2008}}
*{{Cite web |title=Coleman for Congress 2008 |url=http://www.colemanforcongress2008.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080316042555/http://www.colemanforcongress2008.com/ |archive-date=March 16, 2008 |access-date=February 2, 2018}}
*
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318234528/http://stevehollandforcongress.com/ |date=March 18, 2008 }}
*{{Cite web |title=Wally Pang for Congress |url=http://www.wallypangforcongress.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510025317/http://www.wallypangforcongress.com/ |archive-date=May 10, 2008 |access-date=April 23, 2008}}
*


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{reflist}}
{{2008 United States elections}}


] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 05:30, 19 August 2024

2008 Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election
← 2006 April 22 and May 13, 2008 November 2008 →
Mississippi's 1st congressional district
 
Nominee Travis Childers Greg Davis
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 58,037 49,877
Percentage 53.8% 46.2%
County results
Childers:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Davis:      50–60%      70–80%
U.S. Representative before election

Roger Wicker
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Travis Childers
Democratic

Elections in Mississippi
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The 2008 Mississippi 1st congressional district special election was a special election in the state of Mississippi to determine who would serve the remainder of former Representative Roger Wicker's term. After an April 22, 2008 ballot resulted in no candidate receiving a majority, Democratic Party candidate Travis Childers defeated Republican candidate Greg Davis in a runoff election on May 13, 2008.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic Primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Travis Childers 40,919 41.41
Democratic Steve Holland 30,274 30.63
Democratic Marshall Coleman 12,913 13.07
Democratic Brian Neely 10,624 10.75
Democratic Ken Hurt 4,095 4.14
Total votes 98,825 100.00

Runoff Results

Democratic primary runoff results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Travis Childers 20,797 56.58
Democratic Steve Holland 15,958 43.42
Total votes 36,755 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Glenn McCullough 17,082 38.88
Republican Greg Davis 16,161 36.79
Republican Randy Russell 10,688 24.33
Total votes 43,931 100.00

Runoff results

Republican primary runoff results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Greg Davis 16,733 50.82
Republican Glenn McCullough 16,196 49.18
Total votes 32,929 100.00

General election

Candidates

Campaign

On December 31, 2007, Mississippi governor Haley Barbour appointed Roger Wicker to the Senate seat vacated 13 days earlier by Sen. Trent Lott. At the time of his appointment, Wicker was already a U.S. Representative for Mississippi's District 1. As a result of Wicker's appointment to the Senate, his House seat became vacant, necessitating a special election to determine who would serve the remainder of Wicker's term.

Mississippi's 1st congressional district covers the northeastern part of the state, including the cities of Columbus, Grenada, Oxford, Southaven, and Tupelo. The district had been represented by Republican Roger Wicker since 1995. The district has demonstrated itself to be "reliably conservative" in past elections, with George W. Bush winning the district by 25 points in the 2004 presidential election. Early speculation had Republicans Greg Davis, Glenn McCullough, and Randy Russell and Democrats Steve Holland and Jamie Franks as contenders. All but Franks ended up as candidates.

The party primaries were held on March 11. The primary runoff election was held on April 1, 2008. According to Mississippi state election law, those who voted in the Democratic Primary on March 11 were only allowed to vote in the Democratic runoff on April 1. Mississippi was one of the states where right wing commentators such as Rush Limbaugh suggested people cross party lines on March 11 in order to keep the competition alive between Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Several websites such as the Daily Kos and politico.com suggested that this is why the Republican primary runoff was so close between the more moderate McCullough and Davis as many of the more Conservative Republicans were not allowed to vote in that runoff. It is also believed that this has led to the final special election race involving a conservative Democrat (Childers) who has a better than usual chance to win the general election. Republicans were particularly concerned that a race between Childers and McCullough would've increased the Democrat's chances.

The initial special election to fill the seat was held on April 22, 2008; no one received a majority of the vote so a runoff election was held between the two top vote getters: Democrat Travis Childers (who was the top vote getter with 49.4% of the vote) and Republican Greg Davis (who received 46.3% of the initial special election vote) on May 13, 2008.

The National Republican Congressional Committee spent over $1.3 million in support of Davis' bid for the vacant seat. Freedom's Watch, a Republican-supporting advocacy group, purchased an additional $550,000 in advertising. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent $1.5 million in support of Childers.

Despite the district's Republican leanings, Childers defeated Davis in the final round of the special election by a 54% to 46% margin. Once sworn in, Childers will serve through the end of the 110th Congress in January 2009.

Childers victory represents the 3rd time during the 110th Congress that a Democrat has been elected to a previously Republican-held seat in a special election. Childers victory is seen as a surprise upset for the Republican party as Mississippi's 1st district has been historically right leaning. It is believed that this sends "a clear signal of national problems ahead for Republicans in the fall". Negative campaign ads approved by Davis tried to link Childers with presidential candidate Barack Obama and his controversial former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

Childers and Davis faced off against each other in the November general election. Again, Childers won that contest.

Results

Mississippi's 1st Congressional District special election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Travis Childers 33,304 49.44
Republican Greg Davis 31,177 46.28
Republican Glenn McCullough 968 1.44
Democratic Steve Holland 789 1.17
Independent Wally Pang 725 1.08
Green John M. Wages, Jr. 398 0.59
Total votes 67,361 100.00

Runoff results

Mississippi's 1st Congressional District runoff special election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Travis Childers 58,037 53.78
Republican Greg Davis 49,877 46.22
Total votes 107,914 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

Newspaper endorsements

Childers was endorsed by the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, The Commercial Dispatch, and The Commercial Appeal.

See also

External links

Campaigns' websites

References

  1. "Official Recapitulation of votes cast in the Democratic Party primary held in the State of Mississippi on the 11th day of March, 2008" (PDF). Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2008.
  2. "Official Recapitulation of votes cast in the Democratic Party primary run off held in the State of Mississippi on the 1st day of April 2008" (PDF). Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2020.
  3. "Presidential Preference Primary Official Results" (PDF). Mississippi Republican Party. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2020.
  4. "Third U.S. Congressional District Official Results" (PDF). Mississippi Republican Party. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2020.
  5. ^ A House Race Holds Clues for GOP, Susan Davis, The Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2008.
  6. ^ "commercialappeal.com Southaven mayor hopes to represent First District in Congress, January 12, 2008".
  7. "The Clarion-Ledger: "Wicker moves up; who moves in?", January 1, 2008".
  8. "Clarion Ledger: Election '08: Field set for congressional races".
  9. ' "DailyKos: Limbaugh's system-gaming could give us a new Democratic congressman ]
  10. ^ Kraushaar, Josh. "Primary shenanigans could backfire". POLITICO.
  11. Miss. Democrat wins House seat in special election, Emily Waggster Pettus, Associated Press, May 13, 2008.
  12. Nossiter, Adam (May 14, 2008). "Democrat Wins House Seat in Mississippi" – via NYTimes.com.
  13. "Mississippi election loss is GOP 'wakeup call' - CNN.com". CNN. May 15, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  14. "Republicans use Obama as the bad guy in negative ads - CNN.com". CNN. May 4, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  15. "Commercial Dispatch Online". Archived from the original on July 8, 2011.
  16. "Total Votes Reported by County for the April 22, 2008 Special Election" (PDF). Mississippi Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 20, 2020.
  17. "Total Votes Reported by County for the May 13, 2008 Special Election" (PDF). Mississippi Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2020.
  18. "EDITORIAL:Childers best choice". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. April 18, 2008. pp. 4 (Section B). Archived from the original on September 19, 2008.
  19. "Childers for Congress". The Commercial Dispatch. April 20, 2008. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
  20. "Childers for Mississippi's 1st District". The Commercial Appeal. May 11, 2008.
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