Senior House Repulican (sic) in Re-Election War

[Bossy Monkey]

Oct 16, 12:40 PM EDT

Senior House Repulican in Re-Election War

By DAVID ESPO
AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Having served 17 terms, Illinois Rep. Phil Crane is the most senior Republican in the House. His quest for an 18th is proving difficult and has party strategists scrambling to fend off a challenge from Democrat Melissa Bean.

Republican officials say Crane's local political organization has atrophied over time. A campaign-season report detailing his fondness for overseas trips taken at corporate expense gave Bean a boost. Add to that her use of a cushion as a campaign metaphor, meant to depict the 73-year-old lawmaker as a mere seat-warmer in Congress.

The result, according to GOP strategists, is that Crane ranks near the top of the list of incumbent Republicans most vulnerable to defeat this fall. Polls show his support 50 percent - a danger signal for any incumbent - with Bean only a few percentage points behind.
(more)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CRANES_STRUGGLES?SITE=SCCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[aquart]

1. Throw the bums out.

[TaleWgnDg]

2. I'll second that . . . n/t

[bemildred]

5. Throw all the bums out. Bunch of useless "me too" swine.

:puke:

[UrbScotty]

3. Go Melissa!

:D

[flowomo]

4. Guess whose seat Crane was originally elected to fill in 1969?

Don Rumsfeld. Nice bit of poetry here is her loses!