Biggest Election of the Night - Mississippi's First District

Hat tip: ms. martin here at JJP

The results for the Mississippi First District Special Election:

This is Northern Mississippi. The seat was vacated when Congressman Wicker became Senator Wicker when Trent Lott resigned.

This is a SOLID REPUBLICAN SEAT.

IN MISSISSIPPI.

Results:


93% of Precincts Reporting
Travis W. Childers (D): 53% (54029)
Greg Davis (R): 47% (47361)



YES, this is one of those seats where they tried to Swiftboat the candidate by tying him to Obama and Rev. Wright.

Mississippi, people.

First, Hastert's seat.
Then, the Louisiana seat a couple of weeks back.

Tonight, Mississippi.

This was it. The last ' argument' Hillpatine had against Obama to the SuperDelegates - his potential to be a ' drag' on downticket Democrats.

Childers WON a solid GOP seat in MISSISSIPPI.

Biggest election of the night.

Obama Takes Lead in Superdelegates

From ABC.com

Obama Now Takes The Lead in Superdelegates Too
May 09, 2008 6:19 AM
ABC News' Karen Travers Reports:


For the first time this campaign season, Barack Obama has surpassed Hillary Clinton's support among superdelegates, according to the ABC News delegate estimate.

Sen. Obama, D-Ill., picked up two superdelegates this morning giving him a new metric to tout in addition to his current commanding leads in pledged delegates, popular votes, states won, and money raised.

Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., switched his endorsement from Clinton to Obama and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., endorsed Obama. DeFazio was previously uncommitted.

With these endorsements, Obama has the support of 267 superdelegates and Clinton has 265 superdelegates.

Rest of article at link above.

HHH Donald Payne Switches to Obama

Hat tip: DailyKos

Congressman Payne, NJ superdelegate, switches from Clinton to Obama

Congressman Payne, NJ superdelegate, switches from Clinton to Obama
by Robert Schwaneberg/The Star-Ledger
Friday May 09, 2008, 12:05 AM

Rep. Donald Payne (D-10th Dist.), a New Jersey superdelegate who had been supporting Hillary Clinton for president, has switched his allegiance to Barack Obama.

"After careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Barack Obama can best bring about the change that our country so desperately wants and needs," Payne told The Star-Ledger for today's editions. It was "one of the most difficult decisions I have made," Payne said. "I've really been mulling it over for quite a while."

With Payne's switch Obama has the backing of five of New Jersey's 20 superdelegates. Clinton has 11, including Gov. Jon Corzine; three are uncommitted and one who has backed Clinton is wavering.

By announcing his support for Obama now, Payne said he hopes to help unite the party so it can focus on defeating Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, in November.


"At this particular time we need to really unite behind one candidate," Payne said. "It's time now for us to pull our party together. The quicker it's over, the better we'll be able to bring all of our forces together."

Payne said he endorsed Clinton "early on," at a time when he did not know whether Obama's candidacy "was just a trial balloon." As Obama secured one victory after another, "I did certainly have a great deal of pride in the fact that an African-American would do so well," said Payne, who is African-American.

Payne called Clinton "a good friend" whom he holds "in high regard." He said he had "worked closely" with both Hillary Clinton and President Clinton, "especially with international activities in Africa and Haiti." He said Hillary Clinton "ran a very aggressive campaign" but he did not blame her -- as some have -- for injecting race into the campaign.

Don't fool me in the least. Black folk been giving him hell. Any of the rest of them deserve whatever fate Black folk have in store for them HHH Negroes.

Anyone want to venture which HHH is next?

Obama Grabs Another Superdelegate From Among The "First Americans"

h/t dailykos.

He picked up Kalyn Free, an at-large member of the Democratic National Committee.

From the campaign

Free said she was excited to see two qualified candidates emerge from the field of Democratic contenders.

“Today, I am casting my support for a new kind of leadership and a new possibility of what America can be. Barack Obama is a once-in-a-generation kind of leader and the best hope the American people have to rebuild the erosion our collective foundation has endured the last eight years. In 2008, we must elect a President who will restore our faith in the possibilities of each and every American, including the First Americans.

“As a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, I am proud of what it means to be an American Indian. I am proud Barack Obama is committed to our unique issues and willing to tackle our toughest problems, from historical inequities and injustices to contemporary issues, like protection of our right to tribal self-determination, access to health care for our elders, and education for our children. Despite the threats that have faced our culture and our people, hope has lifted Indian people through the most difficult times. Because we remain connected to our past, our culture and our communities, we never gave up that hope. American Indians need not just progressive ideas but new and visionary leadership that inspire us to build a better future for all Americans. No President alone can rebuild the American public after eight years of George Bush’s disastrous policies and poisonous politics. I support Senator Obama because I believe the only way to rebuild America is to rebuild what makes us great – the hope and drive of the American people.

“Senator Obama is committed to bringing American Indians into the national discussion and into the political process as voters, organizers, and leaders. He will start a two-way dialogue with Tribes by coming to Indian Country to seek solutions for our unique issues and by bringing Indians into his administration.

“For centuries the First Americans have had politicians talk to them, not with them. That kind of politics-as-usual leadership hasn’t worked for Indian Country, and it isn’t working for America. Senator Obama will forge a new era for the First Americans by looking for answers in Indian Country, not from Washington lobbyists.

“I am proud to stand in solidarity with another DNC Indian superdelegates Frank LaMere (Winnebago) in support of America’s best hope for a better tomorrow, Senator Barack Obama.”

Sign An Open Letter To Democratic Leaders Demanding They Not Overturn The Will Of Voters

This is it. Something to do. We know what the problem is. ColorOfChange is motivating. Let's get behind this.

Here's an excerpt:

Some leaders in the Democratic Party are playing with fire. They think that they can betray the will of millions of voters and choose Hillary Clinton as the nominee, regardless of whether or not she is the choice of the voters. We can't let this happen. It would be the largest disenfranchisement in modern history, and it would mean the Democratic Party giving their stamp of approval to a clear and consistent pattern of race-baiting by the Clinton campaign.

If we make our voices heard, we can stop it. Please join us in signing an open letter to leaders in the Democratic Party -- DNC Chair Howard Dean, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and all superdelegates -- demanding that they reject an outcome that involves trampling voting rights and legitimizing the politics of division and fear

By the time the last vote is cast on June 3rd under the rules of the Democratic Party, it's unlikely Hillary Clinton will beat Barack Obama among voters.1 But there's a chance that superdelegates will hand Clinton the nomination anyway.

This would be a shocking attack on democracy, and it would destroy the Democratic Party's credibility on protecting the right to vote. Black people have a long history of fighting against voter suppression, and now the Democratic Party will be the enemy in that fight. As bad as that would be, there's another reason that a coup by party insiders would threaten racial progress.

Senator Clinton's plan to have superdelegates hand her the nomination relies on a parallel strategy -- she has to stoke enough division and race-based fear among Democratic voters to convince superdelegates that white voters will not vote for Senator Obama in the general election.(2) One of Clinton's key arguments to superdelegates is that America won't elect a Black man, and therefore she's the better choice for Democrats to beat John McCain.(3,4) While she makes that argument in private to superdelegates, in public, Clinton's campaign and her surrogates are doing everything they can to damage Barack Obama by ginning up fear and division and playing to the worst instincts of our society. It's an insult to Black people and all Americans, Obama and Clinton supporters alike.

Sign The Letter

Spread this letter. Use the links below to email it. DIGG IT.

This is something worth fighting for. This is not just for black people. This is for all who care about the Democratic Party or the fate of the country. The Party must be made aware that it is playing with fire and has already waited far too long. This situation never would have been allowed to continue if Barack Obama's name was John Edwards.

Look at the Republicans. Look how much smarter they are. Their candidates saw the wrath of the math in favor of McCain, whom they hate, but Romney and Huckabee both stepped aside for the good of the win. The Democrats are acting like they really don't want to win.

John McCain is getting a free ride in the media while this nonsense continues. This is not helping the party. This is not helping the country. The Democratic Party needs to come correct. Soon.

Sign the letter, and spread the word.