SALTER – Childers, Nunnelee begin long dance
With Democratic 1st District U.S. Rep. Travis Childers of Booneville now on the record against the current iteration of the House health care reform proposal, his 2010 election dance with Republican challenger state Sen. Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, begins in earnest.
For now, Childers is leading and Nunnelee is following. Childers has almost three times as much cash on hand as Nunnelee, according to finance reports released last week in a House race expected to be the state’s most competitive of the 2010 mid-term elections.
Money, Money
Childers has raised more than his Republican opponent or $713,106 compared to Nunnelee’s $220,454.
But Nunnelee’s fundraising effort has been impressive and one of the best in the country among new GOP congressional challengers.
But in this race – with national implications and national interest – money’s not likely to be the impediment for either candidate. The Democratic Party badly wants to hold on to Childers’ seat. Just as badly, the GOP wants to unseat Childers from a post the party had held for some 14 years prior to Childers’ 2008 victory in the special election to choose a successor to now -U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Tupelo.
Clarion-Ledger
11/8/9