Mississippi’s first congressional district has 14% more Republican voters than Democratic voters. Why, then, has incumbent Democratic Rep. Travis Childers enjoyed such popularity there?
Some say it’s because of Childers country-boy charm. He grew up in the district, supported his father-less family as a teenager, put himself through college and went on to open a successful real estate business. Childers was first elected to public office in 1991, and succeeded 6-term Republican Rep. Roger Wicker (now a Senator) in 2008.
Wicker had enjoyed wide margins of victory, so the success of a Democrat was a huge let down for the GOP; however, 2008 was the year of the Obama voting wave, and electing a hometown Democrat steal the seat wasn’t totally unexpected.
Town Hall
6/6/10
Magnolia Tribune
