Rightroots Fails In MA

Rightroots Fails In MA

By Oliver Willis on October 17, 2007 12:33 AM

The Web 2.0 kids on the right got behind Jim Ogonowski in MA versus Niki Tsongas. They raised money on-line, he ran an ad with 9/11 imagery, he hit Tsongas using "open borders" language (aka, be scared of them Mexicans). And he lost, by 5% in a race where two independents pulled in 2% and 1%.

Tsongas (D) 51% 46,542
Ogonowski (R) 46% 41,508
Murphy (I) 2% 1,428
Hayes (I) 1% 970
Thompson (C) 0% 429

As Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) said "You lose. You get nothing." But Patrick Ruffini digs in the feces for the pony and decides that "the change message works". Okay, you go with that when you are running candidates to be George W. Bush's succesor. Please.

Tsongas widow wins Mass. House seat

By GLEN JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
Wed Oct 17, 8:42 AM ET

LOWELL, Mass. - The widow of 1992 presidential candidate Paul Tsongas claimed victory in a special election for the U.S. House, becoming the first woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress in nearly 25 years.

Niki Tsongas, 61, beat back a stronger-than-expected challenge from Republican Jim Ogonowski on Tuesday to capture the 5th District seat and succeed Democrat Martin Meehan, who resigned to become chancellor of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

Tsongas said Wednesday that she expected to be sworn in on Thursday, and was eager to participate in the House vote scheduled for that day to override President Bush's veto of expanded funding for the State Children's Health Insurance program.

Tsongas will become the first woman to represent Massachusetts in either the House or Senate since 1983, when Republican Margaret Heckler left office after losing a re-election battle. The 5th District last had a female representative in 1960.

more