Lawmakers react to surprising victory of out of Southwest Missouri

February 8, 2006
By: Andrea Ramey
State Capital Bureau

Lawmakers react to a surprising victory out a corner of the state where Democrats weren't expected to win.

Andrea Ramey has more from the state Capitol.

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The suprising Democratic victory came out of a Republican strong-hold in Southwest Missouri, where Democrats weren't expected to gain a seat in the House.

House Minority Leader Jeff Harris says this has state-wide implications.

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Contents: "Well, it has to be to some extent a referendum on the Governor and his allies in the legislature. This is, as I said, a district where over a year and a half ago, they got over seventy-percent of the vote."

Governor Blunt didn't carry the same outlook.

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Contents: "I just think there's interesting local dynamics at play."

There were three House elections in total.

Democrats won two seats and Republicans secured one.

From the state Capitol, I'm Andrea Ramey.

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Democrats tout their latest victory as a sign of Blunt's weakness.

Speaker of the House Rod Jetton says he sees victory through a loss.

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Contents: "And we're very excited about, we had a campaign in Jefferson County we shoudn't have been close in that we came within a 136 votes of winning in very strong Democrat stronghold."

There were three House seats up in the special election.

Democrats won two seats and Republicans secured one.

From the state Capitol, I'm Andrea Ramey.

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