Congressional races round 2: South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee

Continuing through the alphabet:

South Carolina has 6 representatives: 4 Republicans and 2 Democrats

Filing deadline was March 31, primary is June 10

South Dakota has 1 representative: A Democrat

Filing deadline was March 25, primary is June 3

Tennessee has 9 representatives: 5 Democrats and 4 Republicans

Filing deadline was April 3, primary is August 7

District: SC-01

Location Almost all of coastal SC, bordering NC and the Atlantic, including Charleston

Representative Henry Brown (R)

First elected 2000

2006 margin 60-38

2004 margin 88-12 (vs. a Green)

Bush margin 2004 61=39

Notes on opponents little money

Current opponents A primary, then either

Linda Ketner or Ben Frasier.  No fundraising info on either Democrat.  Davis has about $1 million COH

Demographics 17th most veterans (17.2%), 78th most Blacks (20.9%)

Assessment

District: SC-02

Location Southern SC, stretching north to the middle of the state, bordering GA and the Atlantic, including Columbia

Representative Joe Wilson (R)

First elected 2001

2006 margin 63-37

2004 margin 65-33

Bush margin 2004 60-39

Notes on opponents Michael Ellisor ran both times and raised little

Current opponents A primary then either Blaine Lotz or Rob Miller . No funding info on either Democrat.  Wilson has about $225K COH

Demographics 70th most veterans (15.1%), 60th most Blacks (26.2%)

Assessment Long shot

District: SC-03

Location Northwestern SC, bordering GA

Representative Gresham Barrett (R)

First elected  2002

2006 margin 63-37

2004 margin Unopposed

Bush margin 2004 66-34

Notes on opponents No money

Current opponents Jane Dyer

Demographics 49th most rural (49.7%), 80th most Blacks (20.5%), 50th most Republican

Assessment Long shot

District: SC-04

Location Northern SC, bordering NC

Representative Bob Inglis (R)

First elected 2004

2006 margin 64-32

2004 margin 70-29

Bush margin 2004 65-34

Notes on opponents Neither raised much

Current opponents Ted Christian ; Paul Corden ; or Bryan McCanless. No fundraising info on the Democrats.  Inglis has about $300K COH

Demographics 42nd most Republican

Assessment  Long shot

District: SC-05

Location Northeastern SC, bordering NC

Representative John Spratt (D)

First elected  1988

2006 margin 57-43

2004 margin 63-37

Bush margin 2004 57-42

Notes on opponents In 2006, Ralph Norman raised $1.4 million to Spratt’s $2.7 million; in 2004, Albert Spencer raised little

Current opponents Albert Spencer (no fundraising info)

Demographics 35h most rural (53.3%), 80th fewest Latinos (1.8%)

Assessment Safe

District: SC-06

Location Southeastern quarter of SC, bordering the Atlantic, excluding Charleston

Representative James Clyburn (D)

First elected  1992

2006 margin 64-34

2004 margin 67-31

Bush margin 2004 39-61

Notes on opponents Gary McLeod ran twice and raised little

Current opponents Nancy Harrelson

Demographics 40th most rural (52.0%), 17th lowest income (median = $29K) 66th fewest Whites (40.3%), 14th most Blacks (56.7%), 58th fewest Latinos (1.5%)

Assessment safe

District: SD-AL

Location You know, South Dakota.

Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D)

First elected  2004 (in a special election)

2006 margin 69-29

2004 margin 53-46

Bush margin 2004 60-38

Notes on opponents In 2004, Larry Diedrich raised $2.5 million to Sandlin’s $4 million; the 2006 opponent raised little

Current opponents Chris Lien has raised about $119K and has almost all of it as COH; Sandlin has $650K COH

Demographics 58th most rural (48.1%), 18th fewest Blacks (0.6%), 51st fewest Latinos (1.4%), 66th most nonWhite, nonBlack, nonLatino (mostly 8.1% Native Americans), 99th most Republican

Assessment probably safe

District: TN-01

Location Eastern TN, bordering VA and NC

Representative David Davis (R)

First elected  2006

2006 margin 61-37

2004 margin NA

Bush margin 2004 68-31

Notes on opponents Rick Trent raised only $77K to fight for this open seat

Current opponents Rob Russell , Michael Donihe. No funding info on either Democrat.  Davis has about $1 million COH

Demographics 71st most rural (44.6%), 38th lowest income (median = $31K), 16th most White (95%), 83rd fewest Blacks (2.1%), 58th fewest Latinos (1.5%), 50th most Republican

Assessment  Long shot

District: TN-02

Location Eastern TN, including Knoxville.  Borders NC

Representative John Duncan (R)

First elected  1988

2006 margin 78-22

2004 margin 79-19

Bush margin 2004 64-35

Notes on opponents John Greene ran both times, and raised little

Current opponents David Hancock, Robert Scott

Demographics 73rd most White (90.1%), 41st fewest Latinos (1.3%), 86th most Republican

Assessment Long shot

District: TN-03

Location Shaped sort of like a barbell, running from the GA border in the south, then narrowing and running NE to the VA and KY borders, where it widens again

Representative Zach Wamp (R)

First elected  1994

2006 margin 66-34

2004 margin 65-35

Bush margin 2004 61-38

Notes on opponents neither raised much

Current opponents Doug Vandagriff, no funding info.  Wamp has about $900K COH

Demographics 67th fewest Latinos (1.3%)

Assessment Long shot

District: TN-04

Location Shaped like a lopsided U, starting south of Nashville in the middle of the state, south to the AL border, east to the GA border, then north to the KY border

Representative Lincoln Davis (D)

First elected  2002

2006 margin 66-34

2004 margin 55-44

Bush margin 2004 58-41

Notes on opponents  In 2004, Janice Bowling raised $300K to Davis’ $1.1 million; the 2006 opponent raised little

Current opponents Monty Langford, Don Strong. No funding info on the Repubs; Davis has about $240K COH

Demographics 4th most rural (67.9%), 46th lowest income (median = $32K), 48th most Whites (92.6%), 68th fewest Latinos (1.6%)

Assessment Safe

District: TN-05

Location Nashville and suburbs

Representative Jim Cooper (D)

First elected  2002

2006 margin 69-28

2004 margin 69-31

Bush margin 2004 48-52

Notes on opponents Neither raised much

Current opponents Gerard Donovan, Vijay Kumar.  Donovan has $3K COH, no info on Kumar, Cooper raised about $200K and has about $100K COH

Demographics 68th most Blacks (23.4%)

Assessment safe

District: TN-06

Location Central part of northern TN bordering KY

Representative Bart Gordon (D)

First elected  1984

2006 margin 67-31

2004 margin 64-34

Bush margin 2004 60-40

Notes on opponents Neither raised much

Current opponents No Republicans

Demographics 63rd most rural (46.8%)

Assessment Free ride

District: TN-07

Location Another strange shaped district.  Most of it is in southwestern TN, bordering MS and AL, but it stretches north and east to the suburbs of Nashville, then north to the KY border

Representative Marsha Blackburn (R)

First elected  2002

2006 margin 66-32

2004 margin Unopposed

Bush margin 2004 66-33

Notes on opponents Bill Morrison raised less than $100K

Current opponents A primary, and then either Randy Morris or James Tomasik.  No info on either Democrat…Blackburn has about $1 million COH

Demographics 95th most rural (39.0%), 74th most Republican

Assessment long shot

District: TN-08

Location Northwestern TN, bordering AR, MO and KY

Representative John Tanner (D)

First elected  1988

2006 margin 73-27

2004 margin 74-26

Bush margin 2004 53-47

Notes on opponents Neither raised much

Current opponents  James Hart, who lost badly in 2004

Demographics 36th most rural (53.0%), 64th lowest income (median = $33K), 38th most Blacks (22.3%), 67th fewest Latinos (1.6%)

Assessment Safe

District: TN-09

Location Memphis and suburbs, bordering AR and MS

Representative Steve Cohen (D)

First elected  2006

2006 margin 60-22-18 (22 for an Independent)

2004 margin NA

Bush margin 2004 30-70

Notes on opponents Mark White raised $227K to Cohen’s $619K

Current opponents  A big primary battle, but no Republicans

Demographics 76th lowest income (median = $34K), 56th fewest Whites (34.9%), 10th most Blacks (59.5%), 60th most Democratic

Assessment  Safe for a Democrat