NOW IF YOU FLATLANDERS WOULD JUST PULL YOUR WEIGHT:

Democrat Shea-Porter Struggling to Hold NH Seat (Rachel Kapochunas, 10/06/08, Congressional Quarterly)

Freshman Rep. Carol Shea-Porter is in the rare, and unenviable, position of being a Democratic incumbent in trouble. Not only has she failed to gain a clear edge over former Republican Rep. Jeb Bradley in New Hampshire’s 1st District, but polling data indicates the race remains within the margin of error just weeks out from Election Day.

Due to these and other factors, CQ Politics is changing the rating of the race from Leans Democrat to No Clear Favorite, our most competitive category. [...]

The demographics of the Republican-leaning, mainly conservative district are working against Shea-Porter. Though the area remains competitive, it is home to many GOP areas as well as blue-collar Democratic communities where Shea-Porter will need to make inroads.

District voters favored Shea-Porter over Bradley by less than 3 percentage points in 2006 but voted narrowly for President Bush in 2004— 51 to 48 percent.

Here in the 2nd District, Jennifer Horn remains in a similarly close race with Representative Paul Hodes, but Maverick/Palin will have to carry the state.

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