As we reported last month, this is one of the key competitive districts in the battle for control of the House. Incumbent Republican Clay Shaw has held the seat for 26 years, and is next in line to become Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, one of the most powerful in Congress, if he wins reelection against Democratic State Sen. Ron Klein, considered the strongest challenger Shaw has yet faced - and certainly the best-funded.
Most analysts have had this race as a "toss-up" from the beginning, given the district's balanced registration and the importance both parties place on it. The most recent Rt Strategies/Constituent Dynamics poll puts Shaw ahead by 8%.
Real Clear Politics reports:
In the universe of peculiar congressional districts - Florida's 22nd district ranks up there with the best of them. The district covers much of South Florida's eastern beachfront property - from Palm Beach County all the way to Broward. Along the way, it picks up bits and pieces of Plantation, Coral Springs, Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Glen Ridge. What makes it peculiar is the studiousness with which it avoids precincts composed of African-Americans, who were placed into Alcee Hastings' 23rd Congressional District. As Michael Barone notes, "The resulting district is affluent, elderly, with a large Jewish population politically very active in condominium groups."
Read it all, including past polls, a district map, and a link to fundraising data, at the link above.
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Congressional Races, Florida, Polls
Comments (2)
Ah the Florida 22nd. My hom... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Bill | September 9, 2006 10:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Ah the Florida 22nd. My home district since 2002. Before then I was represented by two-time Knucklehead of the Day award winner Robert Wexler from 1996.
Shaw can lose this race, Murtha despite the wishful thinking of the conservative blogosphere, is going to win. Those who organized Rightroots still are knuckleheads for passing up races like the FL 22 for the PA 12. My $100 bet offer that Murtha will win still stands.
1. Posted by Bill | September 9, 2006 10:05 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2006 22:05
2. Posted by Jim Addison | September 10, 2006 12:46 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Well, the Rightroots group acknowledged Irey was an underdog when they put her on the list. I believe their thinking probably went like this: there are going to be tens of millions going to Florida's 22nd anyway. Whatever money they could raise would be pocket change in that race, but an unheralded challenger like Irey can really use every dime.
Murtha may well win - he is the acknowledged favorite, no doubt. But his pronouncements and associations in the last two years are hardly in line with his district, which includes a high percentage of veterans.
Hard to believe Bob Wexler won "Knucklehead of the Day" twice . . . he should have been ineligible, as a professional knucklehead.
;-)
2. Posted by Jim Addison | September 10, 2006 12:46 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2006 00:46