As Falls Bennett, So Falls Mollohan

W. Va. Democrat Alan Mollohan ousted in primary.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Democrat Alan Mollohan became the first member of the U.S. House to be ousted this spring primary season after his opponent mounted a campaign that questioned the 14-term congressman's ethics and support for federal health care reform.

Mollohan conceded after unofficial returns showed that with 82 percent of precincts reporting, state Sen. Mike Oliverio was ahead 56 percent to 44 percent. It ends his 28 years in the House.

Mollohan was dogged by ethical questions, and the more conservative Oliverio ran an aggressive campaign portraying him as corrupt and out of touch. Conservative media rallied around Oliverio, along with anti-abortion groups angry over Mollohan's support of health care reform.

For some reason the word "conservative" creeps into the reportage, including this bizarre claim by Mollohan that he was being unfairly attacked for preventing Republicans from undermining House ethics rules in an attempt to defend Tom Delay.

*facepalm* Interesting strategy Alan. Dated. Interesting.

Not really the same set of circumstances at the Utah Senate primary, just a different set of rumblings that still point to "pissed off constituents in a different part of the country".

posted by Dave In Texas at 11:07 PM

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