The House Race To End All House Races

In what could be a game changer for the State next year, Rep. Curt Cobb (D - Bedford Co.) is resigning to take a position with the County Government, thus resulting in a special election for the 62nd House Seat.

In 2008, Rep. Cobb won re-election by a 55-45 margin against the Republican Barbara Blanton. Also that year Barack Obama got creamed by John McCain in that district, losing all but 2 of the 33 precincts represented by Cobb, and losing Bedford County by a 2-1 margin.

All this indicates a tough uphill climb for the Democrats to retain the seat in an environment where Republicans in the South are getting increasingly agitated by the direction our country is going (ie, away from them). The Democratic caucus is going to have to find a really popular figure in Bedford if they hope to keep this seat, and thus keep the shaky 50-50 split (when one includes Speaker Williams with the Dems) that we currently have.

Unclear (to me at least) is whether or not Republicans would be able to challenge Williams' speakership should they manage to win the seat. (UPDATE: I'm told it would take a 2/3rds vote to suspend the rules in order to boot Williams, which is not going to happen.)