The listings will be broken down into five tiers (to be explained in the expanded entry.
As well, i'll note positive developments (new candidates). While also pointing out the districts where there isn't a concensus on someone running (The DCCC method seems to be the most reliable, as they go from FEC filings, while bringing up some really obscure candidates. But other sources are good for the candidates who will run, but haven't filed yet)
So yes, we'll take you from Texas to Louisiana, showing you the 76 Unopposed Republicans.
And it's under the fold!
The tiers are..
- Tier 1: States which have filing deadlines in January (Texas and Kentucky) - 8 seats uncontested
- Tier 2: States which have filing deadlines between February First and March 15th (Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and California) - 19 seats uncontested
- Tier 3: States which have filing deadlines between March 16th and April 30th (Iowa, Utah, Missouri, New Mexico, South Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, New Jersey, Virginia, and Georgia) - 28 seats uncontested
- Tier 4: States which have filing deadlines in May and June (Florida, Michigan, Alaska, Oklahoma, Kansas) - 12 seats uncontested
- Tier 5: States which have filing deadlines in July and later (Wisconsin, New York, Minnesota, Delaware, and Louisiana) - 9 seats uncontested
And now to the overall numbers:
- Races with a Democratic Candidate (2006): 359
- Races with a Democratic Candidate (2004): 398
The 2006 numbers are from what I know of, of course. :D
I'd have to swim around a bit to find more specifics on the Republicans, but I know that we're pretty far ahead of them when it comes to filling up races.
Tier 1
Texas
Filing Deadline: 1/2/2006
Requirements (from what I know): a $3,125 filing fee or 500 signatures on a petition
Uncontested Republican Seats:
TX-2 - (represented by Ted Poe, 63/37 for Bush in 2004, Poe beat incumbent Nick Lampson by a 55/43 margin in 2004)
TX-11 - (represented by Mike Conaway, 78/22 for Bush in 2004, Conaway won by a 77/22 margin to take the seat in 2004)
TX-12 - (represented by Kay Granger, 67/33 for Bush in 2004, Granger won with 72% in 2004)
TX-13 - (represented by Mac Thornberry, 78/22 for Bush in 2004, Thornberry won 91/9 over a Libertarian but the percentage of his votes, compared to the total in the Bush/Kerry race, was 80%)
TX-24 - (represented by Kenny Marchant, 65/35 for Bush, Marchant won with 64%)
TX-26 - (represented by Michael Burgess, 65/35 for Bush in 2004, Burgess won with 66% in 2004)
Other seats of note: TX-1 has a Democrat filed in it, his name is Roger Owen. TX-23 has a Democrat announced named Rick Botanos. TX-32 has Will Pryor and Pauline Dixon.
Republicans who were uncontested in 2004 who have opponents in 2006: Sam Johnson (TX-3), Mike McCaul (TX-10), and Ron Paul (TX-14)
And on to
Kentucky!
Filing Deadline: 1/31/2006
Requirements: $500 filing fee (hopefully that's all)
Uncontested Republican Seats:
KY-4 (currently held by Geoff Davis, went 64/36 for Bush, Davis won with 54%, but expect an announcement from Ken Lucas soon)
KY-5 (currently held by Hal Rogers, went 61/39 for Bush, Rogers was unopposed, he won just under 178K votes in a district that gave Bush 159K votes and gave Kerry 102K votes. In other words, if you take Rogers vote total and the totals of Bush and Kerry, you'll find that a huge chunk of voters (32%) did not vote for Rogers. But Rogers is megaentrenched. But, at the very least, I would imagine a competant candidate can't really fare worse than 33%, which isn't too bad.)
In 2004, only Rogers was unopposed.
Tier 2
Ohio
Filing deadline: 4PM on 2/16/2006
Requirements: $85 filing fee and 50 signatures
Uncontested Republican Seats:
OH-8, (currently held by John Boehner, won 65/35 by Bush, Boehner won 69% in 2004)
OH-12 (currently held by Pat Tiberi, won 51/49 by Bush, Tiberi won 62% in 2004)
One of the benefits of running for Congress in Ohio is the odds are in your favor when it comes to your opponent being indicted, as Ohio is a crossroads for numerous Republican scandals.
Other Races of Note: Candidates are still welcome in OH-2 (nothing but minor candidates there) and OH-4 (one guy is listed on the DCCC site)
No Republican was uncontested in 2004 in Ohio. The two best showings for incumbents were 72% (Portman, before he left) and 69% (Boehner).
Indiana
Filing Deadline: Noon on February 17th, 2006
Requirements: I can't find any clear requirements from the Candidate guide. Somebody from the state should brief us there
One Republican is uncontested here
IN-5 (currently held by Dan Burton, won 72/28 by Bush, Burton won 73% here)
Every Republican was contested in Indiana in 2004.
North Carolina
Filing Deadline: Noon on February 28th, 2006
Requirements: Unsure
NC-5 (currently held by Virginia Foxx, won 67/33 by Bush, Foxx won 59% in 2004, rumor suggests that Allen Joines will run for this seat)
NC-6 (currently held by Howard Coble, Bush won 70/30 here, Coble won with 73%. Coble is also mega-entrenched)
No Republican was uncontested in North Carolina in 2004.
Mississippi
Filing Deadline: March 1st, 2006
Requirements: Unsure
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
MS-1 (currently represented by Roger Wicker, Bush won 63/37 here, Wicker won 79% against a Reform Party candidate, and his percentage (his votes divided by Bush and Kerry's votes) was 73%)
MS-3 (currently represented by Chip Pickering, Bush won 66/34 here, Pickering won 80% against two minor candidates, he won 76% if you divide his votes by the Bush and Kerry totals)
As mentioned, neither Pickering nor Wicker was opposed in 2004.
Nebraska
Filing Deadline: March 1st, 2006
Requirements: a $1621 filing fee is mentioned
NE-1 (currently held by Jeff Fortenberry, Bush won 64/36 here, Fortenberry won with 54% in an open seat race. Maxine Moul is the rumored candidate for this district, although Matt Connealy could run too)
Oregon
Filing Deadline: March 7th, 2006
OR-2 (represented by Greg Walden, Bush won here by a 62/38 margin, Walden won with 72%)
Nobody was unopposed here in 2004.
Pennsylvania
Filing Deadline: March 7th, 2006
Filing Requirements: $150 and 1000 signatures
Uncontested Republican Representatives:
PA-9 (currently represented by Bill Shuster, Bush won here 67/33, Shuster won with 70%, although he did face a primary challenger)
PA-15 (currently represented by Charles Dent, Kerry won here by 726 votes, Dent won with 59% of the vote, this is the second most blue uncontested seat too)
Pennsylvania Republicans who weren't supposed in 2004 who are opposed in 2006: John Peterson (PA-5), Don Sherwood (PA-10), and Todd Platts (PA-19)
California
Filing Deadline: March 10th, 2006
Filing Requirements: $1621 or 3000 signatures (submitted by February 23rd, 2006)
And the uncontested Republican Representatives:
CA-2 (currently represented by Wally Herger, Bush won here 63/37, Herger won with 67%)
CA-3 (currently represented by Dan Lungren, Bush won here 59/41, Lungren won with 62%, I'm pretty sure this seat is very close to being removed from the uncontested list, as I'm pretty sure Gabe Castillo will run, but I haven't received enough confirmation yet)
CA-19 (currently represented by George Radanovich, Bush won here 62/38, Radanovich won with 66%)
CA-21 (currently represented by Devin Nunes, Bush won here 66/34, Nunes won with 73%)
CA-22 (currently represented by Bill Thomas, Bush won 69/31, Thomas was unopposed, but he received almost 29K more votes than Bush in the district)
CA-24 (currently represented by Howard McKeon, Bush won 60/40, McKeon won with 64%)
CA-41 (currently represented by Jerry Lewis, Bush won 63/37, Lewis won 83% over a Libertarian opponent and won almost 32K more votes than Bush)
CA-44 (currently represented by Ken Calvert, Bush won here 60/40, Calvert won with 62% of the vote)
Extra Info: Miller has an opponent in frequent candidate Mervin Evans. CA-42 went 63/37 for Bush, and Miller won 68%.
Tier 3
Iowa
Filing Deadline: March 17th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure of specifics
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
IA-4 (currently represented by Tom Latham, Bush won here 51/49, Latham won with 61% of the vote, several candidates are rumored to be considering this race)
Utah
Filing Deadline: March 17th, 2006
Filing Requirements: $387
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
UT-1 (currently represented by Rob Bishop, Bush won 74/26 here, Bishop won with 68%)
UT-3 (currently represented by Chris Cannon, Bush won 79/21 here, Cannon won with 63%)
Missouri
Filing Deadline: March 28th, 2006
Filing Requirements: $100
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
MO-7 (currently represented by House Majority Leader/Whip Roy Blunt, Bush won here 67/33, Blunt won with 71% of the vote)
MO-8 (currently represented by Jo Ann Emerson, Bush won here 64/36, Emerson won with 72% in 2004)
New Mexico
Filing Deadline: March 29th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
NM-2 (currently represented by Steven Pearce, Bush won 58/42 here, Pearce won with 60% in 2004, and I know of the rumored candidate here)
South Carolina
Filing Deadline: Noon on March 30th, 2006
Filing Requirements: $1621 (1% of the salary, check for exceptions)
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
SC-1 (currently represented by Henry Brown, Bush won 61/39 here, Brown won 88% against a third party candidate, but he only received 13K more votes than Bush in the district)
SC-2 (currently represented by A. G. "Joe" Wilson, Bush won 60/40 here, Wilson won 65% in 2004)
SC-4 (currently represented by Bob Inglis, Bush won 66/34 here, Inglis won with 70% of the vote in 2004)
Random tidbit: Gresham Barrett (SC-5), who was unopposed in 2004, has an opponent already named Lee Ballenger.
Arkansas
Filing Deadline: April 4th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure
Uncontested Republican Representatives:
AR-3 (currently represented by John Boozman, Bush won 63/37 here, Boozman won with 59%)
Tennessee
Filing Deadline: Noon on April 6th, 2006
Filing Requirements: 25 Signatures on a Petition
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
TN-1 (currently represented by Bill Jenkins, Bush won 68/32 here, Jenkins won with 74%)
TN-2 (currently represented by Jimmy Duncan, Bush won 65/35 here, Duncan won with 79%)
TN-7 (currently represented by Marsha Blackburn, Bush won 66/34 here, Blackburn was unopposed and won almost 26K more votes than Bush)
Alabama
Filing Deadline: April 7th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
AL-1 (currently held by Jo Bonner, Bush won 65/35 here, Bonner won with 63%)
AL-2 (currently held by Terry Everett, Bush won 67/33 here, Everett won with 71%)
AL-3 (currently held by Mike Rogers, Bush won 59/41 here, Rogers won with 61% in 2004)
AL-4 (currently held by Robert Aderholt, Bush won 72/28 here, Aderholt won with 75%)
AL-6 (currently held by Spencer Bachus, Bush won 78/22 here, Bachus was unopposed and topped Bush's vote total by 16K)
New Jersey
Filing Deadline: April 10th, 2006
Filing Requirements: 200 signatures
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
NJ-4 (currently represented by Chris Smith, went for Bush by a 56/44 margin, Smith won with 67% in 2004, Al Gore won the current 4th district by a 52/48 split in 2000)
NJ-11 (currently represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen, went for Bush by a 58/42 margin, Frelinghuysen won with 68% in 2004)
Virginia
Filing Deadline: 5PM on April 14th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure on that
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
VA-4 (currently represented by Randy Forbes, Bush won this district by a 57/43 margin, Forbes won with 65% in 2004)
VA-6 (currently represented by Bob Goodlatte, Bush won this district by a 64/36 margin, Goodlatte beat a minor opponent with 97% of the vote, and he received 29K more votes than Bush. Goodlatte has not been opposed by a Democrat since 1998)
VA-7 (currently represented by Eric Cantor, Bush won this district by a 61/39 margin, Cantor beat a third party candidate with 76% and received 26K more votes than Bush. Cantor is also very connected to Jack Abramoff)
VA-10 (currently represented by Frank Wolf, Bush won this district by a 56/44 margin, Wolf won with 64%)
Random note: Jo Ann Davis, who didn't face a Democrat in 2004, is facing one this year.
Georgia
Filing Deadline: April 28th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure about that
Note: With the new map, I will not provide links to the old maps of districts. As well, my Bush/Kerry splits are not quite precise.
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
GA-7 (currently represented by John Linder, My figures say that Bush won 69/31 in the new district, and 76/24 in the old district, Linder was unopposed in 2004)
GA-9 (the current GA-10, currently represented by Nathan Deal, Bush won 77/23 here [I think], He also won 77/23 in the old district, Deal was unopposed in 2004)
GA-10 (the current GA-9, currently represented by Charlie Norwood, Bush won 65/35 here, down from 73/27 in the old district, Norwood won 74% here in 2004)
GA-11 (currently represented by Phil Gingrey, my figures for the new district might be wrong, as they say Bush won here 69/31, while Bush won 56/44 in the old district, Gingrey won with 57% in 2004, and his district is no longer abstract art)
Random Notes: According to Politics1, Lynn Westmoreland (GA-8/GA-3 candidate in 06) has an opponent named Patrick Pillion. According to the DCCC site, Tom Price (GA-6) has an opponent named Stephen Sinton. Neither has a website for their candidacy.
Tier 4
Florida
Filing Deadline: May 12th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure on specifics
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
FL-4 (currently represented by Ander Crenshaw, Bush won 69/31 here, Crenshaw was unopposed and received 28K more votes than Bush)
FL-7 (currently represented by John Mica, Bush won 57/43 here, Mica was completely unopposed and no votes were recorded for his race)
FL-10 (currently represented by Bill Young, Bush won 51/49 here, Young won with 69% in 2004)
FL-12 (currently represented by Adam Putnam, Bush won 58/42 here, Putnam won with 65% in 2004)
FL-14 (currently represented by Connie Mack, Bush won 62/38 here, Mack won with 68% here in 2004)
FL-18 (currently represented by Illeana Ros-Lehtinen, Bush won 54/46 here, Ros-Lehtinen won with 65% in 2004)
FL-25 (currently represented by Mario Diaz-Balart, Bush won 56/44 here, Diaz-Balart was completely unopposed in 2004)
Random Notes: Joe Roberts has filed in FL01 and Timothy Shipe filed in FL15.
Michigan
Filing Deadline: May 16th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
MI-3 (currently represented by Vern Ehlers, Bush won 60/40 here, Ehlers won with 67%)
Alaska
Filing Deadline: June 1st, 2006
Filing Requirements: $100 filing fee
Alaska At-Large (currently represented by Don Young. Bush won easily here. The candidate listed for the Dems is a frequent candidate. This doesn't count for the 77. But I'd hope that somebody else can show up to run for this very hard seat. Oh yeah, Don Young won with 71% in 2004)
Oklahoma
Filing Deadline: June 7th, 2006
Filing Requirements: $750 (as of 2004) ["In lieu of a fee, a candidate may file a petition supporting his candidacy which is signed by five percent (5%) of the registered voters eligible to vote for him in the first election wherein his name could appear on the ballot." - Source]
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
OK-1 (currently represented by John Sullivan, Bush won 65/35 here, Sullivan won with 62%)
OK-3 (currently represented by Frank Lucas, Bush won 72/28 here, Lucas won 82% against a third party candidate and received almost 6K more votes than Bush)
OK-4 (currently represented by Tom Cole, Bush won 67/33 here, Cole won 78% against a third party candidate, and received 4K more votes than Bush)
Kansas
Filing Deadline: June 12th, 2006
Filing Requirements: "a sum equal to 1% of one year's salary as determined by the secretary of state for state and national offices" (Source) but I'm not sure on the specifics for filing via petition
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
KS-4 (currently represented by Todd Tiahrt, Bush won here by a 65/35 margin, Tiahrt won with 66%)
Tier 5
Wisconsin
Filing Deadline: July 11th, 2006
Filing Requirements: 1,000 to 2,000 signatures, apparently
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
WI-6 (currently represented by Tom Petri, Bush won here by a 57/43 margin, Petri won with 67% in 2004)
New York
Filing Deadline: July 13th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
NY-3 (currently represented by Peter King, Bush won here by a 52/48 margin, Gore won the current district in 2000 by a 54/46 margin, King won with 63% in 2004, a few big candidates are rumored here)
NY-13 (currently represented by Vito Fossella, Bush won here 55/45, Gore won the current district 54/46 in 2000, Fossella won with 59% in 2004, a few major names are rumored too)
Random News: Jim Walsh, the only New York Republican that didn't face a Democrat in 2004, will face one in 2006.
Minnesota
Filing Deadline: July 18th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
MN-3 (currently represented by Jim Ramstad, Bush won here 51/49, Ramstad won with 65%)
Delaware
Filing Deadline: July 28th, 2006
Filing Requirements: Unsure
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
Delaware At-Large (currently represented by Mike Castle, John Kerry won Delaware, Mike Castle won with 69% in 2004)
Louisiana
Filing Deadline: August 11th, 2006
Filing Requirements: $600 to the state and $300 (which goes to the party), or 1000 signatures
Unopposed Republican Representatives:
LA-4 (currently represented by Jim McCrery, Bush won this district by a 60/40 margin, McCrery was unopposed in 2004)
LA-5 (currently represented by Rodney Alexander, Bush won this district by a 63/37 margin, Alexander won 59%. This election was slightly atypical, since Alexander switched parties on the last possible day and there was no prominent Democratic candidate to face Alexander)
LA-6 (currently represented by Richard Baker, Bush won here by a 59/41 margin, Baker won with 72%. This district also has a large number of people who lived in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina. Baker is also the Congressman who said that God sent Katrina to clean up the public housing in New Orleans. Source)
LA-7 (currently represented by Charles Boustany, Bush won 60/40 here, Boustany beat Willie Mount by a 55/45 margin in a December runoff election. Hunter Lundy is the rumored candidate for the 2006 election)
So, in conclusion.. I'd love to hear the following
- More information on the requirements in the states mentioned
- More news about possible candidates in the districts mentioned
- Something else
So yes, please add more comments