NEW YORK, March 2 (UPI) -- Democrats Tuesday celebrated Ben Chandler's surprise U.S. House of Representatives victory in Kentucky.
Chandler won a special election House race against Republican State Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr by the sweeping margin of 55 percent to 43 percent. It was the first time any Democrat had won any House special election since 1991.
The race also established Chandler as Kentucky's own "Comeback Kid." He lost the race for governor last fall to Ernest Fletcher. Ironically, it was Gov. Fletcher's vacated House seat that he won.
Chandler's victory was a setback for the GOP's national establishment. Kerr had campaigned on the basis of her support for President George W. Bush and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert had campaigned vigorously for her.
The result still leaves the Republicans with a 22 seat absolute majority in the House with 228 members to 205 Democrats and one independent.
