Bailout plan coloring races in Congress

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Legislative wrangling on the $700 billion Wall Street bailout is affecting tight U.S. House of Representatives races, campaign observers and operatives say.

The non-partisan Cook Political Report noted 32 of 37 Republican congressmen locked in competitive races voted against the bailout measure this week, while 18 of 29 Democratic House members did the same, USA Today reported Wednesday.

Nick Jordan, a Republican running against Democratic Rep. Dennis Moore in Kansas, said the handling of the crisis is "another example" of how Washington has changed the incumbent rather than how he has changed Washington.

But those who voted against the bill also are getting knocked by campaign rivals, USA Today said.

"The inability (of) Congress to compromise because of a few very partisan ideologues has put this nation on the brink of 1929," Democrat Eric Massa said in an attack on Republican Rep. Randy Kuhl of New York, who opposed the bill.

Nathan Gonzales, political editor of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report, told USA Today many congressional candidates aren't taking firm campaign stands until the debate plays out.

"We don't know what the fallout will be on Election Day," Gonzales said. "All the members are trying to balance doing the right thing versus doing nothing."