Show Hill may look steep for Republicans in 08 Zachary A. A Goldfarb Special to The Washington PostAs Post PostAs PostAs As th the 2006 congressional campaign fades fade from memory the 2008 Republican campaign to retake the House and Senate will get underway in incoming incoming coming coining months This year scandal and anda a strong GOP anti-GOP tide were fortuitous forces for Democrats who picked up seats that were squarely in Republican territory Those seats are arc likely to be top prospects for Republicans to recapture in 2008 In contrast Democratic gains in swing districts in the Midwest and Democratic- Democratic leaning districts in the Northeast will be much tougher for Republicans to seize T Target No 1 I for the GOP may well be Tom DeLays DeLay's old district in Texas Former Fonner Majority Leader DeLay resigned earlier this year amid campaign finance charges an and courts said the GOP could not name a replacement on the ballot baIlot In a district where PresidentS ush got 65 p of the vote in 2004 sonic some believed Shelley Se la- la Gibbs the Republican write-in write candidate could eke out a victory against Democrat Nick Lampson but Lampson won Similarly Republicans will probably target former fonner Rep Mark Foley's district in Florida His safe scat turned into a tossup alter after Foley resigned in the page scandal that consumed Washington in the last part of the campaign There was not enough time for the Republicans to name a replacement candidate on the lie ballot baIlot according to Florida law and Democrat Tim Mahoney won against Joe the Republican stand-in stand in a close race |