Sunday, September 26, 2004

Why Boucher keeps getting re-elected

The Roanoke paper has this article ("Boucher uses his incumbency well," 9/26/04) explaining how Congressman Boucher is a popular incumbent in the Ninth District, in part by his conservative votes on a select number of issues.

The article notes: "He prefers news to NASCAR and political programs to country music on the satellite radio system in his car. He's a technophile whose expertise on the Internet and technology are well-known in Washington but rarely mentioned in his district. He is occasionally dubbed jokingly by both fans and critics as "Robot Rick," a reference to his voice and his seemingly scripted public speeches."

As for his conservative votes, the article notes: "Boucher has repeatedly received endorsements from the National Rifle Association, one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in Washington. He voted to limit court jurisdiction over the Defense of Marriage Act, thereby blocking federal courts from forcing states to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states."

Also, the article points out that Boucher almost never goes to the Democratic National Convention.

No comments: