Ohio could be the beginning

Iraq Veteran and virtual unknown (before the national media attention), Democrat Paul Hackett, lost the special election for a seat in the House of Representatives by a little over 3000 votes - only about 3% - to well-known, well-funded Republican State Legislator Jean Schmidt. This is in a state that went 64% for Bush in 2004.

Thomas over at Knappster has a nice analysis of the Ohio election and what it may signify to Democrats in the future.

And what about other issues? Well, here's what Hackett had to say during the Democratic primary debate:

"I don't need Washington to tell me how to live my personal life, or how to pray to my God. And I don't need Washington to dictate to my wife the decisions that she makes with her doctor, any more than I need Washington to tell me which guns I can keep in my gun safe."

Hackett struck some solidly libertarian themes in his campaign versus his big-government Republican opponent.

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer

"There's no safe Republican district. You can run, but you cannot hide," said U.S. Rep. Rahm Emmanuel of Illinois, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

He noted that Hackett did well in rural counties — he carried Adams, Brown, Scioto and Pike while Schmidt carried Hamilton, Clermont and Warren — and that he ran as a political outsider against "a career politician."

"Paul Hackett was the agent of change," Emmanuel said.

Yup...we'll see him again.