Republicans worry as party loses seats

Seek to distance GOP from Bush

WASHINGTON - The Republican defeat in a special congressional contest in Mississippi sent waves of apprehension across an already troubled party yesterday, with some senior Republicans urging congressional candidates to distance themselves from President Bush to head off what could be catastrophic losses in the fall.

The victory by Travis Childers, a conservative Democrat elected in a once steadfastly Republican district, was the third defeat of a Republican in a special congressional race this year.

In addition to foreshadowing more losses for the party in November, the outcome appeared to undermine the notion that Senator Barack Obama could be a liability for other Democratic candidates in conservative regions.

Republicans had sought to link Childers to Obama in an advertising campaign there. Republican leaders said they were looking toward Senator John McCain of Arizona, the likely Republican nominee, as a model whose independent reputation appears to allow him to rise above party in a year when the Republican label seems tarnished.

But McCain's advisers said the Mississippi race underlined the senator's intention to distance himself as much as possible from congressional Republicans. McCain has already been openly critical of some of President Bush's strategies.

The level of distress was evident in remarks by senior party officials throughout the day.

"This was a real wake-up call for us," Robert Duncan, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, said. "We can't let the Democrats take our issues. We can't let them pretend to be conservatives and co-opt the middle and win these elections."

Representative Thomas M. Davis III, Republican of Virginia, issued a dire warning that the party had been severely damaged, in no small part because of its identification with Bush. Davis said that, unless Republican candidates moved dramatically, they could lose 20 seats in the House and six in the Senate.

"They are canaries in the coal mine, warning of far greater losses in the fall, if steps are not taken to remedy the current climate," Davis said in a memorandum. "The political atmosphere facing House Republicans this November is the worst since Watergate and is far more toxic than it was in 2006."

The result in Mississippi, and what Republicans said was a surge in African-American turnout, suggested that Obama might have the effect of putting into play Southern seats that were once solidly Republican, rather than dragging down congressional candidates.

"The Republican brand is down, and it is going to be hard to get it back," said Representative Devin Nunes, a California Republican.

Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, said it appeared that lawmakers might have to fend for themselves.

"You are going to have to run on who you are and establish some independence, and that is going to be tougher for some than others," King said.