Brian Baird

Can Dems Hold Baird's Open Seat -- And Will There Be Others?

Eric Kleefeld | December 10, 2009, 3:24PM

Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA).

The retirement of Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), the third Democrat to do so in the last three weeks, has opened up a new swing sweat for Democrats to defend. So what's the outlook for the seat -- and for the party environment itself?

"It's a tough district," a Democratic source in Washington state told us, also adding: "It's a rural district and a suburban district. It's a swing district, but it's been trending Democratic."

Baird's district voted twice for George W. Bush by narrow margins -- 48%-46% in 2000, and 50%-48% in 2004 -- before switching to Barack Obama in 2008 by a 53%-45% margin.

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Brian Baird

Swing-Seat Dem Brian Baird Retiring

Eric Kleefeld | December 9, 2009, 6:15PM

Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA).

House Democrats now have another open swing seat to defend in 2010, with Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) announcing his retirement.

Baird's district could have a close race. It voted twice for George W. Bush by narrow margins -- 48%-46% in 2000, and 50%-48% in 2004 -- before switching to Barack Obama in 2008 by a 53%-45% margin.