Democrats veer to the right in fight for House

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In North Carolina, former Washington Redskins quarterback Heath Shuler is running for a House seat, declaring himself a pro-life member of the pro-gun National Rifle Association, and accusing his opponent, Rep. Charles H. Taylor, of supporting amnesty for illegal aliens.

What's wrong with this picture? Mr. Taylor is a conservative Republican, and Mr. Shuler is the Democratic challenger trying to outflank him on the right -- a not uncommon move this election year, even before the Mark Foley scandal increased the midterm vulnerability of House Republicans.

It's happening across the South and Midwest, as Democratic congressional candidates from Illinois to Georgia are casting aside liberal loyalties to compete in conservative districts where they hope to gain the 15 seats needed for Democrats to take control of the House.

Democrats "have adopted a different kind of candidate, out of the traditional political sphere," said Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania-based Republican strategist.

"There are especially strong cases of 'blank slate' candidates with no voting records, trying to hedge on every issue -- in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Virginia, for example -- and other Democrats running like they're Republicans, in Georgia, Indiana and North Carolina," says National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesman Jonathan Collegio.

A few snapshots from the campaign trail:

• In Indiana, Vanderburgh County Sheriff Brad Ellsworth, running for a House seat, says flatly, "I'm pro-life. I believe in a traditional marriage and the Second Amendment." And, yes, Mr. Ellsworth is the Democrat in this race, challenging Republican Rep. John Hostettler.

• In Georgia, Rep. John Barrow has publicly denounced a "cut-and-run strategy" in Iraq. He favors a federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex "marriage," and he opposes amnesty for illegal aliens. Mr. Barrow is also a Democrat -- being challenged by former Rep. Max Burns, the Republican he defeated to win the seat in 2004.

• Another Georgia Democrat, Rep. Jim Marshall, voted to block House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's motion last year to investigate possible prisoner abuses in the Iraq war and says he is pro-gun and mostly pro-life. Mr. Marshall is defending his redistricted seat against former Republican Rep. Mac Collins.

• In Kentucky, former Rep. Ken Lucas is yet another Democrat running like an all-out conservative in his challenge to Republican Rep. Geoff Davis.