July 17 - Presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama is exciting new blocks of voters. That could impact the election outcomes on Republican House members who are facing tough re-election battles. Election Unspun Correspondent Matt Laslo reports from Washington.

In 2006 Ohio Republican Steve Chabot won re-election by just over nine thousand votes. His West Cincinnati district has the largest population of African Americans of any Republican held seat. Usually only about sixty percent of that community comes out to vote. Experts expect that number to jump. In Chabot's district, nearly as many people voted in this year's primary as voted in the 2006 general election. Chabot says he isn't worried.

"I am ceding no vote to my opponent or anybody else."

Chabot says his support of low taxes and fiscal responsibility resonates with his constituents. That may not be enough though. Chris Van Hollen is the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He says Obama is changing the dynamics this year.

"I think the Obama Effect is going to be seen in a number of areas. I think there will be a big turnout among voters who haven't participated before among all racial groups. There is just an excitement this year that we haven't seen in the past. You are gonna see extra large turnout among young voters – we saw that in the primary and we expect that to continue. And I also think there is going to be an extra large turnout among African American voters."

Usually about seventy or seventy five percent of African Americans that are registered to vote do vote, but only about sixty percent of African Americans are registered. Alabama Democrat Artur Davis says there is a reason a large percentage of blacks haven't voted in the past.

"A number of the ones who are not registered are economically marginalized. Economically marginalized people are not focused first and foremost on who is running for political office. But Barrack Obama is such a powerful symbol to those voters frankly that he is tugging them into the process."

Democrats are hoping the Obama effect will help them in North Carolina where Robin Hayes only won by 329 votes in 2006. They are also eyeing Themla Drake's Virginia seat, because she squeaked by with a two percent win last time around.

"Down ticket when I look at the Congressional races, it's a bad moment to be a Republican."

That's Curtis Pree – a Washington DC political pundit. He says Republican's are unpopular because of President Bush, a soaring debt and the war in Iraq, but also because of Obama. Pree says Obama has been able to do something the Republicans haven't, and he doesn't see that changing around election time.

"Well no I don't think there is gonna be an anti Obama effect because when you look at McCain and Obama, there is no enthusiasm for McCain even in the Republican Party."

House Republicans will be trying frantically to excite voters between now and November, but it just may not be their year.

For Election Unspun, I'm Matt Laslo in Washington.

Interview: Glenn Nye, Congressional candidate

As reporter Matt Laslo mentioned, Republican Thelma Drake of Virginia Beach, could have an even more difficult time getting re-elected. Her opponent, Glenn Nye is her challenger. He thinks he has a good shot at winning this one time solidly Republican seat. Producer Karen Miller spoke with Nye.

That was Karen Miller speaking with Glenn Nye, candidate for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District.