The bloggers at Kos are shoring up morale against what they see as a probable loss in the "test case" election in California's 50th Congressional District to replace incarcerated Randy "Duke" Cunningham. When it appeared close, the Kidz and their followers in the Democratic Party touted the race as a significant sign of GOP doom. Now they are singing a different tune, in part because their candidate Francine Busby was caught on tape telling a Spanish—speaker that papers aren't necessary to vote.

Dave Weigel:

I've got a sneaking suspicion that Brian Bilbray will win the special election for CA—50. A campaign that Democrats wanted to make about corruption and ethics turned into a campaign about kicking the Mexicans out of California. At the 11th hour, Busby gave Bilbray a gift that the mighty SoCal conservative talk radio empire has transformed into a horn of plenty. Here's the AP:

Republicans seized on Democrat Francine Busby's comments that sounded like encouragement for illegal aliens to help her campaign as the GOP sought an edge in the final hours of a surprisingly close House race.

Sculi 2000:

I took a week out of my life to come down here from Palo Alto to work for Francine Busby.  I've just gotten home from working 14 hours and I'm reading these blogs and I'm so pissed off I can't see straight.  Busby is great...I met her yesterday and while I would have worked my ass off for anyone who was a dem, it was especially sweet that she is as intelligent and warm as she is.  As for my fellow Kossacks who see fit to torpedo her...I have a few things to say to you.

Hell yea, we all want to win.  And hell yea, we're all bummed out about what happened last week.  But Jesus Christ...Francine is taking one for the team in this race, you know?  Who among us would like to endure the Republican machine head on?

Hat tip: Richard Baehr