EMERSON EASILY WINS RE-ELECTION

MAP - 8TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL RETURNS

U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson looked forward to returning to a more conservative Congress after cruising to an easy re-election victory in a three-way race Tuesday.

On a night when Republican victories mushroomed nationwide, the 56-year-old 8th District congressman won re-election to an eighth term.

Emerson captured about 69 percent of the vote in the 26-county district, compared to 29 percent for Democrat Jay Thompson of Bourbon, and 2 percent for Libertarian Greg Tlapek, according to unofficial returns.

The congressman won about 70 percent of the vote in his home county of Cape Girardeau. Thompson garnered about 20 percent of the vote in Cape County and Tlapek received 9 percent of the vote.

Emerson said this would be his biggest margin of victory ever, eclipsing his 65 percent margin in 1984.

The Cape Girardeau Republican said he would be returning to Washington where the GOP will control the Senate and most likely the House.

"I have no idea how many seats we have gained," he said shortly before giving a victory speech to a crowd of supporters at the Holiday Inn.

"It does look like we've got a real shot of taking the House."

He said the national trend was mirrored in the Paducah, Ky., area congressional race, where a Republican candidate won for the first time.

Regardless of the final numbers, Emerson said there will be a conservative working majority in the new Congress.

"Now we have got a liberal president and we are going to have a conservative Congress," Emerson said.

The congressman added, "What we really need is a conservative president and a conservative Congress."

Emerson said Tuesday's elections across the nation were a referendum on both President Clinton and the Clinton agenda.

If Republicans take control of the House, Emerson said he would have his pick of agriculture subcommittees to chair.

Emerson credited his repeated election victories to listening to his constituents. "I think my representation reflects the views of my constituency."