REPUBLICANS WIN 160TH, 161ST SEATS

Voters in two Southeast Missouri districts that have been Democratic strongholds longer than most anyone can remember have elected Republicans to the state's House of Representatives -- both by margins of fewer than 100 votes.

In the 160th District, Peter Meyers of Sikeston, a Republican, had a 92-vote margin over incumbent Democrat Joe Heckemeyer, who is completing his second term.

The 160th District includes parts of Mississippi, New Madrid and Scott counties.

In the 161st District, Lanie Black of Charleston, a Republican, beat Democrat Betty Hearnes, a former state representative and wife of former Gov. Warren Hearnes, by a 44-vote margin. Black and Hearnes were vying for the House seat being vacated by Gene Copeland, who has served as state representative from that area since 1960.

The Sikeston area hasn't been represented in the Missouri House since the 1920s. Local politicians can't recall that there has ever been a Republican representative from the Charleston area.

The losers in both of these close races have the option of asking for official recounts, but there was no word late Tuesday whether either Hearnes or Heckemeyer would make such a request.

(See Page 6A for a detailed story of the 160th District race and Page 13A for a detailed story on the 161st District race.)