NATION : Democrat Fills House Seat Held by Republican Killed in Crash
Democrat Gene Taylor was sworn in as the representative from Mississippi’s 5th District today, taking the place of Rep. Larkin Smith (R-Miss.), who died Aug. 13 in a plane crash.
Taylor, 36, won a special election Oct. 17, taking over a district that had been in Republican hands for several years. With his victory, Democrats increased their majority in the House to 258, while Republicans number 176. One vacancy remains as a result of the death of Rep. Mickey Leland (D-Tex.), who also died in a plane crash.
Speaker Thomas S. Foley (D-Wash.) administered the oath of office to Taylor shortly after the House convened.
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