The remaining active House special election this year* occurs June 4, in Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, where Republican Jason Smith is going up against Democrat Steve Hodges; both are state legislators. Smith has the wind at his back in this heavily-Republican district.

Smith is releasing a new ad hitting a lot of familiar notes — the IRS scandals show the Obama administration is abusing its power, and his rival, Hodges, amounts to a vote for Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama.

This R+13 district should be fertile ground for this sort of message.

* Adam Bonin of Daily Kos reminds me that Jo Bonner’s departure creates a special House election in the coming months in Alabama, and if Ed Markey wins the special Senate election in Massachusetts, that will set up another special House election.