As Jim Martin prepares for the General Election against Sen. Saxby Chambliss, his supporters continue to let out one of the longest sighs of relief in recent Georgia political history at his runoff victory over DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones. Despite Martin's win, an analysis of turnout for the primary runoff by Bill Shipp Online disproves one long held notion by many Democratic operatives here in Georgia. Namely that African American voters don't return for a runoff.
In the July 15th primary, 48.3% of Democratic voters were African American while 49.3% were white. Three weeks later at the August 5th runoff, the African American percentage of the electorate actually increased slightly to 48.6%. Whites were down slightly to 48.9%. Of the approximately 260,000 voters that returned for the runoff, African Americans actually outnumbered whites by about 3,000 voters. A little under 75,000 new voters showed up to cast a ballot that had skipped the primary, and whites outnumbered African Americans here by 4,000. In total, white voters outnumbered African Americans by only about 1,000.
While white voters in most rural counties as well as DeKalb and Fulton Counties have held to their longtime primary preferences and continue to vote in the Democratic primary, some white voters in North Georgia counties are continuing a move to the Republican primary. And African American voters in suburban counties like Clayton, Cobb, Douglas, Fayette, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton and Rockdale continue to participate in local Democratic politics in higher numbers.
Chambliss and Isakson Bipartisan Energy Plan
The Albany Herald newspaper was as sweet as summer wine this morning. It seems that Rush Limbaugh and the extreme right are upset that Georgia Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson are part of “Gang of 10” energy proposal
Their energy plan would allow drilling 50 miles off the coasts of Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, and the Gulf coast of Florida; while eliminating tax breaks for the oil and gas industry to generate $30 billion in revenue, with the money used to fund a new investment in alternative energy.
Other Republicans back an “all of the above” bill that would allow far more new drilling all along the East and West coasts and in restricted areas of Alaska, without the tax increase on domestic producers.
Chambliss and Isakson dismiss the criticism, arguing that voters want Congress to set aside differences and agree on something that will make a difference – even if it requires trade-offs. “Usually if the extremes are raising cain, it means you’re doing something right,” said Chambliss.
I am still asleep and dreaming or did the two senators from Georgia just take about a third of their party behind the woodshed. Senators represent the whole state and not just sections of people or just the people who elected them. People act like their party can not be wrong in the same way people act like their family members are never wrong. News flash: your party can be wrong and your brother might be nuts.
Bickering fueled by talk radio and T.V. makes for fun entertainment but is not beneficial to our nation. I am proud of the fact that the Democrats in the Georgia congressional delegation often work across party lines to seek compromise that is in the state’s best interest and that’s why Rep. Jim Marshall should have been in Denver at DNC Convention arguing that some of our Democrat platform was extreme left.
Then I read the Cal Thomas column about a conversation he had with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush about why the Republicans lost the majorities in both houses of Congress. Jeb Bush said that House Minority Leader John Boehner has confessed to “mistakes” by Republicans when they held the majority. Governor Bush believes too many Republican leaders are “in denial” about why they lost their majority.
Dialog, understanding, negotiations, analysis, reasoning, logic and compromise are elements of proper governing. This Project Logic Ga contributor respects Isakson and Chambliss for putting governing over bickering; and any extreme supporters they might lose will be replaced by many more sensible centrists - ask Senator Nunn.
http://projectlogicga.wordpress.com/
What is your point?
Wallace...While the comparison standards you have chosen may be technically correct, they are indeed myopic choices for the people who comprise the 6.1 figures.
There is right, relevance, and indifference in political discourse.
Way to go what is your point!
Need all DEMs help in this election. Lets all work the next 50 days to turn this great state of Georgia BLUE again!
As a native of Atlanta, it has been sad to see the corrutpness and big money people who have been running our state.
We can not afford to elect another reputlican
Column of Sept. 10
Bill,
While I understand your dislike for the Right,it would benefit you to get all of your facts straight if you want people to actually pay attention. You are not the first Democratic pundit to push the inaccurate statement that we now have record unemployment. Please stop with the hyperbole. Unemployment rates in the 20th century have been higher under Hoover, Truman, Eisenhower, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. Compared to the sky-high unemployment figures of these leaders, the current unemployment rate of 6.1% is not terribly high. Widen your lens and look at the bigger picture, not just your myopic view of current political issues.
Wallace Hinson
Cornelia, Georgia