Ga: Andrew Young may run for Senate in '04!!!

[liberalpragmatist]

Sorry, if I may have missed this when it first came out a few days ago. This is great news. He's 71, so he'd probably just serve a term, maybe 2, but that'd be great nonetheless -- he'd be a powerhouse Senator.

Check out these links:
> http://www.polstate.com/archives/003630.html#003630
> Democrat Andrew Young, civil rights activist, three-term House member, United Nations Ambassador, and two-term Atlanta mayor, is considering a campaign for Senate. Returning from a recent visit to Africa, he was encouraged to run by "a group of former congressmen who had just left Liberia. We began to talk about conflicts around the world, and I guess they were impressed that I knew about them all. They said I ought to be back in government and ought to take a shot at the Senate seat." So he may.

> http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/07/24/young.georgia/
> WASHINGTON -- Andrew Young, who served as Atlanta mayor and United Nations ambassador and helped bring the Olympics to Georgia in 1996, is seriously eyeing a bid to succeed retiring Georgia Sen. Zell Miller in 2004, according to friends and state Democratic officials who have discussed the race with Young this week...
Young has been out of elective office since 1990, when he lost a gubernatorial runoff to Miller. Nonetheless, he has maintained close ties to state Democrats and could offer his party an unexpected boost in Georgia, where voters last year threw out a Democratic senator and elected the first GOP governor since Reconstruction...
"He has a lot of political juice. He's almost a clear-the-field candidate," said Georgia Democratic Party Chairman Calvin Smyre, who spoke with Young about the Senate race Thursday morning. "He's well respected. He's articulate. He knows the issues. He doesn't need on-the-job training. He's certainly one of Georgia's finest citizens."

> http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/0703/25young.html
> State Rep. Calvin Smyre of Columbus, chairman of the state Democratic Party, said Young called him Thursday morning to say he was exploring the idea of running. "He's an international figure, well established, has a body of knowledge -- he'd be a formidable candidate." Smyre said he expects a decision from Young soon...
Smyre predicted a Young candidacy could energize Democratic voters and give significant help to important down-ballot races, including a fight for control of the state Senate.

> http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=34474
> "He is internationally known; he brings a great wealth of experience," said Smyre. "He is a former congressman, former ambassador, former mayor. He knows about governance. He knows the legislative bodies."

It also occured to me that if he loses or chooses not to run, he could make an excellent Secretary of State when we win the presidency in '04!

[MissMarple]

1. "a clear the field candidate", YES!

We need more of them. And at 71, he's not so old. Who would he run against?

[jiacinto]

2. Could he win?

Well I like him.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. What are his views on the important issues....

such as abortion, death penalty, tax vouchers, national security, iraqi war......?????????



:dem: GOOD LUCK MR. YOUNG!

[liberalpragmatist]

4. It doesn't say, but I assume he's a liberal

He's a civil rights activist and he was a UN ambassador, very strong reputation as a progressive. He'd be a great senator.

[jiacinto]

5. Could he be able to keep the losses down in the

suburbs of Atlanta?

[TacticalPeek]

8. Issue positions almost don't matter, but he's way left of Miller.

He's a progressive who paid dues in the Movement. Big time.

Mainest thing: a vote for leader in the Senate.

[VoteClark]

6. What happened to Zell Miller?

I must be lost here. I thought Zell Miller, a Democrat is in the 2004 seat that is up for re-election. I am not up to date on GA politics, but wouldn't it be a mistake to not have the incumbant run again?


J4Clark

[liberalpragmatist]

7. He's not running

He announced waaaaaay back that he's not running for a full term. He wants to retire and only got into the senate b/c of an appointment to fill out Paul Coverdell's term after he died.

It's a seat that's gonna lean towards the Republicans who have a number of people running: Rep. Johnny Isakson, Rep. Mac Collins, and a few prominent Atlanta businessmen, including Michael Colmes, an African-American Republican.

Young would be a great possible nominee and would energize democratic voters, especially African-Americans and give us a good shot at keeping the seat -- it'd be extremely tight, but we could pull it off if he ran.

[mndemocrat_29]

9. Andy Young

He's an absolutely terrific candidate for several reasons

1. He's a progressive with near universal name recognition in Georgia.

2. If elected, he'd be a vote for the Democratic leadership.

3. If he were the senator, we'd be rid of Johnny Isaakson and Mac Collins in the Congress.

4. His appeal to the Democratic base could help out in Jim Marshall's seat, as well as in possible pickup seats GA-11 and GA-12. If we want any sort of shot at the House, both those seats are a must.

[Perky]

10. I'll make a prediction

Roy Barnes will Runn for the Senate and win.

His loss to Sonny is generally regarded as a bit of a fluke. He is genuinely like in the state and will be itching to get back up on the horse.

[burr]

13. Are you willing to back this prediction up with money?

I will bet the entire Bush tax cut that Barnes not only has ruled this race out, but is sick of being threatened and stalked by rascists and flaggers. They have threatened him and his family. And we are talking about one of the most conservative Governors of Georgia, he got the high rankings of the CATO institute, the NRA, and passed tax cuts while still balancing his state budget. Will he run? Hell no!

And what happened to him? The teachers voted Republican because they were delusional, thinking Perdue would bring back tenure. And the rascists were pissed over the state flag. And now we have a idiot and, going back to his time in the state Senate, an advocate of the corporate lobbyists, as our new Governor.

[Perky]

14. HAHA

He would have won had it not rained in Atlanta on election delay.

[NewJerseyDem]

15. Barnes wants Marshall to run

Roy Barnes has been trying to push Congressman Jim Marshall to run for senate. So, I doubt that Barnes would run since he is trying to convince someone else to run. However, if Marshall decide against it than who knows what Barnes will do.

[burr]

11. We need a candidate, and if he runs we should welcome him...

I still wish a Mike Thurmond or Max Cleland were willing to run for the Senate. Someone who is younger, and has less baggage. Young was one of many who bravely followed Dr. King in the movement to turn back the bloody years of Jim Crow. Unfortunately, he has made some bad judgements in the years that he has left public service.

"From the left, Young could draw criticism for a 1997 report that basically absolved Nike Inc. from alleged workplace abuses at its factories in Southeast Asia. His firm, Good Works International, was hired by Nike to conduct the survey."

<http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/insider/0703/072503.html>

But when looking at the big picture, he brings more strengths to the table than flaws.

[JohnKleeb]

12. hmmmm John Lewis may be a good pick too if you want younger