GA: Back to square one for Democrats in hunt for Senate candidate

[goobergunch]

The Associated Press - ATLANTA

With Andrew Young out of the U.S. Senate race, Georgia Democrats are back to square one in the search for a strong candidate to keep Zell Millers Senate seat from going Republican next year.

Its not a comfortable position for a party still reeling from its loss of the governorship and the other U.S. Senate seat last year.

Certainly its a setback for Democrats, said Emory University political science professor Merle Black. They have lost an enormous amount of time.

Republicans already have four candidates in the race, including veteran congressmen Johnny Isakson and Mac Collins, plus businessmen Herman Cain and Al Bartell. Democrats have one, a little-known suburban state legislator, Sen. Mary Squires.

more...http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=21295

[Mairead]

1. Pity they haven't the sense to ask Cynthia

But probably they want another DINO

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[ButterflyBlood]

5. For once I agree with you

running her in a state like Georiga is one of the stupidest suggestions I've heard in a long time. So Max Cleland got labeled as unpatriotic, but she won't. Yeah right.

[ButterflyBlood]

4. OK, think here:

If a triple-amputee war veteran lost in the state because he was portrayed as unpatriotic how could she avoid that and win? You honestly think she can win statewide?

[Mairead]

11. Depends on how many liberal voters there are, doesn't it?

If she's the only Dem candidate, then they can't do a crossover on her in the primary as they did for her House seat.

I think it would be wonderfully instructive if she were to declare for the seat and suddenly another right-wing Black candidate were to stand too. I.e., deja vu. Wouldn't that be interesting?

[JohnKleeb]

12. Malread I think Lewis would be good for that job

Hes a progressive, has solid credentials, and above all was a great civil rights leader.

[ButterflyBlood]

17. yes, but he can't win statewide

a pretty moderate war hero loss there. I'm not saying we need to nominate another Zell Miller but an ultra-liberal black from Atlanta is not exactly the most electable candidate.

[goobergunch]

14. I think BB was referring to the general election (n/t)

[ButterflyBlood]

18. She could probably win the primary

but I'm talking about the general. I can only imagine what type of campaign would be ran against her. I can't see her getting more than 30% of the white vote outside of Atlanta and DeKalb.

[jiacinto]

22. She probably would not even get that

more like 20-25%.

[Frodo]

23. I doubt it.

If she couldn't win a house primary as the incumbent in a very liberal district... she could NEVER win a statewide primary as the disgraced outsider. The GA Democratic party in pretty close to center (most here would call them DINOs) and she can even SEE the center if she stands on a ladder.

Besides. They would like a chance at winning... and they are also not stupid.

[Mairead]

25. Are you out of touch, or just not a deep thinker, or what?

The evidence is overwhelming that her 'couldn't win a house primary as the incumbent in a very liberal district' was a mugging by Republicans crossing over to vote for a DINO.

[Frodo]

28. Not so.

First of all, there aren't enough Republicans in that district to beat her if she had any popularity at all. This is a majority minority district. There is no way she could lose by, what? 15%??? if she could turn out voters AT ALL. Her court case claimed she won "61% of Democrats not counting 'Democrats who tend to vote Republican'" (whatever the heck THAT means and assuming she could tell - I suspect it's her code for "white"). Even if true, an incumbent running in her own district with only 60% support from her own party does not win a state-wide primary.

Did more Republicans vote in that primary than the difference between the two? Some say yes, some no. But it isn't relevant. There were far more "true" Democrats in that district (by anyone's measure) who would have swept her in if they wanted too. They did not. Clinton didn't support her (though she ran old taped phone calls from him on election day anyway)... Young didn't support her (same story). Miller gave money to her opponent (yes, I know he's a REAL DINO, but with his active opposition NO DEMOCRAT wins statewide in GA).

I hate to break it to you... and I know this will come as a shock... but all those Republicans who crossed over to beat her? Make all the legal claims you want about whether they should have been allowed to do it, but like it or not.... they all get to vote in general elections. And the percentages of those voters state-wide is much higher than in her old district.

The handfull of "true believer" Democrats who love her have wished that she would run for Senate or as VP or (for some) as the Green Party candidate. Wish all you like... this woman CAN NOT WIN state-wide in GA.

[ButterflyBlood]

29. last line should be blatantly obvious

anyone who thinks otherwise is beyond deluded.

[JohnKleeb]

9. How about John Lewis

[Mairead]

13. I've no idea who that is, John

Should I know?

[goobergunch]

15. You probably should...here ya go

Representative John Lewis (D-Atlanta, civil rights hero, Senior Chief Deputy Democratic Whip)

http://www.house.gov/johnlewis/

[Mairead]

26. Ah, thanks

So is he standing for the seat? If he's not, then I think I missed the point.

[JohnKleeb]

16. ok Lewis is

He was a civil rights leader with King in the 60's. He has been representing part of Atlanta since the mid 80's and is a member of the progressive cancus. Good man, I really admire him. Good credentials too, and I dont know GA well but I bet hes well respected, it would be nice to have Senator Lewis.

[ButterflyBlood]

19. he's great

but as I said above I can't see him winning statewide. Also he seems more interested in House leadership positions.

[goobergunch]

21. Like it says on his website

I could see him become House Majority Whip someday, which is what DeLay and Gingrich were.

[JohnKleeb]

24. it would be nice imo

[suegeo]

2. Aren't the voting machines in Georgia fixed?

I thought the touch screen machines are fixed in order to favor republicans.

So why bother putting forth a democratic candidate?

Vote republican, you will anyway.

[mndemocrat_29]

7. Bev Harris is working to eliminate the touch screen ballots

Vote DEMOCRAT!

[w4rma]

8. Actually, not touch screen booths, but DRE ballots (n/t)

[suegeo]

10. Sorry. I was making a sick joke.

Of course vote Democratic.

But the voting machines are rigged. Rigged I tell you!

[mndemocrat_29]

6. Corzine meeting with Nunn

Is good news. Corzine has helped convince Knowles, Hoeffel, and Farmer all to enter their respective races. I think that Michelle Nunn would be our best candidate here (aside from Cleland).

I really wish we could decide on a concensus candidate here. I think that if Nunn jumped into the race, we'd have a really good chance of a cleared primary. The one thing we have going for us in Georgia is that Collins v. Isaakson will be a bloody and fracticious primary, which will leave whoever wins the nomination very battered for the general election.

[ButterflyBlood]

20. both candidates also have flaws

Collins is an archconservative who would be too polarizing, and the fundies would probably stay home rather than vote for the relatively moderate Isakson.

[mndemocrat_29]

27. That's why I keep holding out for someone like Nunn

I think that we could beat both Collins and Isaakson (for exactly the reasons you said). However, we couldn't do it with someone as liberal as Cynthia McKinney (who, according to politics1.com, might be running for GA-12). We'd have to run a moderate like Michelle Nunn or For. Sen. Max Cleland.

[ButterflyBlood]

30. McKinney would have a difficult time winning in California

but some people think she'd be a viable candidate in Georgia :eyes: