UGA Liberal Hypocrites

I love how liberals loved to cry during the Presidential campaign when people would call Barack Obama by his middle name "Hussein." Yet now those same people are calling Gov. Bobby Jindal (R. - Louis.) by his name Piyush.

It is obviously being used as a racial tactic in Louisiana for what they obviously have as a mixed bag of past racial actions.

Gotta hand it to liberals, when they can't attack the success of a man, they attack his race. Gov. Jindal has by all accounts been extremely successful thusfar in governing the once decrepit state of Louisiana. They have seen a resurgence in good government there. But liberals are obviously going back to their old bag of tricks.

Good to see Gov. Jindal working against the trend and for a strong conservative message. Props.

McKinney Rammed

Awesome.

Just Awesome. Thats what you get when you are some crazy peacenik getting involved in the middle of a war. Good to see McKinney was shipped off to join her other crazy brethren in Lebanon.

The 2010 Line

The 2010 race for the Governor's seat has already begun to take shape in Georgia with a slew of announcements. And what better time than this holiday season to award the frontrunners and underdogs of the race for each party's nomination. The list comes from least likely to win to most likely.

For The Democrats:

3. Gen. David Poythress
The former Secretary of State (yeah, in 1979) declared at the end of summer that he would be a candidate for Governor in 2010. Poythress stands as good a chance at winning the nomination as Vernon Jones does at convincing us he's not a womanizer: theres a chance, but only if the electorate is very very drunk.

2. DuBose Porter
While not an officially announced candidate for Governor, Porter would have a good shot at winning the nomination. He is reportedly considering a run, and likely lining up financial support. Porter likely would be able to raise more money than Poythress and make it respectable in general. Still, he is clearly a tier two candidate to...

1. Former Gov. Roy Barnes
To be honest, I'll believe it when I see it. Even though Erick over at Peach Pundit thinks Barnes is lining up a run I don't know how likely this really is. Does Barnes really want to run through a primary and general election? He will certainly face primary opposition and the general will be no walk in the park. Still, I believe Barnes represents the only threat from the Democratic Party to win this race. And he's not even an announced candidate. There is time though.

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The Republicans:

5. Ray McBerry
Do I really even have to include him on the list?

4. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland
I don't think Lynn is willing to leave the comfort of his Congressional seat to run for this office but in case he does he starts out with limited statewide appeal. He has also been mocked for his comments describing the Obama family as "uppity." Now to be fair I don't think Westmoreland is a racist, or even incompetent, just careless in one instance. But I do think that kind of carelessness won't win him any followers.

3. Karen Handel
Handel should be a stronger candidate. She's got all the right credentials: held statewide office, has strong support in metro Atlanta, has a record of reform and a conservatism. She nearly has the whole package. The only reason I rank her this low is that I don't think she is going to run. This is clearly her best shot at the Governor's house, but I just have not seen any indications that she's contemplating a run. Disappointing.

2. John Oxendine
If I could rank him lower I would, but theres only two declared candidates at this point and the other I have above him. Oxendine is one of the most incompetent politicans I have ever seen. His stump speeches are boring and his demeanor is unsettling. At one campaign stop he offered a Democratic tracker his card in case he ever need a little personal attention with his insurance. At another he sent a staffer to get him a latte. YES! A LATTE! Apparently this latte craze is not just a one time thing for the Ox. Oxendine's support of the FairTax is also disengenuous. I truly believe he has jumped on the FairTax bandwagon to try to distinguish himself from other conservative candidates and does not really believe or probably understand the proposal. All in all, this man must be defeated because he is the one Republican who could lose in a landslide.

1. Casey Cagle
Cagle has the best shot to win the GOP primary for Governor for several reasons. He is a conservative, he can run a statewide race and win as an underdog, and has statewide name recognition. Cagle also has the all important first name that Georgia politicians relish from Sonny, Saxby, Johnny, and now Casey. I'm just saying they all happen to end in "y"s. Coincidence?

At this point in the race I'd probably vote for Cagle and maybe that colors my judgement a bit, but I just cannot see Oxendine winning people over. I saw his initial list of supporters yesterday and was shocked at how many people he had duped into believing he was a leader. Maybe he's just offering them kickbacks like he did to insurance companies though.

It Ends With A Whimper

And so the 2008 cycle has come to a close as incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss has won re-election today on December 2. Though it took him an extra month and a runoff to do it, Chambliss emerged victorious tonight with what looks like to hold as a double digit margin of victory over former state legislator Jim Martin.

With only Minnesota left to be decided the 60 seat fillibuster proof Democrat Congress has been averted. Still a 58 or 59 seat majority is nothing to be scoffed at.

This cycle has been a huge hit on Republicans nationwide though less so here in Georgia.

With a Big Three Automotive Bailout on the blocks and another "economic stimulus" looking to follow that, we'll see what happens between now and inauguration day.

Either way, January 20 will be a day that does not see Georgia represented by a Democrat in the U.S. Senate.

Palin to Georgia

Ask and ye shall receive. After many non-answers from the Saxby campaign on whether or not Gov. Sarah Palin would rally the base in Georgia we finally have an answer: she'll be here.

Monday, December 1^st – Times and Venues TBD

Augusta Rally

Savannah Rally

Middle Georgia Rally

Atlanta Rally

Vernon Jones Redux

The U.S. Senate race in Georgia would at least be more interesting if Vernon Jones was in it.

Need proof? See Vernon talking today to the AJC:

“He [Martin] could not come to grips with voting for an African-American for president,” Jones said. “And he couldn’t come to grips with voting for a woman [Hillary Clinton]. So he voted for a man who was not even running for president.

“He voted for a man who had an affair and not an African-American who is married with two beautiful children,” Jones said.

Vernon how I love you. And Andre, wheres your former love for Vernon? You've gone way too lovey dovey on Martin.

Big Guns to Georgia

Since the runoff campaign has begun we've seen the NRSC and DSCC get involved on television spots, more money being dumped in from outside groups like Freedom's Watch and other groups, and Sen. John McCain and former Gov. Mike Huckabee make stops in the state.

Now we get word that former Gov. Mitt Romney will be stumping for Saxby this Friday in Atlanta and then Savannah. This will complete the trifecta of the last three remaining GOP contenders for the Presidential nomination.

Not to leave Jim Martin out, Bill Clinton will be returning to Georgia for the second time this cycle on this Wednesday at Clark University in Atlanta. And one of his former campaign managers Donna Brazille will also be lending her hand to the Martin campaign.

Before the runoff is done I'd expect to see several more big names come to Georgia, though Obama will most likely stay away. He won't want to pull a repeat of Bill Clinton in 1992 who came to stump for the Democrat in the runoff only to have pie on his face when he went down in flames.

UPDATE: The AFL-CIO is also poised to send out a large mailing in Georgia. Lets not forget though, this is the same group that endorsed Rand Knight in the primary. Great thinking of that move.

Huckabee Too!

Well most people have heard about how Sen. John McCain will be campaigning with Saxby Chambliss this Thursday in Cobb, but now there's news that former Governor Mike Huckabee will join the campaign this Sunday at 2:30pm over at the Gwinnett Center.

Sunday, November 16^th – FairTax Rally with Mike Huckabee – 2:30PM Gwinnett Center

Its an exciting time for Georgia politics.

Senate Exit Polls

Some interesting data from CNN's Georgia Senate exit polls:

White voters made up 68% of the vote and Chambliss won them 70-26%.
African Americans made up 28% and Martin won by a landslide 93-4%.

The Economy was said to be the most important issue by 61% of voters and Martin won thats section 49-47%. Chambliss won landslides among those who cited energy policy and terrorism.

Moderates made up the largest group at 47% and Martin won 57-40%.
Conservatives made up the next highest at 39%, but Chambliss only won them 77-19%. 4% went for Buckley. 5% of liberals also ended up going for Buckley strangely enough.

Finally Chambliss won 92% of Republicans and 54% of Independents. These two groups combined make up 64% of the electorate.

All of these signs point to Saxby winning the runoff comfortably in the runoff.

Whats Ahead

With 96% of precincts reporting, Senator Saxby Chambliss holds a 49.9% to 46.7% lead over Jim Martin. Strangely Georgia requires a statewide candidate to win at least 50% +1 of the vote to win their office.

What does this mean? Saxby is likely headed for a runoff versus Martin to be held on December 2.

National Republicans have already promised "hefty financial support." I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Obama make a swing through Georgia along with McCain, Palin, or other big name Republicans.

These next four weeks, if it does indeed go to a runoff, will be both exciting and bizarre. We will see a significant cut in the African American and youth vote, as well as an overall drop in turnout.

I see Chambliss winning a runoff comfortably.

Election Day

And so the long and tiresome road to election day has ended. Polls close at 7pm, and we'll see how long after that before we know our statewide officials, and then probably much longer when we know our next President.

This is going to be a long night.

Saxby Tells Him

Tonight was the last Senate debate of the 2008 cycle, and what a debate it was!

The most heated back and forth came when Jim Martin and Sen. Saxby Chambliss debated the recent Wall Street bailout. Key quote: "Jim, you need to get your facts straight, as usual.”

Even Jim Tharpe noted how Martin dodged questions including one about the role the national Democratic Party has taken in this race:

"A veteran former state lawmaker, Martin dodged a question about the avalanche of Democratic Party-funded attack ads that blast Chambliss for backing the $700 billion bail out. Most of the Democrats on the committee sponsoring the ads also voted for the financial package.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) “is dictating to Jim what he is to say and when he is to say it,” Chambliss said. Schumer chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which has funded the anti-Chambliss ads."

Great debate, great smackdown. Check back tomorrow for the official Georgia Premium election predictions.

Martin Retro

The NRSC has topped my expectations with this ad. It's probably just a web ad, but wow, this is funny. Look at Martin clap! HA!

Martin Below 40%

Well, the latest poll is out and this time its a Mason-Dixon survey for NBC News puts Sen. Saxby Chambliss up 45-39 on his Democratic opponent Jim Martin.

Saxby spent yesterday campaigning while Martin spent two hours in line waiting to vote in Fulton County.

Chambliss spends today continuing on his bus tour ending in Atlanta this evening before moving onto South Georgia while Martin also is using his bus tour to head out on the road.

The race is close, but 39% for Martin won't get him close to winning the race outright and thats why all the Democrats can hope for is a runoff.

New Campaign Ad

This ad is probably the best produced one of the Senate race in Georgia yet. And it comes from an outside group, not even one of the campaigns.

Saxby Hits Back

Chambliss will be running ads from now until election day statewide. Martin on the other hand is in debt according to his FEC reports.

Martin is in a Middle Class State of Mind

Wow.

Just wow. Jim Martin, who continuously has touted his campaign as one for the middle class, can't even define what constitutes the middle class.

But not only that, he thinks there is no economic guidelines for what is the middle class.

Its just a state of mind.

The video puts it best: How can Jim Martin stand up for the middle class when he doesn't know what it is?

Someone ought to ask him that at his town hall tonight.

Martin Goes Gay Again

I never knew the gay vote in Georgia was so important. At least that's what it appears like Jim Martin believes.

Martin has scheduled yet another campaign stop targetted at Atlanta's gay community, this one to celebrate the founding of Navigation, a gay party planning group.

The group was founded "in response to what Reyes views as a recent drop in choices for gay dance enthusiasts in Atlanta’s nightlife scene."

You. Can't. Make. This. Stuff. Up.

Next up for the Martin campaign: Jim speaks at the opening of a massage parlor.

Martin Can't Find Support In Mid-Georgia

Wow, the Perry debate sure lived up to its reputation as a wild one.

The best run down of what happened can be seen over at the AJC.

But as far as the chaos that went down, it all started out fine enough. Martin brought in his union thugs from Atlanta which is expected since he can't get any support in Middle Georgia. Blog for Democracy has their own account of what happened and admit that their only supporters had to be bussed in.

Soon enough into the debate though Martin's goons started booing and hissing. It seemed like some of those who were bussed in had been drinking on their ride from the union hq in Atlanta. Seriously, who goes to a debate drunk? I guess Martin supporters have to have their inhibitions loosened to support a guy like Jim.

Its funny though, they were relegated to the back rows because the Saxby supporters, numbering several hundred, took up all the front sections.

Now the Perry debate is very different from any of the other debates: its not televised, its big on crowd participation, and its wild. No real game changers emerged from the debate, except we now have confirmation that Martin has no support outside of Atlanta.

Rasmussen: Chambliss Lead Still Secure

That's the news today after a lot of hand wringing following several Democrat sponsored polls showed the U.S. Senate race tightening significantly on the heels of the economic bailout package vote.

Chambliss is still above 50% according to Rasmussen, a clear and significant lead.