Dale Cardwell - Then and Now

Dale Cardwell: "The state whistle blowers - two of Martin's top lieutenants- told me Commissioner Jim Martin was intentionally ignoring the problem, choosing not to fix the computers. They called it a "back door plan" to cut expenses and help Martin's new boss Governor Sonny Perdue cut the budget, without anyone suffering the political cost of the public finding out."

Dale Cardwell: Jim Martin is a “‘convenient-crat,’ who found the courage to enter the race only after a handful of political ‘insiders’ promised they’d deliver him bucketfuls of special interest ‘PAC’ contributions; contributions Dale Cardwell and Barack Obama have refused because special interests have paralyzed Washington and control most of our elected officials.”

Dale Cardwell: "I ask: Did Jim Martin not have a responsibility to speak up and fight for struggling parents and their children during the time they needed him most? Indeed he did, but the record shows Jim Martin chose not to act."

Dale Cardwell: "Jim what I've told people like you and what I've told others taking PAC money is people want you to work for them, they don't want you to work for the special interests and I'd encourage you to give your PAC money back."

Dale Cardwell: "Jim back in 2003, a couple of your top lieutenants called me and they were very worried. They worked for you under the Department of Human Resources when you were the commissioner, and they said 'Dale we have a computer program that is broken down, its called the 'Success' program ironically. And what it does is it allows poor people to sign up for medicaid and for PeachCare and for foodstamps and Mr. Martin is not fixing this computer. He's allowing it to remain broken down so people come to the DFACS office and they sit in our lobby for hours and hours. Sometimes they have to come back day after day and we tell them fill out this paper form but the fact is we cannot enter you into the computer. And what those lieutenants told me is that this was a back door plan...they told me it was a backdoor way to help Sonny Perdue cut the budget without having to suffer the political consequences. What do you say about that?

Dale Cardwell: "I’m calling on Vernon Jones and Jim Martin to return their special interest PAC contributions and trust the people of Georgia to judge them on the merits of their positions, not the TV commercials their special interest contributors are about to buy for them."

The Macon Telegraph: "Voters in this election have a real choice. Albert Einstein once said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." While Martin has the most experience in a governmental setting - with the direction our government is headed - that's not a plus for him. And while his name recognition and experience may lead him to the nomination, we have to go with our gut feeling and try a different path...we endorse Dale Cardwell for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate."

NOW:

Dale Cardwell: Jim Martin “is an honorable man who has a lengthy record of serving Georgians.”

Dale's words speak volumes for his character.

The Final Weekend (for some)

Entering this final weekend of the Georgia Primary season (pre-runoffs) I figure I'd do another power rankings to reflect the new poll by Insider Advantage.

First things first, I don't really trust the poll numbers for three major reasons:

1. Its InsiderAdvantage
2. Nobody can really accurately predict turnout in this race for Senate.
3. Its InsiderAdvantage
   

Sure there are things we do know about. Rand Knight is has about 25 paid staffers making phone calls to get out the vote for him. Most likely these are the union types that endorsed him, which surprises me that they would actually come out and have "feet on the ground" for a candidate polling in the middle single digits.

Second, Dale Cardwell is airing a limited (and by limited I mean very limited) television spot this weekend. The spot will air in Atlanta and Macon but with only $20k cash on hand and refusing to go into debt, Dale can probably afford the bare minimum.

Third, the new poll puts Jim Martin into his first lead of the race. This is attributed by Jim Galloway to his presence on tv that PACs and the Dem. national party have paid for.

Yet here goes nothing with the latest and perhaps last power rankings before the primary:

5. Josh Lanier - Will finish 5th in the polls guaranteed. If Maggie Martinez was still in it they would have probably fought for this spot but I would think that there are better odds in getting Michael Vick as a PETA sponsor than Lanier breaking out of the last place spot.

4. Rand Knight - You may be thinking "but he has all that union and netroots support!" I know I know! But as I've previously detailed, the netroots don't mean squat. Especially in this race. Rand may have the hairstyle for the job, but he just doesn't have the experience, demeanor, or votes to get there. Knight will finish with about 10 percent of the vote. I'd be surprised if he breaks out of the 4th place spot.

3. Jim Martin - I've really got to go with my gut here. Well that and Strategic Vision. I just cannot see supporters of the blandest candidate in this race turning out to vote for this man. Martin's campaign is only mentioned as a contender because he was able to raise the most money of the Democrats (which still wasn't even on Saxby Chambliss' radar). Martin's campaign has faced repeated bumps in the road from missed endorsements to attacks from his rivals. If Martin makes this runoff, its in no part to the campaign run by his staff and him, and only due to voters discontent with the other candidates. He will miss the runoff, though not by much.

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The runoff point

2. Dale Cardwell - I've got to give it to Dale. He has run a very good campaign for the extremely limited resources he has. Sure the whole climbing up the poll stunt might be mocked now (and have cost him over $10,000 to pull off), but at least it got people's attention. Dale has a limited appeal statewide and really should only expect to pull numbers from the Atlanta area, but that will be enough. He is a ferocious campaigner and a fearless debater going after both Jim Martin and Vernon Jones repeatedly and with actual facts behind him. He does come across as fake at times and goes overboard a little too often, I think he will make it (narrowly) into the runoff.

1. Vernon Jones - I love Vernon Jones. He provides the best storylines of the political season. Who would think a man accused of rape, fined for illegal contributions, and hated by his police would be the leading contender to lose to Saxby Chambliss? Vernon has been milking the race card for his entire campaign now, and well, who can blame him. He is trying to ride Obama's coat tails into the Democratic nomination and it appears to be working amongst African American, Atlantan voters. Now here is the big question: will they come out to vote in a primary that doesn't have Obama's name on the ballot? Signs lean towards yes as the DeKalb County CEO's race is also up for grabs this year in a bitter primary fight. And maybe enough people were tricked by his campaigning into thinking Obama does support him. Who knows. But what is likely is that he will make the primary, before white voters turn against him and elect whoever makes that number 2 spot into the next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate.

All in all, this has been an entertaining run. From that first debate in Forsyth County (where Maggie Martinez said she was running for the U.S. Congress of Senate) to the most previous debate (where Rand Knight arrived halfway through, most likely due to a hair appointment running long), it has been entertaining.

There is still one last weekend, and anything can happen as evidenced by Vernon Jones' existence and Jim Martin's hairpiece not falling off yet.