2012 Tuesday: GOP to tap a sure bet in one congressional seat, an underdog in another
Today’s the primary runoff election in Georgia. None of the races in my area went unresolved last month, so I’m sitting this one out. Metro Atlanta races of interest include commission races in Cobb and Gwinnett and the sheriff’s race in Clayton County.
The big election news in the state tonight will come from Republican races in two congressional districts. State Rep. Doug Collins and radio talk-show host Martha Zoller are in a heated race in the Northeast Georgia district centered on Gainesville: Collins bested Zoller by just 734 votes out of nearly 110,000 cast last month. To the east, the district that stretches from Augusta down almost t0 Savannah pits state Rep. Lee Anderson against Augusta businessman Rick Allen: Anderson led with 34 percent in the first round, while Allen barely made the runoff ahead of two other candidates.
Either Collins or Zoller is almost certain to win the very conservative 9th District’s general election in November, so after tonight one of them can start looking for a second home in Washington. The 12th District, however, is a different story.
The Democratic incumbent, John Barrow, has won a couple of easy contests after surviving his tough first two elections in 2004 and 2006. Although he’s aiming for just his fifth term, he’s working with his third different group of constituents. Georgia Republicans have redrawn the map on him twice already, in a manner reminiscent of what Democrats used to do to Newt Gingrich early in his congressional career.
This year, the first election with the newest map, the GOP would appear to have drawn the map so that it is sufficiently heavily Republican to give Barrow no hope. The national GOP congressional campaign has targeted the seat and seems prepared to put a good bit of money into the race. Yet, the primary looked like a contest to make it as easy as possible for Barrow to stick around Capitol Hill at least two more years.
The perceived frontrunner, Augusta attorney and former Naval pilot Wright McLeod, fell less than 600 votes short of overtaking Allen for second place and a spot in the runoff. Anderson, a farmer, rode rural support to first place but was an underwhelming speaker, to say the least, in debates. A fourth candidate, Maria Sheffield, moved into the district to run for the office and was never much of a factor.
If Barrow can dodge his party affiliation with President Obama — as he’s already working to do — he seems to stand a good chance of denying Republicans one of their best chances nationwide at picking up a seat.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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128 comments Add your comment
Voting For Cooley
August 21st, 2012
11:55 pm
We dodged a bullet in Rabin – Zoller can crawl back in her hole… But Joey Cooley gets my vote in November. He has the benefit of not being endorsed by Zell nor Newt.
Hillbilly D
August 22nd, 2012
12:10 am
He has the benefit of not being endorsed by Zell nor Newt.
Or Nathan.
Just Curious
August 22nd, 2012
5:22 am
I understood those who used the phrase “Democrat Pary,” had to either have a speech impediment or were dumb. If they put it in writing proves they are the latter.
Just Curious
August 22nd, 2012
5:30 am
Just think. Whoever wins the 9th District will take their Georgia rooted politics and ethics to D.C.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 22nd, 2012
7:47 am
Excellent article using Reagan as well as FDR to show why Ryan’s plan is idiotic.
http://www.alternet.org/election-2012/paul-ryans-path-prosperity-really-bad-trip-road-economic-ruin
@@
August 22nd, 2012
8:12 am
In Clayton County, stupid is as stupid does. I live among morons.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 22nd, 2012
8:24 am
Dawn of the Living Morons, eh, @@?
howard
August 22nd, 2012
8:26 am
Barry Bailout…please read a little history before you comment…fascism was not a liberal ideology but an extremely conservative one. Fascists are on the right side of the political spectrum, where I assume you are found.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 22nd, 2012
8:31 am
“Fascists are on the right side of the political spectrum,”
Only because the left doesn’t want anything to do with them, howard. However, anything that increases the power of the state above the power of the individual is a leftist concept, no matter how much you wish to disassociate yourself from it.
@@
August 22nd, 2012
8:44 am
On a more positive note…my commissioner, Wole Ralph is GONE!!!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS SHANNA ROOKS!!!!
I could’ve voted either way in the Chairman’s race. Jeff Turner was quoted as saying, he’s for bringing back bus service but only if it’s privately run.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 22nd, 2012
9:23 am
Sorry, howard, but the fact is that fascism is the preferred means to today’s Democrat party’s ends.
Obozo: Liberal fascist.
Beverly Fraud
August 22nd, 2012
9:29 am
53% of Clayton County voters at the local fast food establishment:
“Would you like fries with that”?
“Instead of fries, could I get an order of STUPID?”
“Supersized?”
“Of course.”
Beverly Fraud
August 22nd, 2012
9:54 am
Actually it’s worse than Stupid. It’s WILLFULLY ignorant.
ITS ALL BUSHS FAULT
August 22nd, 2012
10:12 am
GA GOP IS THE LAUGHING STOCK OF U.S.A.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 22nd, 2012
10:19 am
In Clayton County, voting for competence is considered “acting white”.
ooooooooooo la la
August 22nd, 2012
10:25 am
“In Clayton County, voting for competence is considered ‘acting white’ ”
Is that what Clayton Cty residents are saying or is that your own bigoted assertion?
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 22nd, 2012
10:32 am
That’s what Clayton County residents said.
Why do you ask?
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 22nd, 2012
11:17 am
Tampa Bay Gay Prostitutes Gearing Up For Flood Of Closeted Republicans
http://www.theonion.com/video/tampa-bay-gay-prostitutes-gearing-up-for-flood-of,29263/
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 22nd, 2012
11:21 am
“It was absolutely horrific—I felt violated in the worst way imaginable—but thanks to Congressman Akin, I now realize it must, at some level, have been consensual after all.”…“Thank God for that,” Byars added. “I’m so relieved to know that my child’s father, the man who muffled my screams as he forcefully penetrated me over and over and left me hemorrhaging to death on the street, is not a rapist.”
http://www.theonion.com/articles/pregnant-woman-relieved-to-learn-her-rape-was-ille,29258/
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 22nd, 2012
11:23 am
So it was mostly minorities that turned out to vote in Clayton County? According to Lil Barry, who is RARELY delusional, that must be the case.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 22nd, 2012
11:30 am
Finn – You do realize the Onion is a parody site, don’t you?
bu2
August 22nd, 2012
11:36 am
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_good_work/2012/08/northern_cities_vowel_shift_how_americans_in_the_great_lakes_region_are_revolutionizing_english_.html
Its an article on how northerners are changing the pronounciation of sounds that haven’t changed in 1000 years. Interesting that they don’t think they have accents and don’t recognize the accent AND (mentioned late in the article) that the accent is associated with Democrats. It PERFECTLY describes today’s Democratic party-totally lacking in self-awareness and their own hypocrisy and intolerance while thinking they see it in others.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 22nd, 2012
11:38 am
If you think Akin was saying rape is OK, you’re a moron.
bu2
August 22nd, 2012
11:38 am
typed the link wrong:
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_good_word/2012/08/northern_cities_vowel_shift_how_americans_in_the_great_lakes_region_are_revolutionizing_english_.html
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 22nd, 2012
11:40 am
Finn – You do realize the Onion is a parody site, don’t you?
That’s what I love about Colbert – watching people make fun of everything. Why would I come on a Con site and share a parody about liberals? What fun would that be?
bu2
August 22nd, 2012
11:43 am
@Lil’Barry
You should pay more attention to his comments. He didn’t remotely say rape was ok. He just badly used “legitimate” to apparently mean a “real” rape. The guy needs to leave the race because he has demonstrated he is a moron, not because he thinks rape is legitimate. As Kyle says, its not clear why he needed an adjective and more importantly, he made some comment about it being hard for a woman to get pregnant with rape. So the guy demonstrated he is an idiot. Many politicians are, but they do a better job of hiding it.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 22nd, 2012
11:45 am
If Akin pulls out now Claire would be facing a write in candidate? Is that correct?
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 22nd, 2012
11:50 am
Akin perfectly represents GOP thinking.
He said what most Cons think but don’t have the stones to say out loud…..which all boils down to, “I’m a nutter!…Elect me!”