Archive for the ‘2010 governor's race’ Category

The decision by the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the nation’s largest breast cancer advocacy group, to cut most of its ties to Planned Parenthood – made public this week — has roiled the left, cheered the right, and has many wondering why and how the split happened.

Former GOP candidate for governor Karen Handel. Hyosub Shin hshin@ajc.com

From today’s New York Times:

John D. Raffaelli, a Komen board member and Washington lobbyist, said Wednesday that the decision to cut off money to 17 of the 19 Planned Parenthood affiliates it had supported was made because of the fear that an investigation of Planned Parenthood by Representative Cliff Stearns, Republican of Florida, would damage Komen’s credibility with donors….

So the Komen board voted that all of its vendors and grantees must certify that they are not under investigation by federal, state or local authorities. But for Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, being the target of partisan investigations is …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Did Karen Handel play a role in Komen/Planned Parenthood split? »

DuBose and Carol Porter, who last year ran as a power couple for governor and lieutenant governor, are ending their nearly 28-year marriage.

Carol Porter confirmed that she filed for divorce about three weeks ago. DuBose Porter also acknowledged the split. “We reared four wonderful children together,” he said.

Carol Porter, left, at the February 2010 news conference announcing her Democratic candidacy for lieutenant governor, with her husband, Dubose Porter, right, nearby, and their four sons behind them. Bob Andres, bandres@ajc.com

The couple own the Courier Herald newspaper in Dublin, which DuBose Porter represented in the state House. DuBose Porter was the leader of the Democratic caucus in the years following the Republican takeover of the state Capitol, and in 2010 sought to cap his political career with a run for governor.

In January of that year, Carol Porter subbed for her husband, giving a speech before a group of business leaders – and did so well that within weeks …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: A Democratic power couple calls it quits »

Throughout the next year, regional paranoia is likely to be a large part of the debate over the transportation sales tax for metro Atlanta. East Atlanta Patch offers up one example:

State Sen. Jason Carter, D-Decatur, tells his East Atlanta constituents that they and other intown neighborhoods hold the power in a tax proposal that could raise $7 billion dollars for metro Atlanta road, rail and bridge builds.

He suspects they’ll demand more transit and fewer restrictions on Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

“I think that some changes with respect to MARTA and some changes with regard to other transit are going to have to be addressed in the next legislative session in order to set up the transportation referendum for success,” Carter said Tuesday night at the East Atlanta Community Association’s monthly meeting.

That sounded vaguely familiar. So I checked a recording of Monday night’s Republican debate of five candidates for the northeast Cobb County seat of the …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Regional paranoia and the sales tax for transportation »

Ten years later, what went around, came around.

Last week, our Republican-led Legislature plunged into the ruthless process known as redistricting.

Constitutionally, it is an occasion to pay homage to the concept of one person, one vote. In reality, redistricting is the irresistible opportunity for the ruling forces of the Capitol to redraw the state’s political boundaries — with the object of securing their own power for the next decade.

Congressional lines will be tackled this week. U.S. Rep. John Barrow, the Democrat from Savannah, is advised to reserve a moving van — Republicans are almost sure to force him out of his district, again.

A ghost of 2001: Senate District 51, occupied by Republican Bill Stephens, required an eight-hour trek by car

But the true blueprint for power in Georgia was largely settled on Thursday, when House and Senate Republicans passed separate district maps — intended to give their party super-majorities in each chamber.

In the House, white …

Continue reading Karma and the drawing of Georgia’s political boundaries »

You know that the metro Atlanta effort to pass next year’s transit sales tax struck something of a sandbar earlier this month, when the campaign’s top political strategist, Glenn Totten, abandoned the project. Possibly with some encouragement.

A retooling is underway. Right now, Paul Bennecke, the former political director for the Republican Governors Association, is the only name of note attached to that campaign effort, which is being financed by the Metro Atlanta Chamber.

An overlapping $3 million statewide effort – remember that counties will be grouped into a dozen regional tax conclaves – is being underwritten by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, which on Wednesday announced one of the most carefully balanced political teams we’ve ever seen.

Talk about your lions and lambs bedding down together:

– Heath Garrett, principal political strategist with the Stephens and Schriefer Group, is a former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson;

– Chris Carpenter, the campaign …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: The lions and lambs of Georgia politics on one team »

No doubt you’ve already seen or heard of this:

The man who bought property this week from Gov. Nathan Deal owns a chain of adult video and novelty stores in California but says he plans to open a pawnshop in Habersham County.

Nathan Deal helped his daughter and son-in-law obtain more than $2 million in loans for Wilder Outdoors, a sporting goods store in Baldwin, Ga. The business failed — and so did the bank that lent the money.

Steve A. Diamond of Santa Maria, Calif., is the owner of Diamond Video World, also known as Diamond Adult World, which has four locations selling sex toys, DVDs, lingerie, oils and lubricants, according to its website.

Diamond on Monday signed documents to purchase the property that formerly held a sporting goods store run by Deal’s daughter for $750,000. Deal is financing the transaction himself.

To the extent that there are repercussions to the sale, they are contained in the last sentence of the last paragraph of that report from my AJC colleague …

Continue reading Maybe they’ll call it ‘Discounted Dreams’ »

At least members of the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission got something right. You never turn your back on a TV camera and run. You face it, and back rapidly toward the door.

Dale Russell and Fox5 Atlanta on the aftermath of Friday’s meeting of the state ethics commission:

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

Continue reading The video from a meeting of Georgia’s see-through commission »

Click here to read the June 15 email in which Stacy Kalberman, executive secretary of the State Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, reports to the commission that the FBI has offered the use of one of its forensic accountant to assist in an investigation into Gov. Nathan Deal’s campaign finances.

If you are a member of the media pulling down a copy, all we ask is that you credit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Kalberman resigned this morning – although she declared she was pushed. Click here for the latest from my AJC colleague Aaron Gould Sheinin.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

Continue reading The memo reporting offer of FBI help to investigate governor’s campaign finances »

Let us be forthright about this. The chances that it will actually happen are rather slim to say the least.

Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., runs across full-fledged GOP candidate Herman Cain, in Concord, N.H. last week. AP/ Jim Cole

But on Tuesday, Georgia Christian Coalition head Jerry Luquire went on Tim Bryant’s daily talk show on WGAU (1340AM) and declared that his group wants to push Herman Cain into the 2014 Republican race for governor against incumbent Nathan Deal.

Presuming, of course that Deal is a candidate. And that Cain isn’t in the White House.

“We are for Cain in the presidential primary also, but he’s one of six good candidates. The possibility of him become the presidential candidate is at best one in six,” Luquire said.

“If he does not make it as a presidential candidate, then we want him in the governor’s mansion. We in Georgia – I say ‘we,’ a lot of Republicans and a lot of anti-Deal people…”

Luquire says he has not …

Continue reading Georgia Christian Coalition wants Herman Cain for governor »

When newly re-elected state GOP chairman Sue Everhart arrived home from an out-of-town trip on Wednesday, she found a sizeable bouquet of flowers on her porch.

There was a card attached, which read: “I couldn’t beat Nathan Deal, but you did.” It was signed, “Your friend, Roy.”

Democrat Roy Barnes, defeated by Deal last November in an attempt to return to the Governor’s Mansion, confessed to the delivery – which followed Everhart’s defeat of Tricia Pridemore, Deal’s choice, in the race for chairman at Saturday’s state GOP convention.

“I admire Sue’s courage, and she has been a mainstay in our community,” Barnes said of his fellow Cobb County resident.

Everhart confirmed delivery Friday afternoon. “I will not deny it. I tried to call him and thank him,” she said. But if he truly, truly liked her, the former governor would vote Republican, Everhart said.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

Continue reading A bouquet of flowers from Roy Barnes — to the chairman of the Georgia GOP »