Underdog in Georgia Special House Contest Reaches Across Party Lines

Congressional Quarterly ^ | Jul. 06, 2007 | Rachel Kapochunas

[Clintonfatigued]

Sometimes your own party’s support isn’t enough — a fact of political life being borne out again in the competitive Republican-versus-Republican special election campaign for the vacant House seat in Georgia’s 10th Congressional District.

Former state Sen. Jim Whitehead is the consensus front-runner to succeed the late seven-term Republican Rep. Charlie Norwood, as early voting begins next week in a runoff campaign that ends July 17. Whitehead’s 43.5 percent of the vote in the 10-candidate, single-ballot June 19 special election primary placed him way ahead of physician Paul Broun — the Republican whose 20.7 percent enabled him to narrowly edge Democrat James Marlow for the second spot in the runoff.

Needing to close that big gap has pressed Broun into casting a wider net for votes, one that drifts into Democratic territory in a northeastern Georgia district known generally as a Republican Party stronghold.

Tim Echols, Broun’s campaign treasurer, told CQPolitics.com on Friday that Broun is deeply conservative. But, he contended that for Democrats who wish to participate in the election (since voters of all political persuasions are permitted to cast ballots), “Dr. Broun is their only hope for an independent-thinking candidate.”

Yet even Echols expressed uncertainty that the promise of “independent thinking” would be enough to draw a significant turnout of Democrats for an all-Republican runoff that ensures a continued GOP hold on the seat.

Broun received the endorsement of the major newspaper in Athens, his hometown and — as home to University of Georgia — the 10th District’s most Democratic-voting locale. But the editorial stating the support of the Athens Banner-Herald, may be too tepid to drive many Democrats to the polls for Broun.

[Clintonfatigued]

Dr. Broun’s tactic is a blunder, but conservatives in the district should still support him. Jim Whitehead is the establishment candidate, and the GOP establishment needs to be sent a message, especially regarding border security.

[LdSentinal]

Both are anti-amnesty.

[Clintonfatigued]

That is true, but I think that Broun would be more fervently opposed to open borders.

I won’t mind when Whitehead wins, but a large vote for Broun would send a message to the establishmenet, and Whitehead is the establishment’s candidate.

[AuH2ORepublican]

“I won’t mind when Whitehead wins, but a large vote for Broun would send a message to the establishmenet, and Whitehead is the establishment’s candidate.”

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Whitehead may be the “establishment candidate,” but he’s also a solid conservative with a long voting record to prove it. Broun is an ex-Democrat from Athens, and if he does well in the run-off you can bet that the media will say “Republicans are weak even in a rock-ribbed GOP district” or some silliness like that. If I lived in the district, I would vote for Whitehead unless there is something specific about his policy positions that make him undesirable.