Crotts endorses Glenn (8th- Ga.)

Columbus Ledger Inquirer ^ | Jul. 29, 2004 | CHUCK WILLIAMS

[Amish]

Crotts endorses Glenn

After questioning candidacy, Crotts says Glenn can beat Westmoreland

BY CHUCK WILLIAMS

Staff Writer

Dylan Glenn, a candidate for the Republican nomination for the open 8th Congressional District seat, received an endorsement Wednesday from one of his former rivals.

Mike Crotts, who finished third in the four-man race a week ago, has thrown his support behind Glenn in his Aug. 10 runoff against front-runner Lynn Westmoreland.

A formal announcement is planned for this morning in Henry County.

Crotts' support of Glenn comes two weeks after the Georgia state senator questioned whether or not Glenn could win the seat. The largely conservative 8th District, which stretches from suburban Atlanta to north Columbus to Macon, is 88 percent white. Glenn is black.

"I told Dylan -- I am not a prejudiced man and know he is not a prejudiced man -- but the 8th District is not ready for you even though you are capable of serving," Crotts said a week before the primary election.

Crotts said he now believes Glenn can win the runoff against Westmoreland.

"My position was misunderstood," Crotts said. "It was not an issue with me. It is still not an issue with me. Dylan is a capable individual. Based on what you just saw in the election process, the people have pretty much shown the answer to that question. I think he is capable of being elected."

Westmoreland led last week's election with 45 percent of the nearly 100,000 votes cast. Glenn had 38 percent, while Crotts had 11 percent or almost 11,000 votes.

Glenn, a Columbus native and former White House aide, welcomed Crotts' support and said it will be helpful in the eastern-most reaches of the district.

"I think it is an obvious shot in the arm in the counties where he ran strong," Glenn said. "In my opinion, it could be the difference."

Crotts won Rockdale and Newton counties. He got more than 3,500 votes in Henry, but still ran third. The six-term senator represented the three counties in the General Assembly.

Westmoreland, a Coweta County homebuilder, said he was not surprised by Crotts' decision to endorse Glenn.

"It is really only the endorsement of the people on Aug. 10 that makes a difference," Westmoreland said. "I talked to Mike. He told me he wanted his campaign debt paid off. And he was going to solicit funds from my supporters and Dylan's."

Steve Butler, 29, Glenn's campaign manager, said no financial commitment was made to Crotts.

"Our campaign has never had a conversation about retiring Sen. Crotts' campaign debt," Butler said.

The fourth-place finisher in last week's primary, Tom Mills, a LaGrange middle school teacher, endorsed Westmoreland on Wednesday. Mills received a little more than 5 percent of the vote.

[Amish]

 

Georgia Election Results
Official Results of the July 20, 2004 Primary Election

Last Updated 2:58:01 p.m. 07-28-2004

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UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE - 8TH DISTRICT
Republican

100 % of precincts reporting
PR=Precincts Reporting
TP=Total Precincts

                          CROTTS      GLENN      MILLS WESTMORELD 
                          10,596     35,276      4,926     43,005 
                            11.3%      37.6%       5.3%      45.8%
County         PR  TP 
BIBB           52  52        370      1,228        124      1,323 
BUTTS          12  12        323        289         48        408 
CARROLL        34  34        728      2,481        391      3,093 
COWETA         30  30        517      4,497        466      9,127 
DOUGLAS        24  24        747      2,772        397      3,301 
FAYETTE        38  38        500      5,898        511      9,651 
HARRIS         14  14        253      1,453        124      1,191 
HENRY          34  34      3,494      4,591        689      4,958 
JASPER          9   9        296        367        104        681 
JONES          13  13         40         78         34        146 
LAMAR           8   8         68        432         59        362 
MUSCOGEE       50  50        391      3,938        198      2,015 
NEWTON         22  22        703        578        110        697 
PIKE           10  10        149      1,250        277      1,389 
ROCKDALE       18  18      1,607        851        149        914 
SPALDING       22  22        223      1,684        200      2,174 
TROUP          18  18        116      2,321        937        973 
UPSON          12  12         71        568        108        602 

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