Sen..Zell Miller Comments on 8th District Run-off (Ga)

DC's Political Report ^ | 6 Aug 2004

[Amish]

The news item says:

"Miller Enters GOP Fray: U.S. Senator Zell Miller (D-GA) inserted himself into Georgia's 6th Congressional District Republican primary runoff. Miller was disturbed by a television commercial run by State Representative Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) which questions the the integrity of Dylan Glenn (R-GA)."

Can anyone find another and more extensive discussion of this? If so, please post it.

[pookie18]

Miller weighs in on Republican congressional race

The Associated Press - WASHINGTON

Democratic Sen. Zell Miller has inserted himself into a Republican congressional primary, defending candidate Dylan Glenn against an opponent's television ad that suggests Glenn abandoned a south Georgia charity when it no longer helped him politically.

The Georgia senator released no statement condemning the ad but authorized former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to speak on his behalf during a Glenn rally, Miller spokeswoman Joan Kirchner said Friday.

According to a transcript of Gingrich's Thursday night comments, released by the Glenn campaign, Miller was bothered that the ad by state Rep. Lynn Westmoreland seemed to question Glenn's integrity.

"Sen. Miller said he felt voters ought to make their decisions based on facts and not on attacks," Gingrich said.

Glenn and Westmoreland meet in a runoff Tuesday in Georgia's 8th District, a predominantly Republican territory stretching from the southern Atlanta suburbs to Macon and Columbus. The race is being watched nationally because a Glenn victory could give Republicans their lone black member of Congress.

Miller, the only Democratic senator to endorse President Bush, stopped short of endorsing Glenn's candidacy. The retiring senator has stayed out of state races this year _ including the one to succeed him _ two years after bombarding the airwaves with ads touting various Democrats.

Two of his key ones _ Sen. Max Cleland and Gov. Roy Barnes _ lost their re-election bids, and Miller says the endorsements may have hurt, not helped.

The Westmoreland ad focuses on Glenn's establishment in 1999 of the South Georgia Economic Development Corporation, which sought to bring new jobs into the region and combat poverty.

In a conference call Friday, Westmoreland said Glenn made $100,000 and also had health benefits and a car during his two years leading the group, despite only releasing three grants. The ad suggests Glenn abandoned the organization in 2001 when he moved to Washington to become an economic aide for President Bush.

"Sen. Miller is a man of truth," Westmoreland said. "He's a man of honesty. And, I'm sure he would want the people of the 8th District to know the truth about the situation that happened with this charity."

The 8th District race has turned out several major endorsements. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., is backing Westmoreland, as are Republican U.S. Reps. Nathan Deal, Jack Kingston, John Linder and Charlie Norwood.

Glenn counts among his supporters Gingrich, former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and GOP vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp.

http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=43117