Posted on 07/09/2004 12:42:02 PM PDT by UlsterDavy
Some see Collins faltering in GOP Senate bid
DICK PETTYS
Associated Press
ATLANTA - Six-term U.S. Rep. Mac Collins has surprised a lot of people in his bid for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, but maybe not quite the way he intended.
With the campaign in its last 10 days, he is dead last in fund-raising among the three GOP candidates for the seat of retiring Sen. Zell Miller, and until his TV ads began airing this weekend, he had forfeited that medium to rivals Johnny Isakson and Herman Cain.
Collins insisted Friday he's "in good shape" and will peak exactly when he plans - July 20, election day.
But others aren't so sure.
"My sense is, things are not going well for that campaign," said University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock. "I wouldn't be surprised to see him finish third."
"I've been surprised at his low visibility," said Rusty Paul, a former chairman of the state Republican Party and Isakson supporter. "I think Mac is operating on the theory you can win races in Georgia still with grass roots campaigns ... but it's a much more difficult race to win."
Early on, the race looked to be a contest between two incumbent congressman - Collins, who has been in Washington since 1992, and Isakson, who won a special election in 1999 to replace Newt Gingrich and who had run two statewide races before.
Out of nowhere came Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather's Pizza and political neophyte who dazzled audiences with the skills he honed as a motivational speaker. He is the first black to seek a statewide office in Georgia under the GOP banner since Reconstruction.
With the race now winding down, Isakson leads in fund-raising, Cain is second and Collins is third, and some think that's the way the race will end, with the only question whether Isakson and Cain will meet in a runoff.
Collins doesn't see it that way.
"We're running a very positive campaign that's far from being over or a flop or a dud," Collins said. "You'll see that July 20."
Paul, however, sees a campaign that just isn't catching any breaks.
"His failure to achieve any momentum is not because there's anything inherently wrong with Mac Collins, his philosophy or ideas. He just waited late to get into the race, doesn't have the resources and he assumed he would inherit the right flank. But every day he's had to compete with Herman Cain for the right flank and he hasn't been able to nail that down."
The political arm of the anti-abortion group Georgia Right to Life gave an equal endorsement to Collins and Cain, who allow only one exception for abortion - to preserve the life of the mother. Isakson would also allow exceptions for rape and incest, a position unacceptable to that group.
In addition, Collins' campaign has experienced an unusual amount of staff turnover. He's now operating with his fourth campaign manager and his second press secretary, both brought down from his Washington staff.
"It's generally not thought to be a good thing to have turmoil on your staff," said political scientist Bullock.
"I wouldn't go so far to say it was 'turmoil,'" said Dan Kidder, the campaign's new press secretary. "I would say 'creative differences.'"
He explained: "U.S. Rep. Collins is not one who will be managed. He's been a successful businessman, a very successful leader in Congress ... the only person who's going to manage Mac Collins is Mac Collins."
All that aside, Kidder said Collins has quietly assembled a huge grass roots network that will take the state by surprise on July 20. "Mac Collins is an expert on grass roots campaigning ... people have underestimated him before."
Paul said Gov. Sonny Perdue's victory two years ago shows it is possible to win a statewide campaign with a grass roots campaign, "but everything has to go right."
And one important factor is missing now that helped lift Perdue to victory, Paul said.
"Two years ago you had a very unpopular incumbent. There was a lot of pent-up anger and frustration. In this case, it doesn't exist."
Rusty Paul is a moron. He said, "I've been surprised at his low visibility," said Rusty Paul, a former chairman of the state Republican Party and Isakson supporter. "I think Mac is operating on the theory you can win races in Georgia still with grass roots campaigns ... but it's a much more difficult race to win."
Neither Mac or Johnny have done anything grassroots. Johnny hired "college kids" to go to county meetings. The kids are not effective, they merely have turned a lot of people off with their snooty ways.
Isakson has thrown his moeny in every direction and is failing miserably. He is relying soley on old school techniques, mail, email and tv.
Mac has done little to nothing and calls it grassroots. He knows how to run a district race but not statewide.
Cain has redifined political campaigning. The law of sowing and reaping is legitimate. He will earn every vote he gets.
Please God, let Mr. Cain win!
Well, I'm cautiously optimistic- this is the first time, in 19 years of marriage, my normally apolitical wife has registered to vote, and I suspect Mr. Cain was the motivator.
The main reason I'm working for Cain is the abortion issue. He'd make a great spokesman for the unborn in the Senate.
God bless you, neighbor- and I need to make a note to myself to get some Cain signs- been meaning to do it, and keep forgetting. We're on a major truck route in town.
Come on down and get yard signs. Put them out while you run errands. It's not hard to do.
Ping
This is great news to us Cain supporters. While Mac Collins is a solid conservative and would make a fine Senator, Herman Cain would make a magnificent Senator, and his election could be a harbinger of a political realignment among blacks in the South and eventually nationwide. 30% of the black vote is all we need to forge a permanent majority in Congress.
But I would be remiss if I didn't comment on this statement by the author of the article:
"The political arm of the anti-abortion group Georgia Right to Life gave an equal endorsement to Collins and Cain, who allow only one exception for abortion - to preserve the life of the mother. Isakson would also allow exceptions for rape and incest, a position unacceptable to that group."
FReepMail me if you want to be ON or OFF this list
Go Herman Go! Pray for Herman Cain!
Click Here for the Herman Cain for US Senate Web Site
The victory on abortion must be won in the hearts of people worldwide...only the Dems want to keep it a political dividing line.
Contribution made.
Bump!
I see three Herman Cain articles today!
Can that possibly be an indication of him winning?
I am still praying for him.
It's just the beginning, onyx!!!
He's looking GOOD.
Dear God in Heaven,
reach enough hearts
so that Herman will win.
I could ramble on & on about how the South is unfairly stereotyped regarding race, but we've all seen how the Jackal Pack Media works to drive its agendas- one of them being "the South is like "Deliverance"- full of ignorant, racist ( and sexist ) rednecks..."
But rather than that, let me tell you a story.
There's a perrenial candidate for local office here in my town- his name is Joe Jaudon, and while he's never won office, I always vote for him.
And so you ask, "Why? Why vote for a man who never wins?"
Simply this- the first time he ran for office here he came up to me, shook my hand, and asked for my support, and while talking to him I naturally asked him why I should vote for him- and his answer was so simple and compelling-
"You've got a friend in Joe Jaudon."
So everytime Joe runs, I cast my vote for him, and maybe one day, he'll win some kind of office here...
...and yes, Joe is black and I am white. The color of a man's skin has nothing to do with the color of his heart.
Although we can expect the NAACP and other blacks, like Jesse Jackson, to denounce Cain and call him a Uncle Tom like they do to all blacks that don't tote their kind of thinking.
You are forgetting the black woman from Illinois who was booted out after her first term. I forget her name. Also there we a few during reconstruction.
Anyway, I gave Cain $250 today, and also stopped by the office and made signs for a few hours. The people who work for him are real people, not the type that Johnny seems to recruit, the purely political animals.
Anyway, I will admit that Isakson has experience that Cain does not have. That's in losing embarassingly to a Democrat statewide. Let us hope that Mr Moderate does not get a second chance to repeat that.
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