Posted on 07/20/2004 2:37:30 AM PDT by pookie18
Conservative Democrat Zell Miller sides against his own party more often than most; he's endorsed President Bush for re-election and will speak at the GOP convention. (He's also a friend of TAS, having delivered the keynote address at a dinner last fall where financial benefactors mingled with those of us whom they benefact.) There are some who say that Miller's seat in the Senate is really filled by a Republican. When he retires next year, it will become official.
The Democrat expected to win today's primary, freshman congresswoman Denise Majette, is far too liberal to be elected in Georgia, where the Democratic Party took its hardest hits in 2002. That makes the Republican primary doubly important.
The candidate that makes conservatives swoon is Herman Cain. A one-time Burger King executive who sold Godfather's Pizza in December after owning it for 15 years, Cain has called for abolition of the IRS and repeal of the income tax, replacing it with a national sales tax, one of the two competing high-growth dreams of supply-siders. (The other, of course, is the flat income tax; not coincidentally, Cain backed Steve Forbes in the 2000 primary.) The author of several business books, the charismatic Cain makes $25,000 per appearance as a motivational speaker. Oh yes: He's black. If elected, Cain would be the first black senator from the Deep South since Reconstruction.
The race has focused mostly on abortion; though all three candidates -- Cain and Representatives Mac Collins and Johnny Isakson -- are pro-life, questions of purity are magnified in a state where, according to Georgia Right to Life, six percent of voters vote solely on abortion; the percentage is no doubt larger in a Republican primary.
As the front-runner, Isakson has taken hits from the right from both Cain and Collins, who oppose abortion except when the health of the mother is threatened; Isakson also favors exceptions in cases of rape and incest. Isakson has been hammered for various compromises on the issue, including voting to allow privately funded abortions on U.S. military bases abroad.
The focus on abortion makes strategic sense for Cain and Collins: Isakson lost his last bid for a nomination for Senate in 1996 when, in what many consider a fatal political error, he ran an ad touting his opposition to a Human Life Amendment.
The latest polling by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution shows Isakson with 46%, Cain with 16%, and Collins with 8%. There is word from Georgia that candidates' internal polling shows the race much closer. If Cain holds Isakson below 50%, it will force a two-way run-off. If that happens, despite a significant fundraising gap, Cain may have a fighting shot at grabbing the nomination.
Here's hoping.
I just feel that it's kind of odd when even a respected conservative magazine like TAS can't seem to get its facts straight when it comes to this senate race-and consider, this is a magazine with George Neumayr, who did a tremendous job of illuminating the vast ideological gulf that stood between Schwarzenegger and McClintock during the CA recall election-we have a major problem.
Believe me, if I had the opportunity to vote for Herman Cain I would do it in a heartbeat!
Here's hoping that he pulls it out in an eventual runoff.
Only in America.
Went to the polls this morning with my three boys and let them cast some votes ... middle boy voted for CAIN! Oldest boy voted for Roger "Bulldozer" Dozier and youngest for Tom Rawlings. These boys are bullets in the gun the day they turn 18.
Called my brother and sister-in-law last night ... two more votes for CAIN!
Called my mom and dad this morning ... two more votes for CAIN.
Twixt me and them, that's five CAIN votes today.
GO HERMAN GO!
Nope, noone is admitting nuttin' until after tonight. Then we'll have to see who makes the (probable) runoff. Then we'll see, although after the (probable) runoff on August 10th, I am sure the losers will endorse the winners. No need for backbiting when the goal is to get the seat.
woo hoo!
GO HERMAN GO!
It's surrepticiously spectaculocious!The splendiferous speciousity is insurmountippible.
I think you did the right thing. We've got a good Republican race and we need to be electing our candidates.
I wouldn't be so quick to count out Majette. She was able to knock out an entrenched incumbent with strong political family ties in a primary just two years ago. We cheered her on then, and that kind of underdog good will carries a long time.
I only wish I could vote for Herman Cain but sadly I live in Ohio.
Mac is a good man too. Hopefully they combine to force a run off. Unless Cain wins outright of course.
Tell Don to comb his hair. He's scaring the dog.
Voted for Herman at 8:30 this morning in Richmond County.
I have discounted Majette. Georgia is, after November, officially a Republican state from top to bottom. The dim in the U.S. Senate race doesn't stand a chance, even if Isakson does win the Republican nomination. Remember, the underdog win she got was due to Neal Boortz and the Republicans in her district. Those Republicans won't be voting for her in November.
Mr. Cain got my vote as well, as well as everyone in my family. So strike up 9 more votes for Herman!
Report from Douglas county, Bil Arp elementary school.
The place was PACKED!
In my 30 minutes spent there, I did not see one person at the dimocrat table.
Go Cain GO!!!
Same here.
YES, but thank God, you can also vote for him.
I can only pray for him.
:-)
Believe me, if I had the opportunity to vote for Herman Cain I would do it in a heartbeat!
I acted on your behalf, Yazid. :-)
Thank you for the words of support, Sittin Yonder. I really had to do some soul-searching whether to cross over or not. Will be interested in the McNinney results this evening. Bleah!
Back from the vote and I've done my duty onyx, Ma'am! < crisp salute >
:-)
LOL!
Just one more reason why I adore you!
I appreciate it.
I'll be watching the McKinney results closely.
If the voters of that district are dull enough to allow Ms. Racist to return to the halls of Congress, then I don't know that there's much we can do about it.
Thankfully, her even more virulently racist-not to mention, extremely paranoid-father was booted out of office in the last election.
Hopefully, we won't be hearing from either of them after this primary has concluded, though I wouldn't count them out entirely.
Bigots always have a way of returning to the public spotlight.
Witness David Duke.
God FORBID!
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