Barr loses Georgia Primary. Libertarian Party claims partial responsibility.

Libertarian Party ^ | 08/21/2002 | George Getz, Press Secretary

[EBUCK]

The LP has an effect, take that WODers.

Link to view ads...C.A. Rand's page

EBUCK

[hobbes1]

I would be curious to be able to examine a precint by precinct breakdown to see if Democrats crossing over did not have an equal or greater efect....

[GraniteStateConservative]

Of course they do. They helped elect Max Cleland in 1996. Thanks, dope smokers.

[johniegrad]

Barr loses 67% to 33% and you think a series of ads on medical marijuana swung the vote? Don't you think that's a little like losing a football game by 30 points and complaining it was the officiating?

[lelio]

"For one thing, our ad was virtually the only issue-based TV spot in the campaign, so it became a lightning rod for publicity. Both Barr and Linder ran personality- based, feel-good ads. Linder's main ad simply described how he met his wife, which was designed to leave voters with a warm, fuzzy feeling. And Barr's TV spot came to be called the 'Barr is gooder' ad. It portrayed a good 'ol boy saying, 'Linder is good. But I'm going to vote for Barr, because he's gooder.'
Can someone post a link / describe this ad?

[Hugin]

The LPers are smoking too much if they think they are responsible for Barr's 2 to 1 loss.

[mhking]

The LP is full of used food. Barr would have lost even if the LP hadn't come up with a candidate...

The loss was Barr's own damn fault.

[EBUCK]

The way I understand it, the whole purpose of the LP running the campaign was to get Barr Bumped. That done the LP will now leave the race to Linder to win or lose without LP opposition.

EBUCK

[EBUCK]

Did you read the article? It says "appears to have played a small role in making it happen."

No one is claiming full responsibility. But I'm sure that the LP ads helped.

EBUCK

[Redbob]

Sorry, LP, but it was the Dimocrat legislature of Georgia that defeated Barr, by re-districting Barr & Linder into the same district.

Only good news coming out of Georgia is the defeat of "Sister from Another Planet," Cynthia McKinney.

[johniegrad]

I also heard that they swung the McKinney election by running ads that said she was opposed to pornography.

[Grut]

Barr loses 67% to 33% and you think a series of ads on medical marijuana swung the vote?

Heck yes - 67% + 33% + the Libertarian Difference = 100%!

[steve50]

Of couse the effect of the libertarians will be discounted. While probably not the sole reason I'm sure it had a larger effect than many wish to admit.

Polls show 73% support for medical cannabis, the neocons are going to ride this issue all the way to their graves if they don't wise up. A shame they'll take the republican party with them.

[Teacher317]

Doubtful. When Barr's district was redrawn, 70% of his old constitutents were in one district, and only 17% in the district that he chose to run in. His opponent, Linder, was also an incumbent who "got redrawn", and he had about 40% of his old constituents in that district. Simply by voting for "their guy", the Republicans in the newly-drawn 7th were heavily skewed towards Linder... hence Barr's defeat.

The Dems didn't need to "cross-over"... as if the same idiots who can't figure out a butterfly ballot could be accused of such a grand conspiracy as we pulled off against Cynthia McKinney. 5,000 GOP votes and 113,000 Dem votes in her district. While the 4th District IS heavily Democrat, it certainly isn't 96%!!! Now THAT'S cross-over power!

The fun part will be seeing the morons on the Left crying about the "cheating" when Georgia has OPEN Primaries, and "crossing-over" is 100% legal.

[EBUCK]

Even if the LP factor was small it is a good sign that the WOD is losing ground. Besides, that Linder guy seems like a pretty good canservative.

[Ulysses]

Barr would have lost even if the LP hadn't come up with a candidate...

The loss was Barr's own damn fault.

I think you're right on track. I live in the 7th district. What kind of left a bad taste in my mouth about Barr is this: He could have stayed where he was and won that district. It might have been a tougher fight. But instead, he moved into what he felt would be an even "safer" district. Now thanks to that decision, we're going to lose one seat to the Dems.

[hobbes1]

thanx for the Stats....makes it pretty clear...

[jf55510]

Other targets for defeat include U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-TX; Sen. Max Cleland, D-GA; Senator Tim Hutchison, R- AR; and Senator Max Baucus, D-MT.

This is worrisome. Hopefully the ads do not have an effect on the race. This race is going to be close. Even if you do not like the WOD, we probably all prefer a Hastert run House than Gepthart run house.

[Ben Ficklin]

I imagine that the rank and file libertarian is just sick about all the money being thrown away.

[EBUCK]

I'm pretty sure that the LP blew it's wad getting rid of Barr. I really doubt that the LP has the means to take on another one this cycle.

EBUCK