Barr loses Georgia Primary. Libertarian Party claims partial responsibility.

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

[EBUCK]

WASHINGTON, DC -- The "worst drug warrior in Congress" has lost his seat, and the Libertarian Party appears to have played a small role in making it happen.

U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, a four-term incumbent, lost the Republican primary in Georgia's 7th District on Tuesday night to fellow Republican John Linder, 67 percent to 33 percent.

Over the past two weeks, Barr's Libertarian opponent, Carole Ann Rand, flooded Georgia's 7th District with more than 4,000 TV spots. The ads feature a multiple sclerosis victim who lashes out against the Congressman for his crusade against medical marijuana.

"Barr's defeat is a victory for every American who believes that doctors and patients – rather than politicians – should be making medical decisions," said Rand. "Like Babe Ruth pointing to a spot in the bleachers before he hit that home run, we pointed out our target and knocked him right out of Congress."

The party's political director, Ron Crickenberger, acknowledged that many factors contributed to Barr's defeat.

"Actually, it's impossible to gauge the precise effect that this or any other ad had on the outcome," he said. "Nevertheless, there are a number of reasons to believe that our ad had an impact.

"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.'

"That left us a huge opportunity to inject our issue into the public debate – and we did."

For another thing, media interest was piqued by the dramatic ads, Crickenberger said.

"Political reporters for every major paper in the district, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, wrote about the ad's expected impact," he said. "In addition, local talk radio hosts turned it into a topic for discussion, and Atlanta-based, syndicated radio host Neal Boortz really beat Barr up over the medical marijuana issue.

"So while Barr's loss was attributable to many factors, I believe these ads put another nail into his political coffin."

The 30-second ad opens with a shot of multiple sclerosis sufferer Cheryl Miller lying on a stretcher as an announcer asks: "Why does Bob Barr want this woman in jail?" Miller introduces herself as a medical marijuana user and says, "Bob Barr thinks I should be in jail for using my medicine. Why would you do that to me, Bob?"

The ad concludes: "When the Drug War turns on our own sick and dying, it's gone too far -- and so has Bob Barr."

The 30-second ads ran in Barr's district on two broadcast networks – Fox and NBC – as well as on CNN, TNT, Comedy Central, MS/NBC, and dozens of other cable networks.

Produced by the national Libertarian Party, the ads are part of its goal of defeating the worst drug warriors in Congress, whether Republican or Democrat. 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.

[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