Well, last night was pretty interesting and there were some surprises. I spent most of the evening cutting my much neglected grass and chatting with a neighbor, so I didn’t catch election returns until almost 9pm (most everything was over by that point) and then I read Josh’s very good live-blog this morning.
Here are some thoughts about the run-off.
Newton County: I was glad to see Stacey Cotton lose. No offense to the guy personally, but his mailer just before the primary scared the hell out of me. I actually drove by my precinct on my way home from work, but realized that I left my wallet at home and would not be able to vote. Does that mean I am a disenfranchised voter?
The results of the Third District Democratic Primary must be pleasing to local Democrats who were using Jimmy Clark’s race as an issue. Word is, and I’ve got a good source on this, that local white Democrats were urging voters to vote for Nancy Schulz, since the district is very likely to go to a Democrat, to prevent the BOC from having three African-Americans. References to Clayton County was apparently used as a scare tactic.
Clayton County: Congrats to Give ‘Em the Boot. Seriously. I have to believe that you guys played a role what happened last night with Walking Small and Jewel Scott. A tip of my hat to Clayton County for doing something right for once. Anyone have thoughts on the school board elections?
Henry County: I knew it would be close, but I had a feeling that this result was likely. The Chamber of Commerce is definitely a loser in the primary and runoff. As long as there are three votes there to counter Mathis and Stamey, and I believe there are, then she will be marginalized. Basler is very much a question mark. I would expect quite a few 3-3 votes.
SD-44: I was sort of torn here. I can’t stand Gail Buckner and Gail Davenport is not a very bright person and clearly did not have a mind of her own. The good news is that Emanuel Jones no longer has a puppet, but the alternative isn’t that much better.
SD-50: Another incumbent went down here as Jim Butterworth beat Nancy Schaefer. I don’t think this is a surprise.
U.S. Senate: Jim Martin beat Vernon Jones with ease. I heard some commentary this morning about a possible divide in the Democratic Party’s coalition in Georgia over this. Unlike the race in Newton, that claim is baseless. Didn’t Georgia go for Obama in the Democratic primary? Jones did this to himself because he was a bad candidate that voted for George Bush twice and openly bashed liberals and the counties that presumably should have been Jones’ base of support went for Martin. His defeat has nothing, absolutely nothing, with the color of his skin.
Thoughts on the runoff
– August 6, 2008
Related Posts:
As to the Clayton County School Board; the jury is out. Clayton County thought they ridded themselves of the problems 4 years ago. However, they only but in different problems.
I hope these individuals elected will represent the platforms that they ran on. But again I think people thought that the last time. So lets just cross our fingers.
Did you notice the R vs D numbers from last night?
R’s in the Chairman race 8349.
D’s in the US Senate race 3815.
These were the only countywide elections and the result is 69% Republican to 31% Democrat.
A little different than the March Presidential Primary numbers.
As a white Dem in District 3, I can most assuredly tell you that I was urging everyone I could to vote for Jimmy Clark. Nancy is a Republican running as a Democrat because this district is leaning very heavily Dem at the moment. Several prominent Republicans at the Board of Elections for results last night personally told me so.
I will be doing everything I can to defeat this woman and it is simply because I am a Democrat and this kind of shit pisses me off royally. If she’s so ashamed of her party, then she needs to fix it, not lie her ass off to get the people she wants on the planning commission to approve her plans for her golf course and other developments.
And btw…I laughed my ass off at Stacey Cotton winning. If he wasn’t such an arrogant jerk, maybe he might have pulled it out, but now I will predict with a high Obama turnout, Newton County will have its first African American sheriff come this November. Also, Ezell Brown is a highly qualified candidate to lead the sheriff’s department and was a man of his word by not running against Joe Nichols again after losing to him in 1996. Ezell promised him he would wait until Mr. Nichols retired and I think that speaks volumes about the character of a man to lead that department.
I too have heard about the happenings in Dist. 3. It is unfortunate but it wasn’t just white Democrats. It was a whole lot of GOPers voting in the Dem. primary for that reason. Also, county-wide, many Republicans, I think, voted in the Dem primary to be able to vote against Hubert–those two factors together is what kept Varner from facing a run-off IMHO.
I don’t know about Nancy not being a “real” Democrat. I really don’t know her. But her husband, Dick, is a good guy.
One disagreement Sarah–If Cotton had gotten the GOP nod for sherriff, yes, I think Ezell would become our new sherriff. And I’d be proud of it. But w/ Watterson pulling off the upset, I think he is poised to become our next Sherriff. By all accounts, he’s a good guy and well-qualified. But so is Ezell for that matter. We’re fortunate to be assured of fine, upstanding sherriff no matter who wins.
Marshall, I have seen Nancy’s voting record. She has not pulled a Dem ballot since 1998. Ten years, especially the past 8 presidential years of voting for arguably the biggest disaster to sit in the Oval Office, doesn’t make one a Democrat. I guess I’m sore about cross over voting and the level of discourse. I don’t mind playing nasty, but at least be honest about it. Where’s the honor amongst thieves?
I am still surprised by the sheriff’s race. Please don’t get me wrong, I am very glad Watterson won. I met him on the 15th and got to talk to him again on the night of the 5th and I do genuinely believe he’s a really good guy. I’m glad he won because I really think that with him as the candidate, the level of the race will be elevated beyond gutter sniping. I believe that SC would have run a very negative campaign and I don’t think Mr. Watterson will. I know Ezell won’t because I’m working on that campaign and he’s just not that kind of guy. I’m looking forward to hearing them both lay out their plans to move the sheriff’s department forward and keep our communities safe.
Her voting record does sound suspect Sarah.
Best of luck on Ezell’s campaign…I’m pretty much out of supporting any local campaigns (I am a good friend of Susette Monk’s and was very supportive of her campaingn).
I’ll be busy working to help Barr 2008, Allen Buckley (L) for Senate, and John Monds(L) and Brandon Givens(L) for PSC.
Hey, we were in JCL together, right?
Are you Marshall McCart? If so, yes. I was Sarah Morris back then.
Believe it or not, Suzette and I are friends too. She and I used to be our parties representatives on election night and we would hang out and chat. She also lives right up the road from me.
Best of luck on the campaigns. I’ll be working on Obama, Martin, Heckman, Morgan, Brown and Keith Mitcham’s.