Gulf War Veteran & Peach Co Commissioner Mike Dinkins Endorses Tom Coogle for August 21 Runoff for HD 139

HD 139 Candidate  & current Peach County Commissioner Michael Dinkins (D-Fort Valley) has endorsed Businessman Tom Coogle (D-Montezuma) for the August 21 Runoff Election to be held next Tuesday. Dinkins, a graduate of Fort Valley State University, veteran of the Persian Gulf War & current Commissioner for Peach County who carried the city of Fort Valley with over 55% of the vote threw his support behind Coogle after his unsuccessful bid for HD 139 seat which covers Peach, Macon, Dooly & Taylor County.

Dinkins in a statement (which you can also see on Coogle's Campaign Mailer) said: "I am formally endorsing Tom Coogle as the best candidate for State House District 139. Tom has the right path to help our district and our state. He will help to bring jobs and serve all the citizens in our district. So join me in voting for my friend Tom Coogle on Tuesday August 21".

Coogle who hails from one of the poorest counties in the state, (Macon) is what you consider a 'Rare" Breed in today's politics, a rural white, christian democrat who's socially & fiscally conservative who's managed to build a solid coalition of Black & White Voters in his first bid for public office. Gerrymandering has basically wiped out the majority of Georgia's Rural White Democrats; (Only Debbie Buckner, Rick Crawford & Barbara Massey-Reece remain as the last rural white democrats in the Georgia State House of Representatives)  The runoff election is next tuesday!

Race Card now being Used in HD 139 Race

On August 21, voters will go back to the polls to elect a new representative for HD 139. Thomas Coogle & Patty Bentley will meet in a runoff to determine who will succeed Lynmore James who retired after this year's legislative session.

But as expected. the use of the Race card is now being thrown around in attempts to keep HD 139 "BLACK" or in Black Control.

My high ranking sources down in Vienna & elsewhere have been emailing me, as well as texting me that retiring State Representative Lynmore James, along with his Bentley this week alone has been making the rounds in the swing county (in which Coogle got 47.9% of the vote, while Bentley got 34%) telling voters & county/city officials that the district needs to be, it has to be represented by a Black, not a white & that folks in Atlanta are used to seeing a black face representing HD 139 (formerly HD 135). In other word..LET'S KEEP HD 139 BLACK

Now, the district has a 57% Black Population, 62% minority population with hispanics included.

Let me cut this short because I have to get back to work, but if this is what's going on, then it shows (1) How desperate candidate Bentley & James are becoming & (2) Her message isn't resonating with voters of HD 139.

When things get tough for a liberal, always use the RACE CARD. It never....well  most of the time it always fail! If a white candidate were to do the same thing toward a black candidate, boy I swear he or she would be called a Bigot!

Coogle has gotten the support of Peach County Commissioner & former Gulf War Veteran Michael Dinkins who came in third during the primary, but overwhelmingly carried Peach County with close to 60% of the vote

Coogle, Lucas Headed Towards Runoff; Other Tidbits from Last Night

In the race for HD 139, Conservative Democrat Thomas Coogle (D-Montezuma) will face Patty Bentley (D-Butler) in the August 21 runoff. Coogle received 40%, while Bentley got 39%. Peach County Commissioner Michael Dinkins finished third with 20%.

In the race for SD 26, former State Representative David Lucas finished with 49% while incumbent Miriam Paris, who won in a special election to replace the late Robert Brown got 45% while 5% of voters wasted their votes on Irving Martinez.

Incumbent State Sen. Cecil Staton dodged a upset bid from Upson County Republican Spencer Price. Staton received 51% while Price got 49%

Over in HD 137 Debbie Buckner (D-Junction City) beat back challengers Travis Chambers & Kuwonna Mahone Ingram garnering 55% of the vote. It goes to show that messaging wins elections, not playing the race or gender card!

Retiring State Rep Sistie Hudson won her bid for Hancock County Commission Chairmanship beating incumbent Samuel Duggan & Terrell Reid. Congrats to Rep Hudson. If there's anyone who can turn Georgia's poorest counties around, its you!

SD 15 Ed Harbison (D-Columbus) easily wins re-election over Reginald Pugh with over 70% of the vote. Harbison obtained many of the counties fotrmerly held by George Hooks (D-Americus) who retired after 30 years serving in the Georgia Legislature.

Down in Telfair County Challenger Chris Steverson defeated Incumbent Johnny Smith with 51% of the vote. Steverson will face Republican Grady McGhee in November

The T-Splost passed in the River Valley, Heart of Georgia, Central Savannah Regions, but failed in the Middle Georgia Region.