The Geoff Duncan Lane That’s There Whether People Admit It or Not

Every election cycle, Georgia Democrats find a new way to underestimate their own voters. And right now, the latest example is the knee‑jerk reaction some rank‑and‑file Democrats and party activists have toward the idea of Geoff Duncan becoming the nominee. You’d think the sky was falling the way some folks talk.

But here’s the part nobody wants to say out loud:  

It’s crazy to act like he can’t win the nomination.

Not because of polls. Not because of headlines.  

But because there’s a quiet lane of voters out there that nobody is accounting for and they’re not talking, posting, or raising their hands in public.

They’re watching.

They’re listening.

And they’re not interested in getting dragged by their friends, their group chats, or their county party Facebook warriors for saying Duncan’s name out loud.

That’s the part the activists keep missing.

Georgia has always had a “hidden vote” people who don’t show their cards until the last minute. People who don’t want the noise. People who don’t want the backlash. People who don’t want to argue with folks who think they speak for the entire party.

And this year, that quiet lane is bigger than folks want to admit.

Especially among Black men.

Not the loud ones. Not the ones who live on Twitter.  On Facebook. On any social media site. 

I’m talking about the men who work, raise families, mind their business, and vote their own mind, not the party line someone tries to hand them.

These voters don’t show up in early polling.  

They don’t show up in activist circles.  

They don’t show up in the “who’s trending” conversations.

But they show up on Election Day.

So when people dismiss Duncan like he’s a non‑factor, that’s not analysis, that’s wishful thinking. It’s easier to pretend the race is already decided than to acknowledge that Georgia voters don’t move the way party insiders think they do.

The truth is simple:  

There’s more happening under the surface than folks want to admit.

And ignoring that hidden vote has burned Democrats before.

It might burn them again.

McLaurin’s Name Rings in North Fulton, But the Black Belt like Twiggs County Ain’t Echoing Yet

Every Sunday morning, before the coffee cools and the choir warms up, I like to take a look at the political landscape and ask the question folks whisper but rarely say out loud. Today’s question is simple:

Josh McLaurin may be the favorite in the suburbs  but can he win the Black Belt?

Now before anybody starts shouting, let’s lay out the facts like hymnals on a pew.

McLaurin has built his name in the northern metro suburbs — places where cul‑de‑sacs outnumber cotton fields and the biggest political battleground is often a school board meeting. That’s his home turf. That’s where folks know him.

But the Black Belt?  

That’s a whole different sanctuary.

Down there, politics doesn’t move on Twitter threads or suburban mailers. It moves through:

- church mothers and deacons  

- county commissioners who’ve been in office since the Clinton years  

- educators, pastors, and community anchors  

- people who know your people  

The Black Belt runs on relationships, not recognition.

And here’s the Sunday truth:  

There’s no public reporting yet showing McLaurin with deep validator networks or long‑standing ties in those counties. That doesn’t mean he can’t build them — only that the groundwork hasn’t been documented.

The issues that matter in the Black Belt aren’t always the ones that dominate suburban politics. Folks down there want to hear about:

- rural hospitals  

- jobs that don’t require leaving home  

- schools that stay open  

- roads that don’t crumble  

- economic stability  

It’s a different rhythm, a different choir, a different call‑and‑response.

And let’s be clear:  

The Black Belt is not a monolith.  

Southwest Georgia votes one way, Middle Georgia listens for another message, and East Georgia has its own priorities. A statewide candidate has to speak all those dialects — politically and culturally.

So can McLaurin win the Black Belt?  

That’s not a prediction for me to make.  

But here’s the hallelujah truth:

Suburban strength is one thing.  

Black Belt strength is another.  

And the bridge between them is built, not assumed.

As the race unfolds, we’ll see who puts in the miles, who earns the validators, and who shows up where it counts.

Until then, let the church say amen 

Voices From the Amen Corner: Why South Georgia’s Black Voters Trust Steady Hands Like Thurmond and Moon

I visited a church last week down in rural Southeast Georgia where the dirt is red and the pines whisper when the wind shifts, Sunday mornings still mean something. Folks gather at a historic black church not just for worship, but for the conversations that happen afterward, the real ones, the ones that shape how people think about their communities and their future.

After service, the congregation drifted out into the felliwship hall behind the church. Kids ran around the fellowship hall. The men leaned against their trucks. The women huddled in the lobby.

At the center of the circle stood Miss Ruby, 82, who had lived through enough Georgia history to fill a library.

“People keep acting like Black folks in South Georgia don’t know politics,” she said, adjusting her hat. “Baby, we’ve been reading candidates longer than they’ve been reading polls.”

A few folks laughed, but everyone listened.

Next to her was Deacon Charles, a retired farmworker who’d spent decades in the peanut and timber fields.

“I don’t need somebody promising me the moon,” he said. “I need somebody who’s run something. Somebody who’s served. Somebody who understands rural Georgia ain’t a backdrop, it’s home.”

He paused, then added:

“That’s why folks down here pay attention when they hear names like Michael Thurmond. They know his story. They know he’s worked, served, led. They know he understands Georgia from the ground up.”

Miss Ruby nodded. “And that young man running for Labor Commissioner, Jason Moon. Folks like that. Somebody who’s worked with small businesses, understands jobs, understands what it means when a plant closes or a shift gets cut. That matters down here.”

Across the circle, Tameka, a school counselor, chimed in.

“People online think Black voters in the country are just ‘moderate’ or ‘old‑school.’ No. We’re practical. We know what works. We know who’s steady. We know who respects us enough to talk with us, not at us.”

She looked around the group.

“We like leaders who’ve actually done something. Leaders who understand farming, labor, schools, and small towns. Leaders who don’t treat us like a slogan.”

A few elders murmured “mm‑hmm” in agreement.

Then Jamal, 22, home from Albany State, spoke up.

“I used to think y’all were too cautious. But now I get it. Y’all ain’t scared, y’all just smart. You’ve seen what happens when folks talk big and deliver small.”

Miss Ruby smiled at him.

“Baby, we’ve lived through enough storms to know the difference between thunder and rain.”

The group fell quiet for a moment.

Finally, Deacon Charles said:

“Down here, we like Democrats who are steady. Who know the land. Who know the people. Who’ve worked real jobs, solved real problems, and don’t look down on us. Folks like Thurmond. Folks like Moon. Folks who understand rural Georgia because they’ve lived something.”

Miss Ruby tapped her cane on the dirt.

“And don’t let nobody tell you Black folks in South Georgia don’t think for ourselves. We’re the reason half these elections even get close.”

Soft laughter was heard through the group, the kind that comes from truth.

As everyone headed toward their cars and trucks, the pastor called out:

“Y’all remember, wisdom don’t make noise. It just shows up.”

And in that moment, it was clear:

Black voters in rural South Georgia weren’t confused.  

They weren’t passive.  

They weren’t waiting for someone to tell them what to believe.

They were choosing leaders who matched their values... steady hands, proven service, grounded judgment, the kind of leaders who fit South Georgia like a well‑worn pair of boots.

 

2014: Georgia Democrats and How Can They Can Rile Up the Black Vote

As I sit here, I'm utterly amazed by democrats inability to excite Black Voters ahead of the midterm elections. The Traditional way of going after the black vote is still kinda effective, but democrats need to go outside the box to motivate a group of people that are difficult to read when it comes to voting. You would think issues from the minimum wage to equal pay to education would move black voters to the polls, but I'm here to tell you, unfortunately those issues don't motivate some, if not most black voters to go vote.

Instead issues from the Ferguson shooting to the Stand Your Ground Law to Trayvon Martin to the perceived unfair treatment by the justice system towards blacks in general, those are the type of issues that really get black voters riled up....or angry and motivate them to go to the polls. I was at a church over in Greenville, Georgia yesterday and the pastor during his sermon started to talk about the elections and how black

s need to get up and vote to prevent more laws being created like the Stand Your Ground Law and to fight back against "attempted" voter suppression (as the pastor say) by the GOP here in Georgia, he had to be talking about SOS Brian Kemp battle with a voting registration organization)

All the rage leading up to November among Democrats and Politicos is how Democrats are going to boost Black Voter turnout in time fir not only early voting, but on election day. Well, if it were me, I'd send mailers or run radio ads on predominantly black radio station with spots like this:

"It’s Fall 2014 but let me tell you about last Spring.  When they thought no one was listening, Republican leaders plotted impeaching President Obama or at least humiliating him for his last two years in office because the president and Democrats put working families and jobs before corporations and fat cats.  We can’t let them control Congress.  

The despicable Republicans were even discussing forcing kids who receive free lunch to clean the schools for their meals.  These are the people who created the “Stand Your Ground” laws and fight increasing the minimum wage.  We stop them by voting and making sure that everyone we know votes early—that’s the best protest. Vote for (candidate) in November"

And since this is football season, Friday Night Football in small town Georgia is a religion....one radio spot or television ad geared towards rural white moderates/blacks would go something like this:

"Speaker One: “Oh yea, smell the popcorn in the crisp air….it’s Friday night high school football in Georgia.”

 

Speaker Two; “Yes sir, the countless hours we have spent in this stadium…as students and now our kids are the ball players, cheerleaders and band members.  Where did the years go?”

Speaker One: “If you think about it, people can freeze in the stands for hours at a game but the same people won’t take 20 minutes to go early vote.  It’s a shame.”  

Narrator: “We all have priorities but isn’t voting as important as football, reality T.V., and cell phone games.  Why not use your mobile device to promote voting among your friends.  Let’s fight those who want to impeach President Obama for trying to provide healthcare for everyone.  The same people who went after President Clinton for silly reasons but said nothing about impeachment when we went to war for false reasons under another president. 

Congress, the state legislature and the governor’s mansions should be focused on education, training and get jobs back from overseas.  But, they aren’t thinking about regular folks when they make laws like Stand Your Ground and allow guns in schools, churches and nightclubs.   We should vote out of office people who basically declare open season on people who don’t look like you….because you “felt” threaten.  The best form of protest is voting what change what was wrong in the first place.

Voting is also our way of monitoring those who decide when, where and how long our sons, daughters, brothers, cousins and friends go to war.  We appreciate the political side eager to dialog with the other side and ready to have public policy decisions reflect the views of every Americans—not just their fancy friends.  As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  Voting ensures our seat at the table and provides the opportunity to squeak.   

High school football games are exciting but voting often takes less time than halftime.  We should support the kids on Friday nights but more importantly we should support their safe development into productive citizens.  Productive citizens vote and encourage those around them to do the same. On November 4 make your voices heard and vote for candidate or candidates in November".

Forget About Being Nice: Democrats Need To Tap The Anger Vein In Voters

Midterms are all about anger....and in some instances rage.  Polls never really show the exact extent of this.  There’s no identifiable or authoritative Anger Poll – a "how angry are you" poll. Personally, I’d like to see an anger poll.  Not another level of dissatisfaction with Congress poll or how much voters disapproves of President Obama poll.  And even though it’s something like news for the horse race gamblers, some of us get unbelievable headaches from survey after survey measuring how much half the public still detests the Affordable Care Act or "Obamacare" a it called.

But, an anger poll could go beyond the political divisions and reveal the root cause of electoral anxieties we see in polls and hear on the street.  The deciding factor in this upcoming midterm elections isn’t really about which party base is the most mobilized, but it’s more about how angry or anxious certain blocks of voters are.

This is problematic for both Democratic and Republican parties.  However, at this stage, it’s much more problematic for Democrats as the left has proven itself incapable of using voter anger as a valuable resource simply because they are too nice.  While progressives are writing diatribes and pity party scripts, conservatives are coming up with creative twists on anger and that strategy works everytime. Defensively, Democrats are earnestly rolling out a wave of populist themes designed to win the hearts and minds of lost base voters. From the minimum wage to equal pay, the issues seem solid on paper and in polling headlines bearing upbeat assessments of a Democratic Party comeback in this year’s highly critical midterm election.

Issues such as the minimum wage increase appeal to non-white voters at a much higher rate. But for any democrat to do well this november and win, he or she will have to go after the white vote. For all the talk about democrats needing to turnout their base, which will not be on the level of that of 2008 or 2012, white voters..those who are middle of the road, bluecollar will be the deciding bloc for democrats this year. If the Democratic party, is to thrive for instance like here in Georgia, it cannot simply accommodate itself to Republicans. The party needs to seize control of the battle for new ideas, reinvigorate its grassroots base, and develop new mechanisms for communicating its ideas to the public.

Why Black Voters Are More Forgiving Of Scandalized Politicians?

African American support for tainted politicians comes from the same ethic that has allowed Democrats to maintain black support despite poll after poll showing black attitudes on abortion, religion and, until recently, gay marriage line up more closely with the GOP’s positions.  In a perfect world, one might prefer a governor who addresses your interests and doesn’t sleep with prostitutes. In the imperfect, racially and economically stratified world we actually live in, the former takes precedence over the latter—especially in communities where political attention can be a life and death issue.

So why does it seem that many black voters rally behind corrupt or disgraced political figures and in many cases still cast votes in their favor? Well for starters, many other black elected officials, represents districts that suffer from relentlessly poor economic prospects. Once elected, these professional politicians seem to abandon all sense of judgment as they seek to enrich themselves and expand their influence, all while doing little to improve lives for their voters.  Look at former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Washington D.C. former Mayor Marion Barry as examples of corrupt politicos who still won despite mounting proof of their corruption.


The above cases illustrate a profoundly misguided tendency of Black Voters rallying to the side of an embattled politician because he or she is “one of their own.” Even before President Obama was elected, black voting patterns were, or are nearly monolithic -virtually any Democrat could win black votes; and indeed, most have. Black voters have developed a dismaying habit of remaining fiercely loyal to their public servants. This is built largely on the idea,  perpetuated by many Democrats, black and white, that the political system is stacked against black interests.

So long as entrenched black politicians continue to cultivate myths of victimhood within their electorates, corrupt politicians will forever win elections whether they deserve to or not. Many of these public servants exist in cosseted worlds where the needs of their voters don’t affect them, and they stopped attending those concerns long ago.