GA‑1 Is Headed for Overtime: Why McCord and Griggs Look Like the Last Two Standing

Georgia’s 1st Congressional District is doing what it always does in a crowded Democratic primary: splitting itself into pieces and daring somebody to clear 50%. And right now, the two names with the clearest lanes and the most durable bases are Michael McCord and Joyce Griggs.

Not because anybody crowned them.  

Not because anybody’s guaranteed anything.  

But because the math, the map, and the mood of the electorate are all pointing in the same direction.

A Crowded Field With No Clear Breakaway

When you pack multiple Democrats into a primary, you don’t get a winner, you get fragments.  

Everybody grabs their slice, nobody gets a majority, and the top two live to fight another day.

That’s the shape of GA‑1 right now.

Griggs: The Known Quantity

Joyce Griggs has run this race more than once, and that matters.  

Her name is familiar to long‑time Democratic voters, especially in Chatham County.  

In a low‑turnout primary, familiarity is currency.

She’s got a loyal base.  

She’s got staying power.  

And she’s got voters who don’t need an introduction.

McCord: The Working‑Class Messenger

Michael McCord has carved out a different lane — the blue‑collar, cost‑of‑living, “I’m talking to the folks who feel forgotten” lane.  

That message hits in rural counties where Democrats still exist but rarely get courted.

He’s not running on polish.  

He’s running on pain points... groceries, gas, wages, and the sense that Washington doesn’t see people like his voters.

That resonates.

Two Lanes, Minimal Overlap

This is the part people miss.

Griggs and McCord aren’t fighting over the same voters.  

They’re drawing from different wells:

- Griggs: older, loyal, urban‑leaning Democratic base  

- McCord: rural, working‑class, moderate‑leaning Democrats  

When two candidates have distinct coalitions, they don’t cannibalize each other.  

They climb.

Ground Game Matters in a Low‑Turnout Primary

Primaries aren’t about enthusiasm online, they’re about who actually shows up.

Candidates with:

- volunteers  

- early‑vote presence  

- rural reach  

- and a clear, repeatable message tend to outperform their poll numbers.

Both McCord and Griggs have that kind of identifiable support.

The Bottom Line

GA‑1 isn’t handing out easy wins.  

It’s a district where you earn every vote, and you earn them twice if the race goes to overtime.

A McCord–Griggs runoff isn’t a prediction,

it’s simply the most plausible outcome when:

- the field is crowded,  

- the vote is fractured,  

- and two candidates have the clearest, strongest lanes.

That’s the story right now.  

And unless something dramatic shifts, GA‑1 looks like it’s setting the table for a second round.

Cut the Delusion — McCord’s the Only Shot Democrats Have in CD1

Every now and then a primary comes along where the choice isn’t complicated. Georgia’s 1st Congressional District is one of the toughest battlegrounds in the state, and if Democrats are serious about making CD‑1 competitive in November, then the nominee has to be someone who’s already proven they can do more than talk about winning, they have to show they can build a path to it.

From my vantage point, Michael McCord is the one Democrat in this race who’s actually done that work.

He’s gone into the parts of this district most candidates avoid, the rural pockets, the small towns, the places where Democrats haven’t always been welcomed with open arms and he’s earned respect there. Not because he’s flashy or overly polished, but because he shows up, listens, and speaks plain. That matters in a district like this.

He’s also put forward real, comprehensive proposals that speak to kitchen‑table issues,

the things families in this district actually argue about, budget around, and lose sleep over. That’s not theory. That’s preparation.

And then there’s the part folks don’t talk about enough: his ability to connect with rural voters. Not perform for them. Not pander to them. Connect with them. That’s rare, and it’s the difference between a campaign that looks good on paper and one that can actually compete in November.

McCord didn’t come up through the political system. He’s not a manufactured candidate. He’s not the product of a pipeline. He’s a true outsider — and in a district that’s tired of the same old political routine, that’s exactly the kind of candidate who can break through.

There’s no one else in this primary I see who’s as ready, as tested, or as capable of making GA‑01 competitive as Michael McCord. That’s just the truth from where I sit.

The Grit That Travels: How McCord and Gluesenkamp Speak to Folks Who Work With Their Hands

Every election cycle, a candidate comes along whose message cuts through the noise not because they’re flashy, but because they speak the language of people who work with their hands, fix their own problems, and don’t have time for political theater. In Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, Michael McCord is shaping himself into that kind of candidate.

And if his approach feels familiar, it’s because we’ve seen a version of it before... all the way across the country.

Washington Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez built her political identity by leaning hard into the concerns of blue‑collar voters. She talks trades, small shops, rural frustration, and the everyday grind that most political messaging skips right over. She doesn’t dress it up. She doesn’t run from it. She centers it.

McCord’s style echoes that lane.

A Shared Blueprint: Speak Plain, Speak Practical, Speak to Working People

This isn’t about ideology. It’s about how they talk and who they talk to.

Both have leaned into:

- Working‑class economic issues  

- Trades and skilled labor  

- Rural and small‑town concerns  

- A message that feels lived‑in, not poll‑tested  

In a district like GA‑01, where military families, port workers, farmers, mechanics, and small business owners shape the backbone of the region  that kind of message doesn’t sound imported. It sounds like home.

Why the Comparison Matters in Georgia

Georgia politics has always had room for candidates who speak directly to working people without condescension. From the peanut fields to the shipyards, folks here respond to authenticity over theatrics.

So when a candidate in the 1st District leans into a blue‑collar message, it stands out, not because it’s new, but because it’s rare to see it done well.

McCord’s approach mirrors a national trend: candidates who understand that working‑class voters aren’t a demographic to “target,” but a community to respect.

A Stark Comparison, But a Useful One

Saying McCord is the “male version” of Gluesenkamp Perez isn’t about personality or politics. It’s about style, tone, and who they’re trying to reach.

Both speak to voters who:

- Fix their own cars  

- Work overtime  

- Don’t trust political elites  

- Want practical solutions, not slogans  

That’s the comparison.  

That’s the lane.  

And in a district like GA‑01, it’s a lane worth paying attention to.

(Ret.) Colonel Pamela Delancy Might Be This Year's Georgia Sleeper Congressional Candidate in GA‑10

Pamela Delancy is a name most Democrats in Georgia’s 10th Congressional District have never heard and that’s exactly why her candidacy deserves a closer look. In a field where name recognition and political networks usually dominate the conversation, Delancy brings something different to the table: a compelling personal story and a profile that checks every “candidate quality” box strategists talk about but rarely find in one person.

She’s a cancer survivor.

She’s a military veteran.

She has an independent streak that doesn’t feel manufactured.

Those aren’t talking points they’re lived experiences that resonate in a district where authenticity still matters. GA‑10 is a place where Democrats really don't put up much of a fight. Last Democrat to hold that seat was Don Johnson back in 1992. Voters respond to grit, resilience, and real‑world credibility. Delancy’s background gives her all three.

She may not be a known quantity in Democratic circles, but that’s not necessarily a weakness. Sometimes the most interesting candidates are the ones who haven’t been shaped by party machinery or political expectations. Delancy’s profile suggests she could connect with voters who are tired of the same old political molds and are looking for someone who’s actually lived the challenges they talk about.

In a district as sprawling and politically complex as GA‑10, candidate quality still counts. And Pamela Delancy military service, personal resilience, and an independent voice is the kind of foundation that can make an unknown candidate suddenly worth watching.

Michael McCord and the Blue Dog Lane in GA-01

 Georgia’s 1st Congressional District is crowded this cycle, eight Democrats, each trying to carve out a lane in a district that stretches from Savannah’s urban core to the rural areas of the Coastal Plain. But one contender stands out for a very specific reason: Michael McCord is running as a Blue Dog Democrat in a district where authenticity and no‑nonsense messaging still matter.

Observers often note that GA‑01 isn’t a place where ideological purity tests win elections. It’s a district shaped by military families, port workers, rural communities, and coastal moderates who respond more to credibility than to national talking points. That’s the lane McCord is trying to occupy, and it’s why many see him as one of the favorites to make a near‑certain runoff.

What makes his candidacy notable is the profile he’s leaning into.... pragmatic, grounded, and focused on local concerns rather than national theatrics. Analysts often point out that Democratic candidates who could succeed in GA‑01 tend to be the ones who sound like the district, not like a national party surrogate. McCord’s supporters argue that his style fits that mold: direct, unvarnished, and rooted in the district’s economic and cultural realities.

In a field of eight, that kind of clarity can cut through the noise.

Whether that translates into broader appeal across the coastal district remains to be seen, but the early read is simple: McCord is positioning himself as the kind of candidate who doesn’t need to reinvent himself to connect with voters and in GA‑01, that alone can be a competitive advantage.

Dutton to Run for GA-12 CD

State Rep. Delvis Dutton (R-Glennville) will throw his hat into the ring for a shot at Incumbent Conservative Democrat John Barrow (D-Augusta) as he announced his entry into the 12th CD race, joining republicans Rick Allen & John Stone, both of Augusta. 

Dutton was elected (and unopposed in 2010) after longtime Rep. Terry Barnard retired from the Georgia Legislature. 

Dutton is a small business owner, attended Georgia Southern University and married with two children. 

Right now, Barrow is favored to win re-election, but November is a long time, so things could change before then.

No word on who'll seek HD 157 as of yet.

GA-CD 1: Amy Tavio to Run for Congress

Amy Tavio

Real Estate Broker Amy Tavio (D-Richmond Hill), a centrist democrat has announced her candidacy for the 1st Congressional Seat currently held by Jack Kingston (R-Savannah) who is running for the Senate.

Tavio, a Real Estate Broker from Richmond Hill is a At-Large State Committee member for the Georgia Democratic Party and member o the Bryan County Democratic Party. She is a Real Estate Associate Broker for Keller Williams Realty and before that worked in Real Estate in Boynton Beach & Lake Worth Florida. She attended Georgia Southern University, majoring in political science and sociology and attended Florida State College in Jacksonville.

Here's a few tidits about Tavio:

After working her way through college, Amy began her career in the housing industry. In 2007, after five hurricanes, Amy relocated her family and her real estate business to Coastal Georgia for a quieter life in a community steeped in family tradition and values. She chose to make Richmond Hill her home, for its quality public schools, affordable senior care for her grandmother with Alzheimer’s Disease, and safe independent living options for her mother who had suffered two strokes in 2000

She has advocated for children in state foster care as the Bryan County Coordinator for Atlantic Area CASA, served on the local American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Committee, volunteered with Bryan County Family Connection and the Children’s’ Fund, and diligently worked to create the Bryan County Democratic Party, re-chartered in February 2013. Tavio has earned local respect for her community advocacy. She tirelessly worked behind the scenes in local politics to install new public servants committed to a Richmond Hill where families could live, work, and play. She has proven her ability to work collaboratively with community leaders of differing ideologies to better Bryan County

She is the second Democrat to announce for the 1st Congressional District. 2012 candidate Lesli Messinger (D-Savannah) announced she will run again as well.

John Barrow (D-Augusta) Latest Campaign Ad

A look Ahead To Georgia 2014 Governor's Race

It's not too late to look ahead to 2014 where all of Georgia's Constitutional offices will be up for grabs from Governor to State School Superintendent.

Its very possible that we could have some Statewide offices go unopposed like what happened in Louisiana because of the very thin and weak bench of prospective Democratic Candidates for office.

Let's look at the potential candidates for governor:



Michael Thurmond

Ex-Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. Thurmond was Labor Commissioner from 1998-2010. He made a ill fated attempt for the U.S. Senate in 2010, which still leaves me scratching my head as to why he would want to challenge popular Senator Johnny Isakson.



Jim Marshall

Former Congressman Jim Marshall. Marshall served from 2001 to 2010 as congressman of the old 3rd & current 8th district. Marshall, a Vietnam Veteran & former Mayor of Macon would be the democrat's strongest candidate if he were to make one final run for office.

DuBose Porter

Former State Rep. DuBose Porter. Porter was State Rep from 1982 to 2010 'til he left to run for governor. Porter would be the democrats second strongest candidate for governor. He hails from Conservative leaning Laurens County & his like Marshall, knows what it takes for democrats to win in rural Georgia.

Former State Rep. Rob Teilhet. Teilhet mounted a unsuccessful bid for Attorney General in 2010. Teilhet was of the democrats young rising stars in the party.


Ron Teilhet



Thurbert Baker

Former Attorney General Thurbert Baker. Baker, a moderate to conservative African-American Democrat could make another run for the job. Question about Baker is whether or not he has the belly..which was one of my chief concerns about him.



John Barrow

***DARKHORSE Congressman John Barrow. Barrow faces a tough re-election bid in a district (12th)  that now extends south into Appling, Coffee counties. I don't want to see this happen because Barrow is doing a fine job serving the folks in the 12th & should be re-elected for another term in November. But if doesn't win re-election (which I think he will) he will definitely get a serious push to run for governor. Barrow, a Conservative Democrat has a independent streak, is a fierce campaigner, a great fundraiser, appeal among African-Americans & has deep roots in Rural Georgia three things that are needed in a democratic candidate in this state

And I think its safe to say that Roy Barnes won't be running for a third time around!

Any Democratic Candidate who is eyeing a run for governor in 2014 needs to begin laying the groundwork in early 2013

Pelosi as Minority Leader may still pose a problem for Democrats in '12

Pelosi’s controversial public image and low approval ratings are a liability to Democrats looking ahead to 2012.

Democrats chances are 50/50 in retaking back control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democrats need to regain between 25-30 seats in 2012 to win back control of the house of representatives.

It can be done, but there still is one problem for democrats..........Nancy Pelosi!

Since losing the house in 2010 she has been a invisible presence around capitol hill these days, but you better believe that she will return as a major factor in 2012.

Republicans tied Pelosi around the neck of every single moderate/conservative democrat in last year's elections that helped contribute to the wave that washed away many rural democrats from the south & midwest, as well as some blue states like Illinois.

The problem for moderate Democrats, and America in general, is that owing to the massive decrease in numbers among those moderate Dems, only the most liberal wing nuts in the Democratic Party are still in office. They think the reason they lost the 2010 election was that the Party didn’t act liberal enough, not that they were too liberal.

Pelosi & many neo-liberals like her are part of the Democratic Party’s problems. If the Democratic Party wants to be seen as a viable alternative in this center-right country, it must pivot away from the liberal policies pursued by Nancy Pelosi & her co-horts that caused such a massive anti-democratic backlash last election cycle.

Her re-election (which was a dumb political move) as minority leader by defiant democrats after mass defeats of democrats may come back to haunt democrats on the campaign trail in 2012 after Republicans made her an object of scorn during the fall campaigns. She represents a continuation of policies that helped the party lose at least 61 House seats.

North Carolina Conservative Democrat Heath Shuler, in a symbolic move challenged her for speaker & got 43 democratic votes in that feat & if I were democrats running for congress in 2012, the motto would be, "a vote for me is a vote for Heath Shuler for speaker of the house in 2012".

(GA-10) Thurmond v Broun in 2012?

DCCC: If you want Paul Broun gone, recruit Michael Thurmond

Paul Broun (R-Athens) have been not only an embarrassment to the great state of Georgia, but I'm sure the folks of the 10th Congressional District. Broun is by far the biggest conspiracy theorist in the entire congress. From using words like Marxist, Communist to describe the president to the United States to proposing legislation that seeks to withhold federal funds from any school which allows for the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in any language other than English.

This is a man who said at a town event in Elbert Co that the federal government, through the Centers for Disease Control, would be calling Americans every single day to make sure they eat their fruits and vegetables. He also said at one point that Pres. Obama would try to create a national civilian security force that would trump local law enforcement and local laws. Broun also thinks Social Security is unconstitutional. Folks, I can't make this stuff up!!!!!!

Paul Broun is a poor man's Glenn Beck, the Fox News Personality. He's a self promoter & he's all about Paul Broun & nothing else. Remember he tried to run for congress once, here in the second district, but didn't manage to get out of the primary.

How long are the people of the 10th Congressional District going to put up with the non-sense of Paul Broun? When a constituent asked Broun who was going to kill, or assassinate Obama, Broun showed a lack of leadership on that matter, not coming out forcefully on that matter.

Yes the 10th is a conservative district, but has it gone to arch-conservative territory that it will put up with the joke that is Paul Broun? Its a largely rural district with Athens being the population center of the district, followed by Columbia/Northern Richmond County & a pretty sizable elderly voting population who could be in play with Broun's vote for the house Budget Plan by Paul Ryan, a Ohio Republican that will affect two things seniors care about deeply: Medicare & Medicaid.

There are some good democrats up in the 10th, but their lightweights. There was one middleweight, Bobby Saxon, a conservative democrat got 40% against Broun on a shoestring budget back in 2008 & a cruiser weight, Russell Edwards, a unabashed progressive ran a spirited campaign against Broun, but he was going against the red current that was sweeping the nation last year.

But democrats need a heavyweight & there's only one person that fits that bill: Michael Thurmond, a Athens Native who also represented a portion of Clarke County in the General Assembly back in 1986. Thurmond served over 12 years as State Labor Commissioner before running for the Senate in 2010.

I know many democrats were disappointed in Michael Thurmond's effort in the 2010 Senate race against Johnny Isakson, but I don't believe Michael Thurmond wants to go out like that. One thinks that Thurmond wants to avenge that loss & a run & a win against the most conservative member of the House of Representatives would be the antidote he needs. But for that to happen, the DCCC needs to pull the tail from between their legs & come to Georgia to make that happen.

Thurmond, a moderate would do very well in the conservative district against Paul Broun. Thurmond can wrap that Ryan Budget proposal around Broun's neck with his exceptional oratory skills, plus bring other crazy remarks Broun has made in the past. Now would Thurmond entertain such a run, no one knows. He may still have his eyes on the governorship in 2014, but if democrats are looking for that ONE candidate, then its "I Like Mike" Thurmond.

There's More? Ex-Rep. Nathan Deal Paid $245,000 to Aide’s Wife

By Jennifer Yachnin of Roll Call Staff

Ex-Rep. Nathan Deal’s Congressional office paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to a Georgia company owned by his top staffer’s wife to fly to and from his Congressional district, but the staffer did not report the income on his financial disclosure forms because he claims the couple made no profit.

House rules prohibit Members from purchasing services from a staff member but appear to be silent on purchasing from a staff member’s spouse.According to House spending records, which detail the finances of each lawmaker’s office, Deal’s office paid Gainesville, Ga.-based Chattahoochee Logistics LLC at least $245,000 from 2002 to 2008.

Former House aide Chris Riley, who now serves as Deal’s campaign manager in the Georgia gubernatorial race, founded that company in 2003 and served as Deal’s pilot on Chattahoochee Logistics flights, as first reported last month by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The company is now in his wife’s control.In an interview Monday, Riley told Roll Call that he has not received any payment from Chattahoochee Logistics and received no additional compensation for serving as Deal’s pilot on those flights.“

I’ve never received income from Chattahoochee Logistics,” Riley said.A campaign spokesman referred questions about Chattahoochee Logistics to attorney Randy Evans at McKenna, Long & Aldridge.Evans confirmed that the LLC “had a single member” at the time it received payments from Deal’s office — Riley’s spouse, Bambi Riley — who would have received any income the company generated.Members and senior aides who must file annual financial disclosures are required to disclose the source of any non-Congressional income greater than $200, as well as the source of any income exceeding $1,000 earned by their spouse in the previous calendar year.Chris Riley’s publicly available financial disclosure forms, filed each year from 2004 to 2009, do not show Bambi Riley earning income from Chattahoochee Logistics.

Deal resigned in March to run for governor of Georgia; his campaign said Chattahoochee Logistics was “profit-neutral” when it received Congressional funds. Evans said: “It was virtually break-even.”In 2008, Chattahoochee Logistics also reimbursed the House for more than $80,000 in “overpayments” based on revised travel rules as determined by an internal audit, as the Atlanta newspaper reported.

The first two disclosure forms Chris Riley filed indicated that he was president of Chattahoochee Logistics, but the company dropped off his later forms.Riley said he subsequently removed himself as a member of the LLC, although he continues to manage the company in an uncompensated position. Records maintained by the Georgia secretary of state list the company’s principal office at Riley’s home address in Gainesville.

Riley added that he received advice from the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.“The staff director of the Standards Committee said, ‘Do I get paid to drive a car?’” Riley recalled. “‘So why should you get paid to fly an airplane?’”Individuals familiar with the arrangement said Chattahoochee Logistics was paid based on the mileage reimbursement rates applied to an aircraft privately owned by a Member or staff for travel.“The goal is to pay what’s owed, and not a penny more and not a penny less,” Evans said.

The specific costs related to flight — such as hangar fees, fuel or maintenance — are unknown because the reimbursement rate covers only mileage.Evans could not say what Chattahoochee Logistics would have charged other customers because the company did not provide air travel services to anyone other than Deal. Evans said Bambi Riley uses Chattahoochee Logistics in connection with her real estate career, stating it is not a “single-use company.”According to the House Ethics Manual, lawmakers are prohibited from spending their official office budget, known as a Members’ Representational Allowance, on services provided by a Member’s spouse or staff.

Among the examples provided in the manual, the House ethics committee states that a lawmaker is prohibited from renting space in a building when that building is owned by a member of his or her staff.There is no explicit admonition against purchasing services from the spouse or family of a staff member.

Riley has run afoul of ethics rules before, returning more than $91,000 to Deal’s campaign in 2008 after a Roll Call survey found he had exceeded outside income limits for top Congressional staff from 2004 to 2007.Riley repaid that sum in June 2008, but the campaign subsequently returned the money to him in February 2009.

He then donated an identical amount to Gainesville-based Good News Clinics, which provides free medical services to low-income or homeless individuals.“This was the process that we were asked to follow by the Standards Committee,” Riley said. He said the ethics committee allowed him to choose between writing a check to the U.S. Treasury or a 501(c)(3) charity.

Keep your eyes on the Prize: Georgia Dems need to forget What Might Happen to Congress & Focus on Georgia!

Forget Congress Georgia Democrats! Don't let that distract you. There's bigger fish to fry & that's the statewide & local elections. Y'all can't control what going to happen to the democratic majority, but you can control what happens here in Georgia! Got it! Its time to devote all of your time & energy on Georgia.

The disconnect between the National Democrats of Washington (who are majority Liberal) and the grassroots Democrats of Georgia (which are more moderate/conservative) offers stark evidence of the crisis with Democrats in General as it enters the most critical stage since the inauguration of Barack Obama. The policies the Obama Administration have implemented to solve the economic crisis has caused a severe backlash from the American Voters, Business Leaders & just about every aspect of the public.

Following a series of devastating Townhall Meetings over the very controversial Healthcare Reform Legislation during the 2009 season, special election upset of Scott Brown, a republican in baby blue Massachussetts, the loss of governorships of New Jersey, Virginia and now facing new battles on an increasingly unfriendly political landscape, State Democratic candidates & the Democratic Party of Georgia must decide how to go about this 2010 election. Will it argue that it can better manage the implementation of a moderate to conservative agenda in a state that has been down since the GOP takeover in 2002? Will it run with President Obama, knowing that it'll be a recipe for disaster? Will they slam the president at every turn, possibly risking alienating the critical African-American Voting Bloc? Or that it seeks power in order to reject that agenda and chart a new direction for the state?


State Democrats here have to articulated a vision that echoes grassroots sentiment. They will never raise more money than the Republicans at the moment right now. They must elevate the non-money wing of the Democratic Party and create populist symbols to convey their message.

To folks in Atlanta, this may have sounded crazy. But to folks in Cordele, Valdosta, Kingsland, Douglas and Rome, where Democrats have had trouble over the last 8 years attracting more rural moderate/conservative voters, it’s a rare dose of common sense. Democratic activists know that their candidates cannot win, along with a massive shift in voter sentiments towards D.C. Democrats, a dramatic decline in turnout among base voters who are having more and more trouble figuring out why it matters to vote Democratic. When I get emails from folks, they always tell me the same thing: Let’s stop playing to the special interests and start appealing to the people who have just stopped voting, & to the ones who are fed up with the current leadership in Atlanta.

The republicans know that in order to defeat Barnes in November it has to tie him to President Obama in each & every way. Its gonna be very difficult to do, but by nationalizing the governor's race, that it'll distract voter's attention from the problems that was created by the current GOP Leadership like the state's high unemployment rate, failing public schools, Tax Increases, Transportation Gridlock, the Water Crisis, & a whole variety of problems that was created by the lack of leadership from the GOP.

Democrats from Michael Thurmond to Roy Barnes should not be afraid to call out the president & the likes of Pelosi & Co when they know that the liberal policies have not done a bit of good in turning around the economy & creating jobs for Americans.

People are concerned about (1) the economy & (2) their financial security & as of now, nothing has been done to ease voters concerns & fears that things will get better anytime soon.

Like Thurmond for example, the DSCC haven't gotten involved in his race yet & they may not get involved at all. And if that's the case, they he should rail against democrats, in fact the entire congress for letting the American People down in these tough times.

If I were Barnes, I wouldn't hold back either in attacking the liberals up in D.C. who hold the power positions like Obama, Pelosi, & the Obama Administration Policies. Democrats can't be walking on Egg Shells when talking about their left-leaning counterparts.

Jim Marshall, you can bet he will rail against these cast of characters.

So will John Barrow.

Sanford Bishop, like it or not you are joined at the hip of Obama & Pelosi. I'm curious to see how Bishop conducts his campaign against upstart Mike Keown. The only reason why I say Bishop will win re-election is because of the way the 2nd District is Gerrymandered. Had this been the old pre-2005 District, Bishop reign as Congressman of the 2nd District will be in serious, SERIOUS JEOPARDY!

I hope Doug Heckman does the same thing as well as Russell Edwards to a certain degree.


Now let me move to another subject for a minute: Dumb Policy & Dumb Politics of Congressional Democrats & the President:

If Obama and congressional Democrats believe they can seduce independents by defining the rich as individuals and couples with incomes of over $200,000 and $250,000, they are using a stimulant stronger than that found in either conservative tea or liberal lattes. Upper-middle class, home-owning taxpayers are the motivated voters in this mid-term election, just as Clinton hating Christian and economic conservatives were the righteous army in 1994 that overturned decades of Democratic control of the House. Recall the part health-care "Reform" played in defining the Clintons as the Gingrich Revolution's enemy that year. The religious right was populated with economic conservatives, not just those who hated the sex, drugs and rock 'n roll lifestyle all or some had imagined were embodied by Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Some Beltway Democrats think they can inspire their working-class base by beating up on those $250,000 rich couples. That's an aging, worn out Democratic populist political consultant's dream. The most reliable voters in the Democratic base are not the declining number of union members who can be rolled out by the AFL-CIO political action committee. Just look at not-so-big labor's disastrous wasting of members' dues trying to oust Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Democratic primary this year. The Democratic base is increasingly, the well-heeled Baby Boomers, more moved by Obama's elective war in Afghanistan and failure to move faster on the liberal and libertarian cultural agenda than they are with the rich not being taxed more.

Add that to the Healthcare Bil or "Obamacare", the possibility of the Bush Tax Cuts Expiring, the Cap & Trade legislation that flopped & a high jobless rate, along a hostile electorate, its a recipe for disaster.



But I'm a believer that despite the national mood, democrats here in Georgia certainly try to make inroads with that very electorate that's upset with happenings in D.C., without trying to twist themselves into something different. Meaning, democrats should be out there organizing and stumping, even among groups they think of as hostile to them because of the letter next to their name, most voters aren't monoliths, even if they prefer one side to another. They are fools if they just let an entire group hear only one side of the argument.

The state party is active, somewhat strong, and not particularly conservative like the state democratic parties of the past. The recent GOP dominance here in federal, state elections has to do, I think, with specific candidates, not the party platform. Hell, maybe both! My gut feeling is that Roy Barnes will definitely make serious inroads in Rural Central & South Georgia, not due to conservative positions, but just by being able to talk to rural voters without sounding condescending.

White Conservative voters are not monolithic voters for the GOP, but there's a core group of conservative whites that aren't likely to be moved by much a democrat no matter how conservative he or she is going to say. That's a fact!

Basically, the media decides who wins these elections, based entirely on cliched stereotypes of the candidates' personalities. The Republicans are better at identifying aspects of their opponents that can be caricatured in a negative way & that what democrats here need to do against their opponents.