Keown to seek Thomas County Commission District 4 seat, will not run for Congress

Mike Keown will seek the District 4 Thomas County Commission seat that becane vacant by the death of Incumbent Louis Rehberg back in April.

Keown almost pulled the upset over Sanford Bishop for the 2nd Congressional District during the 2010 elections.

Keown says he is not considering another run for Congress, adding that his involvement in politics has been what the Lord led him to do. “I never say never,” Keown said.

With Keown out of the picture, who will challenge Bishop in 2012?

Albany Herald Wrong About Rep. Sanford Bishop

Ted Sadler of Project Logic Georgia wrote a must read article about Albany Herald's Endorsement of Mike Keown. Please Read:Herald endorsed Mike Keown/

The Albany Herald endorsed Mike Keown for congress in Georgia’s second district over Sanford Bishop. I think that newspaper is wrong because Bishop is uniquely qualified and appropriate to represent the urban/rural; liberal/conservative and yes Black/White hodgepodge that is the 2nd District.

Keown is a conservative pastor from a very rural area and speaks with a command similar to a stern father chastising a wayward child. That type sternness has been at the center of the far Right’s reaction to the election of President Barrack Obama. In our system of government, most American adults have the right to elect officials and the actions of those public servants should reflect the will of the people.

That concept sounds clear in theory but we know that a more detailed explanation is that elected officials do the work of those Americans that vote, vote, vote. President Obama and the Democrats did well in southwest Georgia in 2008 and those election results gave direction to Rep. Sanford Bishop. For some reason, the Tea Party division of the conservative movement feels their votes count heavier that other Americans’ vote. It must because they are smarter or something.

If Rep. Sanford Bishop did everything the Tea Party Movement wanted during the last two years, he would have been functioning in an unconstitutional manner because he would have ignored the desires of the majority that put him in office. As a moderate, I could accept a Republican taking this swing seat if the guy was a policy wonk like Austin Scott or a conservative with a personal history of talking with various communities like Rep. Jack Kingston, Senator Johnny Iasakson or former Senator Sam Nunn.

Bishop came to congress 18 years ago after serving in a majority White state legislature seat; he prides himself on relating to and having a comfort level with everyone. As a blogger, I watched the Keown campaign from day one and rarely saw them working to build relationships with my community. The tone in Tea Partiers’ voice when then say “Barrack Obama,” “Sanford Bishop” and “Nancy Pelosi” is something different from regular Republicans. You know the tone and if you have forgotten it shame on you. Those who don’t remember history are doomed to repeat it.

Keown ran a strong race but some other congressional district or statewide position would be better for him and better for us. Bishop won’t win this election if the people who gave him a mandate in 2008 don’t vote on November 2.

An Albany city commissioner, who is also a Darton College professor, told the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call that Rep. Sanford Bishop was a $100 million dollar industry in south Georgia based on this position on the House Appropriations Committee. In one of the poorest areas of the nation, the voters shouldn’t drop a congressman who secures funding for economic development, training and job creation.

This hard campaign has served the purpose of making Rep. Bishop aware that he must be in the middle of helping President Obama shape more-moderate policy if he wants a second term. And that’s it; the reason far right conservatives want Bishop gone from the Democrat Caucus is so the remaining Dems are so liberal that the presidency will go their way in 2012. The Tea Party candidate for president will be Sarah Palin and keeping Palin out of the White House starts with voting for Bishop on Tuesday.

Did the Albany Herald ever ask Mike Keown about his opinion of a possible Palin presidency? Keown keeps bring up my old boss Rep. Charles Hatcher, who Bishop defeated in 1992. As one of the last loyal Hatcherheads, I can say Hatcher always said you don’t get rid of committee chairs and appropriators because they deliver for home. Hatcher knew the Farm Bill like the back of his hand and wouldn’t jeopardize the provisions of interest to south Georgia by bouncing Bishop during tough times.

Is the GOP planning to use a "Mini Southern Strategy" in the Bishop-Keown 2nd Congressional District Race?

That's what I call this plan of attack

Last night I got a email from a unnamed source detailing the GOP's plan of attack against U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop (D) who is locked in a tight race with State Rep. Mike Keown (R) for the 2nd congressional district race.

Here's what it says:

GOP Plan of attack on Bishop is to mail negative pieces about Bishop's votes for cap-and-trade and health care to white voters while bombarding the airwaves with allegations of scandal, aimed more at turning black voters away.

Huh???

This is what I call a "mini southern strategy" being possibly implemented here in the 2nd District. This is your classic divide & conquer tactic. Divide, or break up the coalition that Bishop has enjoyed since his election to congress in 1992.

Sending out the mailings to one segment of the population in the district about his votes for the controversial Healthcare Bill, which is seen by opponents of the bill such as the Tea Party & rank & file republicans & some conservative democrats as another "government handout" to the undeserving, or another form of welfare to the less fortunate that will increase taxes on small businesses & drive up the already runaway deficit. Cap and Trade is seen as a job killer, raising energy bills on consumers, & increasing taxes as well. If I was a betting man, I'd bet that those mailing will have much more on them than just detailing Bishop's votes for the two controversial legislative bills.

Then running negative campaign ads on "alleged" scandals involving Bishop in hopes of damping black voter turnout for Bishop, which will increase Keown's chances of winning the district that consist of 48% African-American population.

I hope this tactic doesn't materialize, but knowing the history of Washington Republicans since the days of Richard Nixon, it wouldn't surprise me at all.

Keown has run a flawless campaign thus far & the thought of such a strategy being used may decrease his chances if winning against the incumbent Bishop, who was caught flat-footed this year, & have had some missteps along the way. No way he saw this coming, neither did his campaign.

Bishop who has had a center-right voting record for well over a decade has veered toward the left since the inauguration of Presdient Obama as president voting for big ticket liberal democratic items like Healthcare & the flop that was the Cap and Trade Bill, or "Climate Bill". Some of his longtime supporters wondered why he voted for such toxic pieces of legislation in the first place.

Was it because his allegiance for the president? Bishop served as vice-chairman (Hank Johnson, chairman) of the Obama campaign here in Ga during the 2008 elections.

Was it because he got caught up in the hoopla that was Obama & his moving rhetoric that in the beginning had people on the edge of their seats, believing in the Hope & Change message?

Some have suggested he might have been duped & conned in voting for a bill that 2/3rds of Americans were opposed to (Healthcare).

I don't know, but it sure is coming back to haunt him in a big way. Cook Political report has moved the race from a Safe, to likely, to now lean democratic seat.

Despite all of the hype surrounding the Jim Marshall-Austin Scott race, which I predict Marshall will win, this race is the darkhorse race to watch.

Here's what Hasting Wyman of the Southern Political Report says about Ga's 2nd & 8th Districts

Georgia 2 (Albany, etc.) Nine-term Sanford Bishop (D) should be okay in this 47 percent black district, but this year state Rep. Mike Keown (R) is waging a well-financed challenge in a district that occasionally votes Republican. In 2004, for example, George W. Bush, squeezed out a 50 percent to 49.6 percent victory over John Kerry within the district’s current boundaries, though Obama got 54 percent in 2008. The black vote usually declines sharply in a non-presidential year – 46 percent of turnout in 2008, but 38 percent in 2006. Bishop, who usually gets significant white support, may be losing a lot of it over his vote for “Obamacare.” A Public Opinion Strategies (R) poll taken for Keown in early August gave Bishop 50 percent, Keown 44 percent. Leans Democratic.

Georgia 8 (Macon, etc.) Four-termer Jim Marshall (D) looked problem-free for months, then he got a foe with credentials in state Rep. Austin Scott (R), a somewhat maverick lawmaker (one of the few GOPers to favor a non-Confederate state flag) and the national mood started to make itself felt in this district where McCain beat Obama 56 percent-43 percent. The near-solidly Democratic black vote here was 33 percent of turnout in 2008, but 25 percent in 2006. An American Viewpoint (R) poll taken in late August for Scott gave Marshall 44 percent, Scott 39 percent. Another poll gave Marshall 50 percent, Scott 45 percent. Scott is getting hit for state legislative votes for tax hikes. The district gave McCain 57 percent in 2008 and though Marshall voted against healthcare, he’s got a fight on his hands. Tossup.

Keown gets Armey Endorsement. Does he have the big "MO" right now?

Mike Keown (R-Coolidge) who is giving Sanford Bishop the fight of his political life got the endorsement of Dick Armey,chairman of Freedomworks on Tuesday as he was in Albany signing copies of his new book. This is the highest profile endorsement Keown has gotten to date.

And it makes me wonder will any D.C. Republicans will come down to help Keown unseat Bishop? Someone like Tom Price or a Mike Pence of Indiana? And if that were to happen, it wouldn't surprise me to see Bishop bring in someone like Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack or even the president or first Lady Michelle Obama for starters. But for the first lady to come dow, he would have to be on the brink of defeat for her to come down to rally his base of Albany, Columbus, & Ft. Valley. He's tied to the president by his votes for emotionally charged bills like the Healthcare Reform, Cap & Trade (that didn;t even make it out of Congress, & other votes as well).

Keown has momentum right now, but will it be enough to knock off a entrench incumbent in a gerrymandered district which African Americans make up close to 48% of the population?

Does Mike Keown Really Have a Shot at Unseating Sanford Bishop?

There is alot of chatter going around that State Rep. Mike Keown (R-Coolidge) can knock off Incumbent Sanford Bishop (D-Albany) this november. The Cook Political Report has updated its race rating for the 2nd congressional district of Georgia, moving it from "Safe" Democratic to "Likely" Democratic.


Mike Keown reporteed raising $368,750 and has $237,551 left in the bank while Bishop says his campaign raised $662,668 and has $404,594 in the bank.

But why do some think Keown has a shot? They point to Bishop's support for the much maligned Heathcare Reform Legislation, his early support for Cap & Trade among other things. Keown say its time for new leadership in the 2nd congressional district because as he puts it Bishop is no longer listening or representing the citizens of the 2nd. He has voted more with Nancy Pelosi than the ultra liberal Barney Frank, the stimulus bills and the bank and auto buyouts, as well as co-sponsoring legislation that would allow labor unions an easy entry into SW Georgia.

But it will be a tough row to hoe for Keown is the district has given Bishop on average of 68% of the vote over the last 10 years & the district is also the historic home of Jimmy Carter and has a reputation for being progressive on racial issues. The District at last checked in around 49% White, 47% Black after the 2005 Gerrymandering by the Georgia GOP.

Arguably the most conservative African-American in Congress, Bishop is a member of the Blue Dog Democrats, a group of moderate to conservative Democrats in Congress. He is known is the "Peanut" congressman due to his staunch support of the largest agricultural crop in Southwest Georgia & agriculture in General.

Now Bishop has worked to represent the values and morals of his district: "God, country, work, family, and guns" - through his support for several Constitutional amendments. Bishop has co-sponsored amendments to the U.S. Constitution protecting the U.S. flag against acts of desecration, preserving the institution of marriage as between a man and a woman, ensuring a balanced federal budget, and allowing voluntary, non-denominational prayer in schools and other public localities. He also is a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights, receiving the grade of “A+” from the National Rifle Association.

Keown has received considerable support from the district & mots likely will get support from the NRCC. How much support though is remain to be seen. Bishop is the favorite to win re-election barring some unforeseen circumstance that will totally swing this race in the favor of Mike Keown.

It's hard to see Bishop being beatened this year despite his votes for the healthcare bill & other measures that has riled his critics. I'm not about to write off Bishop just yet.

If I had to make a prediction on this race, I say Bishop 62% Keown 38%.

One Month of Raising $100,000 within Mike Keown's Reach

At the beginning of September, Keown set a one-month goal of collecting $100,000 for his campaign for Georgia’s Second Congressional District seat. Late Wednesday, Keown figured he was about three-fourths of the way there.

Keown, a Coolidge pastor, is the lone announced Republican candidate for the seat currently held by longtime Democrat incumbent Sanford Bishop. Lee Ferrell of Albany recently pulled out of the GOP race.

Ferrell received no financial support from the state or national GOP while opposing Bishop in 2008. He garnered 31.1 percent of the vote after spending $10,800.

Keown has spent the last three weeks working to boost his name recognition in the district, which includes 30 counties.

Fundraisers for Keown have been held in Cordele, Unadilla and Bainbridge. One is set in Thomasville next week.

“One of the encouraging things is that I have gotten a pile of $100 checks,” Keown said. “There have been a few larger checks, but the number of $100 checks proves how much people want to get involved in the process.”

Keown is set to speak at Citizens Meeting No. 6 at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the Thomasville Municipal Auditorium.

Keown announced his intention to seek Bishop’s seat in early August. At the time, he said: “I'm running for Congress to bring common-sense Georgia values to Washington. Sadly, those values are sorely lacking in our nation's capitol. The stimulus package has created little more than massive deficits and rising unemployment. Cap and trade will impose a National Energy Tax on any American who flips on a light switch and a government-run takeover of health care threatens to raise costs and take choice away from patients.

Those comments should tell you that Keown will try to nationalize the 2nd congressional district race