« Odd bit of polling | Main | Hmmm....let's see now »
July 11, 2003
Mac Collins
I always wondered why Georgia's rural social conservative GOPers, represented in campaign strategy by Tom Perdue, were so eager to get a challenger for Johnny Isakson. I figured, like the media CW, that Isakson is the shoo-in, assuming he wins the primary, and why mess with that? Was it just that the rural movement cons loathe the Northside country clubbers?
And then, an outsider over at the Political State Report gave us a dose of uncoventional wisdom that those of us inside Georgia hadn't figured out (except for the movment cons). If Democrats nominate a South Georgia candidate (Jim Marshall?) and Isakson faces him in the general election, the South Georgia Dem could very well win the so-called "Perdue" counties of South Georgia, which voted for Barnes in '98 (when he ran against a Northside Republican) and then flipped for Sonny in '02 (when he ran against one of their own). So it makes perfect sense. Republicans aren't confident in statewide races unless they have a South Georgia candidate. And if you look at the last election, it may explain, better than just incumbency, why so many potentially vulnerable downticket Dems still did quite well (Taylor, Baker, Thurmond). Of course, they ran the old races, against North Georgia Republicans, who can't seem to get a base south of Atlanta.
Before you think I'm crazy, remember, even Wyche Fowler carried South Georgia against Paul Coverdale in '92. So maybe Tom Perdue deserves (even) more credit than I've accorded him before.
Posted by Chris at July 11, 2003 11:34 PM
Comments
Republican Party, Democratic Party, feh!
What I'm more concerned with ... is the Turtle Party!
Posted by: zachelangelo at July 14, 2003 01:44 PM
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