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IMBALANCE IN DOLLARS, BLACK VOTE, AND INCUMBENCY BODE WELL FOR DEMOCRATS

With less than a month left until the general election, it is time to take stock of what the election prospects look like. Two statistics jumped out at us during the past week concerning the governor’s race. Both were from reports in The Atlanta Journal/Constitution.

The first reported the cash positions of Barnes and Perdue. The governor still had more than seven million dollars on hand, seventeen times as much as his Republican opponent, Sonny Perdue; therefore, it is no surprise that we are getting several pieces of mail a week from the governor’s campaign.

If you are a Georgian who is not receiving Barnes’ literature, you probably haven’t been voting.

The radio and TV airwaves are beginning to fill with his praises, especially about being an "education governor." (That’s right, teachers and school boards. Surprising, isn’t it?)

Not quite as surprising, except for its margin, was the AJC poll showing the black vote going to Barnes 92-1!

If these two margins are true and hold up til the end of October, Sonny might as well go home, and the rest of us can await the groundbreaking for the Northern Arc payoff sometime next year.

Closer to home, the power of incumbency rears its ugly head in the September 30 financial disclosure report of Representative Alan Powell. This is a matter of public record, available on the internet website of the Georgia Secretary of State.

We are not picking on Rep. Powell, except to say that he is our incumbent representative, and we find the contrast interesting between him and his opponent, Arch Adams. The dollar gap in political contributions is dramatic.

Rep. Powell’s September report indicates total contributions of $169,942 to Mr. Adams’ total of $22,261. Rep. Powell has spent $59,204 to Mr. Adams’ $14,747. As of September 30, Rep. Powell still had $110,738 cash on hand. Mr. Adams had $7,514.

What does this have to do with incumbency? Everything. You see, political contributions are an INVESTMENT. Like it or not, they buy influence and access. Why else would Phillip Morris give Rep. Powell $500, and nothing to Adams? Why would Coggins Land Co. of Elberton give $1,000 to Powell and nothing to Adams?

Why would the Mayors of cities give to Powell and not to Adams? Why would the members of Ty Cobb Healthcare’s Board give to Powell, but not to Adams?

The answer is: They expect Powell to be reelected. And in case some of you missed the point of the "Great Pumpkin" analogy last week, incumbency means returning some of the crumbs from the loaf of bread we send to Atlanta.

One bright spot here in Franklin County is that the Democrats finally have some Republican opposition, which has been almost non-existent heretofore. Prospects look especially promising in the commission races of Levy Moore and Jeff Jacques. Ralph Hudgens looks pretty good against Powell’s man in the state senate race. And don’t count Arch Adams out just yet, despite all the "BIG MULES" falling in line behind Powell.

Last Sunday’s Franklin County Republican rally, MC’ed by Mike Beatty, was extremely upbeat for this neck of the woods. David Phillips sent us some pix, one of which we decided to share.

MC, State Senator Mike Beatty, (second from rt.) joins (L-R) candidates John Callaham, Ralph Hudgens, Arch Adams, Jeff Jacques, and Levy Moore at Franklin Republican rally

 

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