Has the south returned to its one party status?

[burr]

written by Bill Shipp...
"Georgia is no longer a significant player in national politics. Our March 2 primary is overshadowed by larger states and comes too late to have much effect on the nominating process. In the general election, Democratic strategists have undoubtedly written off Georgia as an all-but-certain win for President George W. Bush. Why waste resources on a lost cause?
Sens. Saxby Chambliss, R-Moultrie, and Zell Miller, D-Young Harris, are solid Bush supporters. Our congressional delegation is overwhelmingly Republican. Obviously, if nearly all our guys in Washington support Bush, then Georgia must be Bush country.
Besides, the remaining national activists in the Georgia Democratic Party seem to favor former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who has few ties to our state or region.
Just as Democrats mostly ignore Georgia, Republicans take the state for granted. The elephants' presidential bandwagon will spend most of its time elsewhere - except to drop in occasionally to hit up fat cats for big contributions. State Republican leaders will target Miller's senate seat, three congressional posts and try to gain ground in the legislature. They believe Bush will have long coattails.
Georgia has come full circle.
When your humble commentator first began observing Peach State politics, Democrats were taking Georgia for granted. Except to play golf or stop on the way to Florida, Republicans seldom bothered with us. We were arguably the most Democratic state in the nation.
In 1960 Democrat John F. Kennedy carried Georgia by a larger margin than any state except Rhode Island. Then in 1964, disgusted with Lyndon Johnson's domestic policies, Georgians looked outside the Democratic Party for their presidential candidates."

<http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/092103/opi_20030921012.shtml>

[jenk]

1. Most of the South is a lost cause, but we can win in Missouri and Arkansas

maybe Tennessee, just like the repuke's can take NH with some effort.

[Maddy McCall]

2. Don't be so sure...

You may see a MAJOR Democratic swing in 2004 since Clark has entered.

I live in Mississippi, and I can tell you that I am hearing LOTS of criticism of Republican candidates on the state and federal level. It helps the Dem cause that there have been a good many Republican scandals on the state level here, the greatest of which was the Republican LT. Gov accepting kickbacks from a lawyer (judge, possibly??) on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Also, there is a judicial scandal right now, too.

[jiacinto]

6. MS is going to be solidly Republican next year

If it is even remotely competetive then Bush is losing horribly.

[Rowdyboy]

12. Carlos, the election is not next year...

Its in 6 weeks. Inside Politics had it at a draw yesterday with advantage Musgrove.

Please, don't write off Mississippi yet.

[goobergunch]

13. I think Carlos was referring to the presidential race

I agree that the governor's race is a TOSS-UP.

[jiacinto]

15. Yes I was talking about the presidential race

nt

[Rowdyboy]

3. Nonsense...

With the right candidate Florida, Louisiana and Arkansas are likely. Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina are possible.

Can Kucinich, Sharpton or Braun carry these states? Of course not. Could Clark, Graham or Edwards? Its a distinct possibility.

[AndyTiedye]

9. The People In GA and FL might try to vote Democratic...

...but we know how the machinez will vote in GA because we saw this in 2002.

and everyone who was wrongfully stricken from the voting rolls in FL in 2000 will still be striken therefrom in 2004 (the state has already said that they "cannot" restore any of those voters to the rolls in time for the 2004 elections!). Cross off 90,000 votes for the Democrats.

We need to concentrate on states where our votes still count. There are still enough of these, as long as the CA recall does not install a Republican. If it does, all is lost!

[coralrf]

17. Florida will go for the democrat

I live here...bet on it.

[jiacinto]

4. I think writing off GA is being premature

While I think the south leans Republican most definitely that doesn't mean that it's out of reach for Democrats either.

[burr]

5. I have known many first-generation Repukes...

both in Georgia and other southern states. I have asked them many times why they left the Democratic party in the sixties to become active in what was then a new, minority party in the region. Their answer is always the same...they were tired of living in a region dominated by only one party. I ask them today how they would feel if this again became a one party region due to weakened the Democratic Party, and they respond GOOD RIDDANCE!

The hypocracy is revolting and widespread. Isn't it fascinating that such young idealistic activists have now become no better than the supporters of the one party system which backed Gene Taldmadge and Marvin Griffin, who they once were fighting?

[jiacinto]

7. They left over civil rights and race

But they won't admit that publically.

[candy331]

8. A lot that happened

in GA in 2002 was because the Dems basically defeated themselves/or you might say self-destruction. They were asleep somehow thinking they did not have to put up a fight. Gov Roy Barnes did not even campaign hard. Perdue took advantage of their laid back attitute. I talked with many who are now sorry they voted for Perdue. The teachers's union went strong for him but this is second year with no pay raise so they will think differently next go around. State workers did not get pay raises either. Don't think Perdue will win next go around and if the Dems have their stuff together by then they can come back.

All should have spoken up loudly against the tactics used against Cleland yet there was silence.Chambliss if he was a decent man would not have been behind that shameful episode. Any one with a sense of decency could never respect him for that lobbing that unpatriotic dirt?

[jiacinto]

10. Yeah

I am still angry over what happened to Cleland.

[burr]

11. Democrats must do one thing, which shall prove they can beat Perdue...

they must win the U.S. Senate race this year. If they cannot win an open Senate race in Georgia, how can they hope to defeat an incumbent Governor?

Everyday it seems like another Sheriff or County commissioner is switching parties in south Georgia. That may not be important to some, but in recent years south and middle Georgia made up the Democratic base in that state. The only thing that will prevent this entire region or even the statehouse from going Democratic is a victory in the U.S. Senate this year. If this does not happen, the state Democratic Party in Georgia, that was once used to get out the vote will become only a shadow of its former self...insuring Perdue's re-election.

So it isn't a matter of just winning back the Senate or holding old seats...it is about preventing this region from becoming dominated a single party!

[Padraig18]

14. I wouldn't write off Kentucky...

I spent some time there this summer, and my sense of it after talking to people is that Bush is HIGHLY vulnerable there. :)

[mndemocrat_29]

16. Democrats need to flex some muscle in Georgia

By launching one heckuva campaign to defeat Repukes Johnny Isaakson and Mac Collins. We have to beat Phil Gingrey and Max Burns. A candidate like Michelle Nunn, Andy Young, or Max Cleland (please reconsider the race Max) would invigorate the base and we could keep this Senate seat. We can't simply give up on what makes up over a hundred electoral votes (i.e. the South).

[carpetbagger]

18. Nope. It's the GOP's inner defense, but not a monolith.

In the states that were undisputedly part of the Confederacy (VA NC SC GA FL AL MS LA TX AR TN, throwing in KY and WV), we currently have 11 of 26 Senate seats and 6 of 13 governorships.