McKinney's grip on district weakens

[wyldwolf]

The AJC analysis looked at voter turnout in DeKalb, where most 4th District voters live. The AJC also compared Tuesday's election returns in 120 DeKalb precincts with the results of McKinney's 2002 race, which she lost to Denise Majette. (The Georgia Legislature drew new congressional lines in 2005, so only 120 precincts were the same in 2006 as in 2002.)

The analysis found:

•This year, 49 percent fewer voters cast ballots for McKinney than in 2002. That indicates those voters either did not cast ballots Tuesday, or voted for another candidate.

•Overall turnout was significantly lower this year than in 2002. Then, 47 percent of 4th District voters who live in DeKalb went to the polls; this year only 26 percent cast ballots.

•Support for McKinney dropped by an average of 4.5 percentage points across the 120 precincts. She experienced the biggest decline in south DeKalb precincts. In the precincts where McKinney was strongest in 2002, she still won majorities this year but by a lower percentage.

•Johnson had the strongest support in predominantly white north DeKalb, but he received a lower percentage of the vote in many of those precincts than Majette did in 2002. The third opponent, Coyne, received 10 to 20 percent of the vote in many of those precincts.



http://ajc.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=McKinney%27s+grip+on+district+weakens&expire=&urlID=18937107&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ajc.com%2Fmetro%2Fcontent%2Fmetro%2Fdekalb%2Fstories%2F0724metfourth.html&partnerID=553

[Stevepol]

1. You can't say anything about McKinney's popularity by relying on

mythical vote counts produced by Diebold for a video game democracy.

Have any trustworthy polls been done?

The electronic vote count in GA is absolutely irrelevant as a gauge of popular opinion on anything or anybody. The same can be said in varying degrees around the country.

When will people realize this and start relying on polls, either pre-election or exit polls, as a gauge. They have at least a semblance of relevance.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. So it's McKinney vs. Al Damato? I'll take Mckinney. n/t

>>>Johnson resigned his commission seat in April, saying, "I want to be the pothole congressman who takes care of the constituents back home.">>>>

[CottonBear]

3. Only about 26% of voters turned out statewide for the primaries.

So, DeKalb COunty is not really different than the rest of the state (That is to say, most GA citizens don't bother to go to the polls.) Turnout in my county and adjacent counties was about the same as in DeKalb County (actaully, it may have been even less.). This percentage of voter turnout was similar in both Democratic and Republican areas.

Also, many voters crossed over and voted for candidates not of their party. For example, many Democrats (statewide) voted against Reed and many Republicans in DeKalb County voted against McKinney.

Note, that there is still little or no coverage of the actual issues or McKinney's legislative record in the McKinney-Johnson coverage. What does Johnson believe and how would he vote and what are his stands on the issues?

[OKNancy]

4. It seems to me that Republicans would prefer

McKinney as she is much more controversial. What is in it for them to have a less controversial Democrat in office?

Edit: I went to the Hank Johnson website and looked at his "issues"
He looks like a solid Democrat to me.
http://hankforcongress.com/