Isakson Releases New Television Spot

The 33-second spot titled Friday Nights was previewed to Isakson supporters in an email Tuesday afternoon. The ad will begin airing Wednesday.

Bill Clinton In Atlanta For Michael Thurmond Fundraiser Thursday

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Michael Thurmond is breaking out the big guns this week as former President Bill Clinton comes to Atlanta Thursday for a campaign fundraiser.

The event, scheduled to be held at the Sheraton downtown Atlanta hotel, requests a minimum contribution of $250. A photo with President Clinton will set you back $2,400.

During the 2008 Democratic presidential nominating contest, Thurmond endorsed Hillary Clinton for President.

GA Unfiltered, the AJC & Macon Telegraph Wants Your 10 Questions For Barnes, Deal & Monds

The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Macon Telegraph and Georgia Politics Unfiltered is part of a project to get answers from Democrat Roy Barnes, Republican Nathan Deal and Libertarian John Monds on the issues important to you.

We've all partnered with 10Questions.com, a project of Personal Democracy Forum, to solicit questions from the voters for Georgia's gubernatorial candidates.

Here's just a sample of the questions submitted so far:

Jeff Boatright of Decatur asks, "Georgia has serious transportation problems that are now causing us to lose business to Birmingham, Charlotte, and other Southern cities. We once led, now we are being passed. How would you solve this problem?"

Tom McMahan of Rising Fawn asks, "As Governor, will you unequivocally restore the National Certification bonus pay for teachers who have earned it?"

And Jeremiah Winans of Milledgeville asks, "Citing a recent UGA study concluding that if every household spent an additional $10 on local food products then the state economy would increase by $1.9 billion, what would you do specifically to promote buying local?"

You too can ask your questions to Barnes, Deal and Monds. Or you can vote on the questions already submitted. The top ten questions receiving the most votes will be submitted to the gubernatorial candidates for them to answer.

Click here to get started.

Abramowitz Predicts GOP Wins 49 Seats As Kingston Visualizes Speaker Boehner

The prevailing opinion from political prognosticators these days seems to be that Democrats are on track to lose their majority in the U.S House this November.

Monday afternoon, The Huffington Post reported that a panel of political scientists, including Emory University's Alan Abramowitz, predicted the Republicans getting the 40 seats they need to oust Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Alan Abramowitz of Emory University forecast a Republican gain of 49 seats, based on current polling showing Republican with a roughly five percentage-point lead on the generic House ballot.

Blumenthal, Mark (2010-9-6). Political Scientists Forecast Big Losses For Democrats In 2010 Midterm Elections. The Huffington Post. Retrieved on 2010-9-7.

These forecasts from Abramowitz and others have some considering what things may be like with Ohio Republican John Boehner as Speaker.

1st district Congressman Jack Kingston (R - Savannah) told the Associated Press he believes Boehner is a "solid choice for the Republican Party."

Kingston, an 18-year House veteran who has had his own turns in the GOP leadership, said Boehner "is a known quantity. He's not going to be saying anything stupid or doing anything stupid."

Boehner may lack Gingrich's revolutionary zeal and intellectual bent, Kingston said, but he has a steadier grasp of intramural politics.

"He'd be better able to manage that new, hard-energy reform crowd than Newt," Kingston said, adding that the House "is a political body, not an ideological body."

Babington, Charles (2010-9-6). John Boehner: Speaker-In-Waiting? House GOP Leader Looking To Swipe Pelosi's Gavel. The Huffington Post. Retrieved on 2010-9-7.

FiveThirtyEight Analysis: Deal Has 81.6% Chance of Winning Election

FiveThirtyEight, the nonpartisan polling aggregation website and blog created by Nate Silver, is out with its analysis of Georgia's gubernatorial election.

Silver's model predicts that Republican Nathan Deal will defeat Democrat Roy Barnes by a margin of 51.4% to 47.6%.

For more on Nate Silver's analysis of Georgia's gubernatorial election, click here.

Raycom Media Snubs Libertarian on Gubernatorial Debate Invite

Despite having received over 1 million votes in his campaign for Public Service Commission two years ago, Libertarian gubernatorial nominee John Monds continues to be ignored by Georgia's news media.

The latest snub comes from Raycom Media, owner of three televisions in Albany, Columbus and Savannah.

Friday evening, Raycom Media announced an October debate featuring the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor [Gubernatorial candidates will debate in Albany. WALB-TV. Retrieved on 2010-9-4.].

WALB-TV, a Raycom-owned station, reported that Democrat Roy Barnes and Republican Nathan Deal met September 2nd and "agreed to accept the Raycom Media invitation." Not mentioned in the article is whether Libertarian John Monds was extended an invite to make his case before the voters.

Based on the coverage (or lack thereof) of Monds' campaign by Georgia's mainstream media, one can only assume that the Libertarian was not invited to participate in the debate.

Raycom Media's apparent exclusion of John Monds from its debate is a disservice to Georgia voters, as it presents a false impression that there are only two candidates to choose from in November, when in reality there are three.

Email Raycom Media or give them a call --(334)206-1400-- and tell them to let Georgians hear from all three gubernatorial candidates on October 19th.

Labor Commissioner Candidate Hosting Virtual Town Hall Meeting Monday

Darryl Hicks, the Democratic nominee for Labor Commissioner, is hosting a virtual town hall meeting Monday to talk jobs.

In an email to supporters Friday afternoon, Hicks said he wanted to "take some time to listen to everyday Georgians, including those who want and need a job."

". . . starting at 11 a.m. Monday morning, we're going to TALK JOBS by opening up the Darryl Hicks phone lines, our website, our Face Book page and our Twitter account to hear directly from YOU, your friends and neighbors," the Hicks email reads.

Those wanting to participate in this virtual town hall can sign up at darrylhicks.net

Secretary of State Releases Summary of Proposed Constitutional Amendments

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp today announced the release of the summaries of proposed general amendments to the Constitution of Georgia and the statewide referendum that will be voted on in the November 2, 2010 General Election.

The summaries of the Constitutional amendments and statewide referendum in their entirety are available by clicking here.

Clayton County Misses The Bus Yet Again On Mass Transit

In south metro Atlanta, a local government has once again passed on restoring mass transit to its residents.

Clayton News Daily reporter Joel Hall reports that the Clayton County Commission "missed a crucial deadline to call for a binding referendum to create an additional one-cent sales tax to fund the county’s participation in MARTA."

When Clayton residents go to the polls in November to vote on whether they would like to see MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) operating in the county, it will most likely be taken by the Board of Commissioners as a suggestion.

According to the transit advocacy group, Citizens for Progressive Transit (CfPT), the board has missed a crucial deadline to call for a binding referendum to create an additional one-cent sales tax to fund the county’s participation in MARTA.

CfPT President Lee Biola said that Sept. 2 marked the last day the board could call for a binding referendum on the matter to appear on the ballot for the Nov. 2 general election. Instead, a non-binding straw poll on the topic will appear on the ballot, as called for by the April passage of House Bill 1446.

“Today is the deadline to call that referendum, so effectively, there will not be a binding referendum,” Biola said Thursday. “We had that rally [in July] and asked that people have a chance to vote in a binding referendum. They [the board] were made aware of this deadline ... but this is something that they did not want to pursue.”

Hall, Joel (2010-9-3). Hopes shot for binding MARTA referendum. Clayton News Daily. Retrieved on 2010-9-3.

For the record, this failure lays squarely on the shoulders of the Clayton County Commission.

The Republican-controlled Georgia General Assembly gave Clayton County voters the opportunity to tax themselves to support public transportation. But, the Democrat-controlled Clayton County Commission said no.

Luckily for Clayton County residents, the spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and well. Two private bus companies, Southside Transportation and QuickTransit, are filling the void left by the government.

Quote of the Day: the Ken Hodges edition

"I am not running as a national Democrat. I am running as a Georgian."

-Democratic attorney general candidate Ken Hodges speaking to the Albany Rotary Club

11Alive Reporter Wonders If Democratic Governors Are Hanging Barnes Out To Dry

Since Nathan Deal clinched the Georgia Republican Party's gubernatorial nomination last month, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) has been quick to demonstrate their unyeilding support for his candidacy.

The formation of a PAC with the State Ethics Commission, two television ads and a website linking Democrat Roy Barnes with the unpopular Barack Obama says the RGA is heavily invested in keeping Georgia's top office in Republican hands.

The Democratic Governors Association (DGA), on the other hand, has done little more than issue a couple press releases congratulating Barnes on his July primary victory. The relative lack of involvement by the DGA in Georgia's 2010 gubernatorial election has at least one reporter questioning if Democrats nationally are hanging Barnes out to dry.

In other states, The DGA is running ads. In Iowa, they're funding third-party commercials to help defeat GOP gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstadt. In Illinois, they're spending millions on ads, and they're creating their own spots in New Mexico.

[11Alive's Jeff]Hullinger asked [Democratic Governors Association spokeswoman Emily]Bittner if there were any plans to put ads in Georgia like the RGA has done.

"We're heavily invested in the state; we've contributed more than a half million dollars," she replied.

Hullinger, Jeff (2010-9-2). Democratic Governors: No Barnes Ads. WXIA-TV. Retrieved on 2010-9-2.

DGA spokesperson Emily Bittner provided Jeff Hullinger with a classic political non-answer answer. Bittner didn't say yes, the DGA would be airing ads in Georgia. She also didn't say no, the DGA would not air any ads in this state. All Bittner said is that the DGA is "very committed" to Barnes; and that, of course, is what any political observer would expect her to say.

So the question remains, will the DGA jump into the Georgia gubernatorial election in a big way similar to that of the RGA?

My guess is the DGA is monitoring the polls, and if the organization believes there's a real chance of a Barnes victory in November, they'll start running some ads. Until then, Barnes is on his own.

DeKalb County District Attorney Resigns; Perdue To Appoint Replacement

DeKalb County District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming has resigned her post to take a new job in the Obama Administration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [Associated Press (2010-9-1). Obama Picks Georgia Prosecutor to Lead Southeast EPA. WCTV-TV. Retrieved on 2010-9-2.].

Fleming, first elected D.A. in 2004, has about two years left in her second four-year term. The Georgia Constitution gives Gov. Perdue the authority to appoint someone to fill the vacancy.

Candidates for Agriculture Commissioner Scheduled to Debate Thursday Night

Georgia Organics, a member supported non-profit organization working to integrate healthy, sustainable and locally grown food into the lives of all Georgians, is sponsoring a debate Thursday night featuring the candidates for Agriculture Commissioner.

The debate, scheduled for 7:30PM on the Emory University campus, will also be live streamed online here.

Republican Gary Black, Libertarian Kevin Cherry and Democrat J.B. Powell are all hoping to succeed Tommy Irvin as Commissioner of Agriculture. Irvin is retiring after more than four decades on the job.

Towery: Barnes Must Adopt A "I'm Really A Republican" Strategy Or Lose

For months around here, I've been pounding the table with my assertions that Barack Obama is toxic to Democrats in Georgia.

Now, even as some say a new ad from the GOP is a perfect tool to motivate those so-called "Obama voters" to the polls, the latest numbers from Insider Advantage Georgia reiterate the point that the President will be no help for his Democratic Party in November.

Will your opinion of President Obama and the national Democratic party's job performance impact how you vote for statewide offices such as governor?

Will Impact - 67%
Not An Impact - 24%
No Opinion - 9%

Pettys, Dick (2010-9-1). IA poll: Obama, national Dems a big drag on Barnes in Georgia. Insider Advantage Georgia. Retrieved on 2010-9-2.

Here's the analysis from Inside Advantage CEO Matt Towery:

“These numbers are in line with what we’re seeing all over the country and what we’re seeing nationwide. It’s not good news. The Democrats are going to have to find a way to really separate themselves from Barack Obama and the Congress. The Barnes strategy has to be, ‘I’m really a Republican.’ If he doesn’t do that, given the fact that the number of independents are dropping, he can’t win.”

As of September 2nd, the state Democratic Party still touts the accomplishments of Barack Obama on its website. Matt Towery says that's a bad idea; a recipe for defeat.

Come November, the voters will decide if Obama is a liability for Democrats at the ballot box. And then, of course, we'll see if Towery's analysis is correct.

Democratic A.G. Candidate Says Speed Up Appeals Process for Quicker Executions

The following is a press release from the Ken Hodges for Attorney General campaign:

Last week, Ken’s work protecting Georgians made news—in a case that still weighs heavy on his heart.

In 1994, a South Georgia woman was viciously murdered and left on the side of a dirt road. Ken went after her killer, Marcus Ray Johnson, and he was condemned to death by a Dougherty County Jury. This death sentence—the ultimate penalty—was upheld by a Federal Appeals Court last week.

When asked about the case, Ken said “The malicious and senseless attack on Angela Sizemore was one of the most horrific cases to cross my desk when I was District Attorney. The defendant did not then, nor has he ever, shown any remorse for his actions and he is without question deserving of the most serious penalty the citizens of Dougherty County can impose.”

“Seeking justice for the victims of violent criminals like Marcus Ray Johnson is why I am running for Attorney General. Victims need an advocate standing up for them in the Attorney General’s office, and all Georgians need an Attorney General who has the experience and determination to defend death penalty cases on appeal. I applaud the 11th Circuit’s decision to uphold the death sentence I secured more than a decade ago, and I pledge to work as Attorney General to ensure that crime victims receive justice.”

Ken also took the opportunity to call for reform of the capital punishment process.

“The case of Marcus Ray Johnson—who was sentenced to death 12 years ago—is a perfect example of one of the flaws in Georgia’s death penalty process. To fulfill our commitment to victims’ families and Georgia’s taxpayers, the appeals process must be expedited so that death sentences can be carried out more quickly,” he said.

Ken strongly believes that when the state sentences criminals to death, we ought to use all resources at our disposal—like DNA testing—to ensure justice has been done. And, in the interest of justice, these appeals need to be heard quickly and fully, and if upheld, the sentences carried out swiftly. It is the right thing to do for victim’s families, and Georgia’s taxpayers.

The Attorney General has the responsibility to represent the state in all capital punishment appeals. Ken Hodges is the only candidate for Attorney General who has made the difficult decision as a prosecutor to seek the death penalty against some of Georgia’s worst offenders, and the only candidate with the experience it takes to defend death penalty appeals.

We all need to do what we can to elect Ken Hodges as Georgia’s Attorney General. Tragic cases, like that of Angela Sizemore, are all the reasons we should need.

Election 2010 Could Be The Last Hurrah For Georgia Dems

Athens Banner-Herald reporter Blake Aued recently interviewed state Representative Alan Powell (D - Hartwell) about the Georgia Democratic Party's prospects in the November General Election [Aued, Blake (2010-8-31).
Powell: Barnes is Dems' last hope. Blake Aued's Blog. Retrieved on 2010-9-1.].

Powell told Aued, in the interview, that he believes Barnes has to branch out and talk about the economy and the state budget more. But here's the portion of the interview that is bound to catch the eyes and ears of everyone who reads it:

“If Roy Barnes doesn’t win it in November, you can probably stick a fork in the Democratic movement, because we will not be able to come back for a generation or more,” Powell said in a phone conversation today.

If Barnes loses, Powell said he would “seriously consider” switching parties because Democrats would not only have no influence, but no hope regaining power. He also said he thinks he could halt the Republicans' drift to the right and bring it back toward the middle.

This is the last hurrah for Georgia's Democratic Party. The 2010 elections represents a huge gamble for the Democrats. Almost all of our Democratic eggs are in Barnes' basket, and if he loses, it is over.

Meanwhile, on the Republican side of the aisle, there is a growing movement to embrace a full view of conservatism.

"More and more conservatives are saying that opposition to gay marriage would not be a litmus test for membership in the GOP," [former McCain campaign manager Steve]Schmidt added. "And more conservatives are making the case that no more do you want big government conservatives in the bedroom than big government liberals telling you how to live your life."

Stein, Sam (2010-8-31). Steve Schmidt, Former McCain Campaign Chief, On Mehlman Fundraiser: Same-Sex Marriage Becoming Conservative Cause. Huffington Post. Retrieved on 2010-9-1.

From loosening gun control restrictions to keeping government out of the bedroom to keeping government's hands off of women's bodies to reigning in all this big government spending, there are more than a few Republicans who now believe that being a conservative means being a conservative in every sense of the word.

One cannot call themselves conservative if they're picking and choosing where government can and cannot be involved. Less government means less government across the board.

I believe Alan Powell and others could move the Republican Party from the extreme right wing back to its roots of less government, a strong national defense and promoting businesses; big and small.