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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Georgia has Iraq Democrats, too
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So far – please let us know if we’ve missed somebody — we know of two Iraq-era vets who have qualified for state races. In keeping with a national trend, both of them are Democrats.
Scott Holcomb, an Atlanta securities attorney who’s running for secretary of state, timed his filing to fall on the third anniversary of his return from Kuwait. Holcomb was a lawyer in the Army also, and according to his bio, provided legal counsel to military leaders during the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
So far, the only Democrat to sign up for a run against Rep. Austin Scott (R-Tifton) is John Tibbetts, a high school history teacher who retired from the Army two years ago. He’s a West Point grad who retired a lieutenant colonel, and so is his wife, Jeanni.
Tibbetts served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkey during his 21-year career.
Nationally, several recently discharged veterans are running as Democrats, including Tammy Duckworth, who’s running for the Illinois seat now held by Republican Henry Hyde. Former Sen. Max Cleland has been active in campaigning for them, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him to the same here.
No clinking of martini glasses
Legislator feted by lobbyists for coming nuptials decides to bow out
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
State Rep. Stacey Reece of Gainesville, the Republican who landed in some hot water as a result of a lobbyist-sponsored engagement party, has decided not to seek re-election. The Gainesville Times has it here.
In the face of a threat
This may be one press release that Cagle's people wish they could take back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The slightest difference has developed between Casey Cagle, the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, and Senate president pro tem Eric Johnson — over the $1,000 checks they wrote to Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor in 1999.
We may be looking at the first significant gaffe, on Cagle’s part, in the primary campaign. Not his admission on Saturday that he wrote the check, nor his stated motivation — to apologize for a nasty campaign against Taylor by Republican Mitch Skandalakis, in which Reed had a hand.
The gaffe may have happened Tuesday, in a press release the Cagle campaign issued, labeled “The Caution Flag.”
Here’s the passage:
“Taylor threatened the Republican Senate leadership, of which I was a member. If we did not make a contribution to him to ‘bury the hatchet,’ then Taylor would strip all Republicans of their committee assignments and kill all Republican legislation.
“The Democrats still controlled all of state government in 1999, and we (the Senate Republican leadership) had a choice to make. Clean up Ralph Reed’s mess or our Republican Senators would pay a very high price. [Johnson] and I decided to do what was best for the Republican Party.”
It’s one thing to offer reparations, voluntarily, for the misdeeds of another. It’s another to respond to intimidation. One speaks of compassion and goodwill, the other of victimhood. Especially when Johnson isn’t backing you up on a crucial point.
“My memory is there were no threats from the Taylor camp,” Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. But Johnson has said that committee assignments for GOP members of the Senate were a concern.
Look for Cagle to change the topic, quickly. Perhaps to the 10 GOP congressmen that Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff targeted in the 2000 general election, for daring to vote for the Internet Gaming Prohibition Act. Reed’s shop did the mailings, according to the Washington Post — on behalf of a company that wanted sell state lottery tickets on-line.
The new House score: GOP 104, Dems 76
Johnny Floyd of Cordele, Richard Royal of Camilla cross over to the other side
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
State Rep. Johnny Floyd of Cordele switched to the Republican side of the aisle on Wednesday, the last trick that GOP leaders say they have up their sleeves. He was joined by state Rep. Richard Royal of Camilla — although Royal had already announced his intentions.
That brings the number of Democratic switchers this year to four. And the Republican majority in the 180-member House now stands at 104.
House Majority Leader Jerry Keen of St. Simons Island stood watch over the pair. He said no more switchers are expected this year. And that Republican efforts to lure members of the opposite party have now ended.
The majority leader said he anticipates November bringing one more seat into the GOP camp — despite polls showing Republicans headed toward a poor showing nationally.
“We put our sweat into qualifying. We won our races before the season starts,” Keen said.
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