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Friday, April 28, 2006
Sonny Perdue to hit airwaves on Monday
Gosh. With lots of money in hand, Perdue seems to be tracking Roy Barnes' schedule
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re told that Gov. Sonny Perdue, flush with re-election cash, is set to start his TV campaign on Monday. He’s arranged to drop nearly $1.5 million over the next five weeks in metro Atlanta alone.
For those of you who keep calendars, that’s only two days later than Roy Barnes began running his television spots four years ago.
The most recent polls showed President Bush dragging down Perdue and other Republicans in Georgia, and that may be one reason for Perdue’s early launch. But also remember that, in 2002, Perdue had so little money that he couldn’t afford a substantial televised introduction to the state.
This time, he’s got $8.2 million in hand, and it’s the Democrats who are sucking wind. Statewide, Perdue has purchased time in second-tier markets, too — Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah. Total buy is about $2.1 million. A moderate entry into the ‘06 race.
We’ve no word on content. The timing says to expect Perdue’s ads to be warm and fuzzy. Then again, only a few weeks ago, the governor showed a video to the Republican upper-crust that emphasized his leadership in fighting gas-gougers after Hurricane Katrina.
Obviously, current gasoline prices are a worry for any incumbent. We’ll offer a link as soon as we can.
None of this info comes from Perdue campaigners, but they don’t dispute it, either. And by coincidence, Monday is Perdue’s formal kick-off day. Re-election festivities begin with a rally on the Marietta Square at noon.
The flaggers get their man
But 'States' rights' McBerry thinks immigration and eminent domain may be hotter buttons
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Sonny Perdue will be able to do much as he likes over the next three months before the July primary. But he won’t be able to call himself unopposed.
This week, loyalists of the ’56 state flag and its battle emblem fielded their own candidate in the Republican primary.
He is Ray “States’ Rights� McBerry, a 38-year-old, self-employed ad salesman from Monroe County.
Chances of winning? Slim to none. Significance? For the first time, we may be able to put a number on the hardcore flagger vote. All right, you can call them Confederate heritagists. Whatever their name, they’e widely believed to have cost Gov. Roy Barnes his political career in 2002.
McBerry is backed by the Georgia division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the League of the South, the Southern Heritage PAC, the Constitution Party and the Southern Party of Georgia.
But here’s the interesting thing about McBerry, which may generate a bit of perspiration in Republican armpits: He lists the flag as No. 3 on his menu of concerns, behind immigration and eminent domain.
McBerry considers the current Republican administration to be soft on those last two issues.
Of S.B. 529, McBerry said: “I think what was just signed was more of an amnesty bill than an anti-immigration bill. I think there certainly needs to be a little bit more strict or severe penalty for employers. And January 2008 is a little too far down the road for it to begin.�
On eminent domain, the new candidate echoed sentiments already expressed by state Sen. Jeff Chapman of Glynn County: “We certainly are glad that it’s being discussed. However, the constitutional amendment that’s being proposed still provides the General Assembly a loophole to come back in and re-define ‘public use.’ Which is the same problem that got us here in the first place.â€?
And yes, there is the issue of the flag. He’ll push for a statewide referendum on the ’56 flag and it’s St. Andrew’s Cross.
And remember those planes with trailing banners, the ones that dogged Perdue during his first couple years as governor? They’re coming back, McBerry said.
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