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DEL.ICIO.USOn the life-span of revolutionaries
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Blackshear, Ga — The Fourth of July weekend is a proper time to reflect upon the fact that the Molly Pitchers of a revolution don’t always share in its spoils.
Kay Godwin is a dental hygenist and wife of a body shop man here, and a long-time Republican activist. She’s an essential part of the conservative, evangelical base that brought the Georgia Republican party to power.
Godwin has been characterized as strident, single-minded and driven. Such traits served her well when, in 2002, she and a partner, Pat Tippett, rounded up south Georgia and drove it into Sonny Perdue’s camp. The new Republican governor handed Godwin a trophy for her work.
The grandmother-activist is now running for House District 178, a sweltering, three-county monument to scrub pine, sand, and hard-scrabble living — just off the Georgia coast. It’s an open seat.
House Speaker Glenn Richardson, a fellow Republican and in many ways a beneficiary of Godwin’s efforts, came to her hometown last week. But it was to endorse her GOP opponent, Mark Williams, a civic-minded fellow with a real estate business 30 miles north in Jesup.
A “common-sense,” well-credentialed Republican, Richardson called him.
Let us translate for the speaker: Post-revolutionary times call for post-revolutionary attitudes. At some point, ideology must give way to the practicalities of governing.
Like generations of firebrands before her, Godwin could find herself a victim of her own success in the July 18 primary.
The Democratic primary was once the be all and end all for rural Georgia. With no Republican candidates, political contests were settled in the July primary.
Georgia’s Republican revolution is moving toward a mirror image here. In the House 178 race, there is no Democratic candidate. In Jesup and Blackshear, African-American neighborhoods are festooned with signs for Williams.
“I’m going after everybody,” Williams said. Local Democrats invited him to speak at one of their meetings. The black vote in the district is roughly 15 percent, but it could make a crucial difference in a tight Republican primary.
That fund-raiser the speaker threw for Williams? It was held in a black neighborhood, at a recreation center that would like to see a little state funding for its at-risk kids.
Williams is right with the Republican core on all the crucial issues, including abortion and gay marriage. The difference is in tone. “I’m a Christian and will boldly state that,” he said. “But I’m not going to wear it around and keep bragging and bragging. The moral issues are settled.”
While Godwin emphasizes a pro-family agenda, Williams points to his experience on nearly every important board and charity his community has to offer. His business community has lined up behind him.
Godwin is unfazed by the speaker’s endorsement. “I’ve been in politics long enough to know there’s very little loyalty,” she said. “I’ll just do my best and let God sort it out.”
Godwin isn’t convinced that July’s Republican primary has yet become the giant voice that settles all political issues in her territory.
Democrats are still on the ballot in Wayne and Brantley counties, and will drain away voters. Two years ago, she said, her own Pierce County swamped the 2004 Republican primary with two-thirds of the vote.
But if Godwin is wrong, this small contest in Georgia’s sandy plains has terrific implications for the rest of the state. The reassertion of a single-party — this time Republican —political system in rural Georgia would make Democratic affairs the exclusive concern of a few counties in metro Atlanta.
It could even more telling for Republicans. A broader party means more people, which means more power — but less influence for the core of true-believers who made it happen.
Comments
By Principled Road
July 3, 2006 07:29 AM | Link to this
“At some point, ideology must give way to the practicalities of governing.” So Glen Richardson is using Democrats to defeat a life-long Republican activist that helped elect Sonny Perdue. Interesting. But the picture here, is how the Georgia GOP evolves in the next few years. The objective of Pointevint is to continue to disenchant the activist and keep pulling in democrats and others that don’t truly adhere to the principles of the Republican Party. With Perdue at 50% in the most recent poll, he should be very concerned whether or not the “activist” Republicans will get out and vote for him.
By GrassRootsGuy
July 3, 2006 10:13 AM | Link to this
Yes, I am very disappointed in the GOP leadership and particularly Richardson. He dumps Godwin even though he was pleased to “use” her on the way to a GOP majority.
I hope Mr. Richardson understands that grassroots people will remember this and they will especially remember this when he decides to run for Governor in a few years.
This only underscores the danger that Republicans in Georgia are on the brink of following their D.C. buddies over the cliff.
Shame on you Speaker Richardson.
By Dave
July 4, 2006 12:07 PM | Link to this
Hey, any move toward the center and away from extremist - whether they be on the right or left - is a GOOD THING for Georgia!