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DEL.ICIO.USThe guy who took aim at an icon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Much has been said about Ralph Reed’s loss last Tuesday in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor. Not enough has been made of Casey Cagle’s victory in that same race.
In many ways, the race was familiar to long-time Georgians: The high school graduate against the PhD. The stammering, unknown state senator versus the self-assured, national TV presence. Politically, this state has often served as a cemetery for the slick, the well-spoken and well-connected.
Cagle had a compelling up-by-bootstraps story, but he also had one of the best-run, best-coordinated campaigns we’ve seen in quite a while. The candidate spoke on Sunday, TV ads carried the message Monday, direct mail hit on Tuesday, followed by robo-calls on Wednesday. Easy to say, hard to pull off.
Coordination requires unity of purpose, and Cagle’s core strategists had that in spades. First, many were former employees or associates of Reed — including campaign manager Elizabeth Dewberry and consultant Joel McElhannon. Secondly, all understood that they were about to say very bad things about a Republican icon. Fail, and work in this state would be hard to find for a very long time.
Confident of his Christian base, Reed sought an alliance with mainstream Republicans on issues such as taxes and job growth. By constantly harping on Reed’s relationship with Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Cagle’s strategy was to push Reed to the right, out of the reach of centrist Republicans.
Reed’s own TV ads citing his former leadership of the Christian coalition was seen as evidence that Reed had been forced to tend to his base. Then Cagle even went after that, by charging Reed with hypocrisy in a two-week TV ad blitz.
Last week, on the web site of National Review, the conservative magazine, Cagle’s pollster, John McLaughlin, called the victory “the beginning of the Republican reformation� — a metaphor loaded with images of a debauched religious order grown too comfortable with its own success.
“Georgia Republicans and conservatives … have rejected the corruption of our movement and they should be praised for their wisdom,� McLaughlin wrote.
But in many ways, the Reed-Cagle contest was yet another round in the fight for control of the Republican party, between business interests and social conservatives. Cagle matched Reed point-for-point on issues dear to religious conservatives.
But his campaign also built heavily on low-profile business networks — bankers, real estate agents, car dealers, and so on. Cagle also won the endorsements of more than 300 elected officials in Georgia.
Perhaps more importantly, in an interview over the weekend, Cagle also hinted at silent help from those who thought a Reed victory would lead to a disastrous narrowing of the Republican name brand in Georgia.
“This chapter is going to be viewed as a redefining of the Republican party. Once and for all, it is very much a mainstream party,� Cagle said.
Comments
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By Georgia Flagger
July 23, 2006 8:34 PM | Link to this
Cagle was the beneficiary of tens of thousands of Anti-Reed votes. To a person, every single Flagger and Southern Heritage minded Georgian were rabid anti-reed and voted as such.
McLaughlin can spin and twirl it any way he chooses, but he should’ve learned a lesson from reed - the 56 flag folks were STRONGLY involved, and we STRONGLY remind him not to ignore us.
The redefining of the republicans in Georgia can only begin when promises made by elected politicians are followed thru to the fulfilled end. No Perdue, Know Peace. Know Perdue, No Peace.
By MC
July 23, 2006 10:45 PM | Link to this
I hate to break it to you, but Sonny only promised to let Georgians vote on their flag. He never said he’d include the 1956 one as an option. So it was all a case of you guys mishearing and getting stupid ideas.
By VED
July 24, 2006 12:05 AM | Link to this
Great Article. Finally the right synopsis of the race has finally been written. Similar to how McKinney lost to Majette, Reed ran up against the one type of candidate he couldn’t beat. Reed and McKinney both had such high negatives, that when they ran against a similar profile - someone they could not run to the fringe on, or bash against because they had the same profile, they ended up losing. Cagle is arguably as conservative as Reed, and when the hard core conservatives that Reed was absolutely depending on were voting for Cagle, that is when he was sunk.
By Georgia Flagger
July 24, 2006 9:36 AM | Link to this
MC
Please allow me to pour a huge bucket of fresh steaming yellow waste on your wild fantasies.
It was in Candidate Perdue’s letter to 1956 Flag supporters in 2001 that stated “The people of Georgia’s 18th Senate District sent me to Atlanta to reflect their views, beliefs, and values. I have always prided myself in doing just that. Thus in 1993, when then Governor Miller called for the flag to be changed, my constituents told me they did not favor the change, so I voted against it.
In 2001, Roy Barnes pushed his flag through the legislature, without giving the people a voice, so I chose to vote against the change again. I have been consistant on my stance on the flag, unlike those who alter their views based on the changing political climate.
…I will give the people that voice. I will support a statewide referendum.”
OK now MC, exactly what flags were hot in the minds of Georgia voters at the time of this letter? The 1956 Flag and the Barnes Ugly Rag.
Any confusion so far?
At the Bremen Parade of October 2001, in what was to be Tom Murphy’s last public appearance, a large group of 56 Flag supporters met with Candidate Perdue. Sonny was asked point blank if the proposed referendum was to include the 1956 flag as an option. Candidate Perdue did swear by pointing to a 1956 flag that it would be included in any referendum. He was then given a $500 campaign check.
Any confusion so far?
After the Bremen Parade, Candidate Perdue traveled to Rockmart and was in a Republican Rally. Again he was approached by various 1956 Flag Supporters and asked if the 1956 flag was to be an option on the proposed Flag vote, and again it was verbally stated in the presence of numerous people that indeed it would be. More campaign contributions were then offered to Perdue.
Any confusion so far?
It is my understanding that Candidate Perdue, in his numerous travels across the state seeking votes made the same promise to thousands of others like the above.
Any confusion so far?
When elected, a whole new flag was created to everyone’s surprise. While the original HB380 did include the 1956 flag as an option, it was traded away for the black support of a tobacco tax.
Any confusion now as to why “Sonny Lied”? There is no confusion as to why people like yourself try to invent history or claim stupid ideas.
By nfire
July 24, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this
It’s amazing to me that with all the problems that our state has, some people can’t pull their heads from their asses long enough to realize that the flag we use in Georgia has no effect on anyone’s daily lives. Georgia Flagger’s assertion that the flaggers are the reason Cagle beat Reed is laughable. Further, everybody likes the flag we have now. Get a life losers!
By Rawena
July 24, 2006 11:54 AM | Link to this
Flagger,
Please, something that matters! You and your flag clearly do not matter in the scheme of things.
Focus on reality for a change.
By Lucy
July 24, 2006 3:43 PM | Link to this
Good synopsis. Also remember that Cagle also won the grassroots war. Something Reed was supposed to dominate.
Cagle Political Director Russell Carlson helped coordinate Senators, County Chairmen, former Reed employees and volunteers into one of the best grassroots armies ever seen in Georgia Politics.
By Meltdown
July 24, 2006 5:22 PM | Link to this
Speaking of wild fantasies… mine is that the Reed - Cagle split is the beginning of the recovery phase for the GOP. Maybe, just maybe, in the future the party will return to it’s conservative roots and chase off the religious fascists who wouldn’t know a conservative position if it smacked them in the forehead. Imagine, a party that actually supported small govt, personal liberty, and reasonable fiscal policies instead of just talking about them to appease the moderates. Maybe the people who think God likes them better can join up with those who think a Liberal is anybody who doesn’t support hanging black voters and form a 3rd party. You’ll have to get a new name though - Know Nothing is taken already.
By Philly
July 24, 2006 7:04 PM | Link to this
There was a lot of crossver votes by gays and liberals that attributed to Reed’s defeat. How do you explain the difference in the GOP votes in areas Like Dekalb, Fulton, etc? It almost doubled.
This is one Reed support that would never under any circumstances for someone like Casey Cagle. Can’t wait until the Democratic nominee starts blasting Cagle like Cagle did Reed.
I will not support Oxendine either or my GOP State Senator.
Cagle used his office for personal gain. He increased his wealth 900%. He lied in his campaign ads against Reed. He lied on his disclosure forms, he lied about the Taylor contribution…
The party is divided now and will not be put back together. I would rather see a Democrat elected as Lt. Governor.
Cagle’s team found a way to win the primary but it remains to be seen if they can win in November. I will work very hard against Cagle.
By BahamaBoy
July 24, 2006 7:11 PM | Link to this
900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent!
By BahamaBoy
July 24, 2006 7:12 PM | Link to this
Liar, Liar … Philly’s on fire!
By Meltdown
July 24, 2006 8:14 PM | Link to this
Philly - please help me make a list of all the reps who haven’t become wealthier while serving. Glenn Richardson? Nope. Earl Ehrhart? Sorry, wrong again. So how do you feel about a person who used your faith to increase his personal wealth? Remember the “wackos” Abrahoff turned out? That would be Ralph’s mailing list. Please sit this one out. Please form a 3rd party, and give us back our GOP.
By Georgia Flagger
July 24, 2006 11:23 PM | Link to this
nfire & Rawena
It is simply a matter of broken promises, lies, and taking of donations only to be stabbed in the back.
Perdue was elected on the promise listed above. So farhe has lied, reneged, hemmed and hawed to avoid fulfilling the issue. To keep saying it is simply me and my flag (I am a Virginian and have no claim to the 56 flag) is stupid.
If you can’t understand the passion of forcing a politician to follow thru on a campaign promise, then please remove yourselfs from voter lists and go watch Ren & Stimpy.
There are those of us who firmly believe in the voice of the people should be enforced under the Gold Dome - unlike nfire and Rawena
By liar's worst enemy
July 25, 2006 1:30 AM | Link to this
To the Perdue Supporters and anti-flag element!
I have a life, I’m self employed, happily married and dedicated to seeing Sonny lose. Sonny spoke to me and 8 other Pastors in Dalton and promised a vote on the 56 flag. In all honesty, our state has bigger problems than the Flag being changed. Unfortunately, those larger problems also come to roost at the Liar’s feet. Companies are fleeing Georgia like Sherman was chasing them. When Ford and GM plants were being considered for closing every other Governor with an auto plant in their state traveled to Detroit, many several times. What was Sonny’s excuse, he couldn’t find time to make the trip, largely because he was working on landing the non-existent Kia Plant. Gee, sounds like another lie to me.
I was a life long Republican and have suffered through elections where our Candidates got fewer votes than Ray McBerry received. I do want to let Meltdown know that the Christian Right is where the elements of Smaller Government, and more freedom originated, way back when the US Constitution was written.
I have officially joined the Democratic Party, and boy have I heard a earful from people I teased all the years past. I will do anything legal and ethical to get Mark Taylor elected. Now you can say my life changing decision is about the Flag, I disagree and say its about the lack of truthfulness and integrity on the part of our current Governor. It doesn’t matter whether I’m a flag voter, or just an anti-Liar voter, for the rest of this year I’m a Democratic Voter, and that’s the bottom line.
By Zoinks
July 25, 2006 8:42 AM | Link to this
nfire:
I seriously doubt you have read the Mason Dixon Georgia State Flag Poll.
I also firmly believe after what I have read here and on other threads that you and keyboard commandos lie rawena are just pleased as punch that elected officials can lie 900% of the time and you would still vote for them regardless - kinda reminds me of McKinney voters
By Jimbo
July 25, 2006 9:05 AM | Link to this
Bahama Boy, I would get used to hearing that 900% if I were you. The Democrats will be slamming Cagle with it. The Dems will run a nasty campaign against Cagle and Cagle can’t say a word about it. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap…
I can’t wait until the Dems start blasting Cagle….
By Grass Roots Guy
July 25, 2006 10:38 AM | Link to this
Give me a break. Cagle didn’t win. Reed loss. Cagle just happened to be the anti-Reed candidate. Look at the AJC headline on election day.
Cagle is a nobody who got lucky—right place at the right time.
That’s all. This is not about who Cagle is. It was only about Reed and with millions in free media from the liberal media, he was defeated, but it had little if nothing to do with Cagle or his campaign. He will not win in November.
By Rawena
July 25, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this
You’re right on Grass Roots. And not only is Cagle a nothing. He is a mean-spirted, unintelligent nothing.
Let’s hope his 15 minutes was up on the 18th.