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Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Mark Taylor’s newest ad: His own ‘Sonny do’ list
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Taylor, the Democratic candidate for governor, has another 30-second TV spot trying to take Republican incumbent Sonny Perdue down a peg or two. You can see it here
The ad is a catalog of Tayor’s past attacks on Perdue: the Florida land deal, the accompanying tax break, state budget cuts to education, and to health care.
Normally, multi-faceted attacks don’t work that well — too many things for viewers to choose from. This could be different. Taylor uses his own Sonny-do list as a hook to give the ad some necessary organization.
Statesboro to Sugar Land: A busy day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’ve learned a little more about President Bush’s itinerary for next week, when he’ll be campaigning for both Max Burns and Mac Collins.
The Burns event has been set for Monday morning on the campus of Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. That afternoon, Bush will appear at an airport rally in Sugar Land, Tex., Tom DeLay’s old district. Republicans are trying to preserve that formerly safe district with a write-in candidate, Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, opposing Democratic former Rep. Nick Lampson.
That means Bush won’t be overnighting in Georgia. He returns Tuesday afternoon — just when the kids will be getting ready to go trick-or-treating — for a rally in Perry.
Strategic Vision poll is out: Perdue and Cagle up, but Bush coat-tails look pretty short
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Strategic Vision, the Republican-oriented public affairs firm, has a new poll out, showing Republicans Sonny Perdue and Casey Cagle expanding their leads in the races for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively.
But given the fact that President Bush is due here next week — twice — those are probably the more arresting numbers.
As usual, we endorse no poll but our own. The three-day poll of 800 likely Georgia voters was conducted Oct. 20-22. It has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
According to the SV poll:
— Bush’s overall approval rating stands at 43 percent, and his disapproval level stands at 40 percent. Remember — this poll has a three-point margin of error.
— The numbers are better when it comes to Bush’s handling of the economy. Forty-nine percent approve, 42 percent disapprove.
— On Iraq: 41 approve of what Bush is doing, and 49 percent disapprove.
— On Bush and the war on terror, the president climbs to a 53 percent approval rating, with 39 percent disapproving.
— On immigration, Bush scores a dismal 34 percent approval, and 57 percent disapproval.
The best news for Republicans in Georgia may be voters’ sense of direction. Fifty-six percent said the state’s headed in the right direction. That also might be good news for incumbents of any stripe, such as state Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin, Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, and Attorney General Thurbert Baker, all Democrats.
Now, as to the horse-races scored by SV:
— In the governor’s race: Perdue, 51 percent; Democrat Mark Taylor, 32 percent; and Libertarian Garrett Hayes, 9 percent. Eight percent are undecided.
— For lieutenant governor: Cagle, 47 percent; Democrat Jim Martin, 39 percent; and Libertarian Allen Buckley, 7 percent. Seven percent undecided.
— For secretary of state: Republican Karen Handel at 35 percent; Democrat, Gail Buckner, 29 percent; and Libertarian Kevin Madsen, 3 percent. A third of voters undecided.
— For attorney general: Baker, 48 percent; Republican Perry McGuire, 29 percent. Twenty-three percent undecided.
— For school superintendent: Republican incumbent Kathy Cox, 46 percent; Democrat Denise Majette, 30 percent; and Libertarian David Chastain, 3 percent. Twenty-one percent undecided.
— For state agriculture commissioner: Irvin, at 49 percent; Republican Gary Black, at 35 percent; and Libertarian Jack Cashin, at 2 percent. Fourteen percent are undecided.
— For state insurance commissioner: Incumbent Republican John Oxendine, 51 percent; and Democrat Guy Drexinger, 30 percent. Nineteen percent undecided.
— For state labor commissioner: Thurmond at 45 percent; and Republican Brent Brown, 35 percent. Twenty percent undecided.
