Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2008 > August > 01 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USEric Johnson announces for lieutenant governor — and gets a raspberry from Cobb County Republicans
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The lieutenant governor campaign of Eric Johnson got off to an inauspicious start last night, with a slapdown by fellow Republicans in Cobb County.
(TWO UPDATES ON THIS POST BELOW: COMMENTS FROM ERIC JOHNSON, AND EXCERPTS FROM THE RESOLUTION.)
The day began well enough, with an announcement that the Senate president pro tem e-mailed to friends and fellow senators:
“After two months of personal reflection, family discussions, and consulting with friends and activists across this great state, I have made an important decision. If Casey [Cagle] runs for Governor, I will run for Lieutenant Governor…
”I will serve out the remainder of my term as the President Pro Tem and then focus my final two years in the Senate on my district, my campaign, and presenting solutions to the challenges that threaten our state’s future prosperity.”
But Republicans in Cobb had noticed that in May, Johnson donated a total of $4,600 to state Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan, a Democrat from Austell.
Morgan was unopposed in her primary, and faces Republican Chris Cooper of Powder Springs in November. Cooper’s chances are slim, but many GOPers in Cobb still took umbrage.
On Thursday night, during a meeting held at Marietta City Hall, the county GOP passed a resolution that endorsed Cooper — and rebuked Johnson for his support of an enemy combatant. This was confirmed Friday by Scott Johnson, the county chairman, who temporarily relinquished his position to argue against the slap at Eric Johnson.
“Senator Johnson had explained to me that he had done this for a specific reason. It was about policy, not politics. She’s a strong supporter in the House of school vouchers,” Scott Johnson said.
Morgan’s husband, David L. Morgan, is the state director for a political action committee called All Children Matter, which advocates school choice. (David Morgan is also a candidate for Cobb County school board, having defeated Democratic incumbent Betty Gray in the July primary.)
School choice apparently will be a major issue in Eric Johnson’s campaign — see this post from yesterday — and the senator told the Cobb County chairman that bridges must be built with Democrats if he’s to succeed.
Scott Johnson also pointed out that the Savannah senator — the two are not related — has given cash to many Republican candidates in the county, including state Reps. Steve “Thunder” Tumlin of Marietta and Rich Golick of Smyrna.
The Thursday night vote was close — 48 to 40, the chairman reported. Unfortunately, Scott Johnson said only one copy of the resolution exists, and he had already given it over to the recording secretary. So the above account will have to suffice.
UPDATE NO. 1: Click here to see a copy of the resolution. In part, the document reads:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Cobb County Republican Party repudiate the implied endorsement of Morgan by Senator Eric Johnson and urge all Republican candidates (both in office and running for office) to support the candidacy of our Republican nominee Chris Cooper against this liberal Democrat; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senator Eric Johnson be rebuked and admonished for lending material financial support to liberal Democrats against the nominees of the Republican Party and reminded that his leadership role is a position of trust conferred upon him by the Senate Republican Caucus; and…
UPDATE No. 2: Late this afternoon, Eric Johnson sent out an e-mail that included the following:
“My bipartisan approach to helping children in failing schools seems to have led some to question why I recently made contributions to a targeted few Democrats. That’s a fair question.
“However, I believe that, by doing so, we help accomplish one of our long standing conservative goals - allowing parents the freedom to choose how and where their children are educated instead of the government. The Democrats I have supported are helping make school choice a reality. Importantly, they also live in districts that are beyond the reach of a Republican challenger.
“I have worked with you for years to build our party. You know that I will never do anything to threaten our majority, but I will always work to accomplish our agenda.
“Once again, I have raised and contributed over $1 million to Republicans during our transition from minority to majority party. Anyone who would attack my efforts to reach across party lines and help children in failing public schools is simply playing politics with an issue that transcends us all. I hope you will join with us.”
Comments
By tim
August 1, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this
Total crap. Absolutely inexcusable.
this guy is a total fraud.
By Craig
August 1, 2008 6:21 PM | Link to this
So let me get this straight. Unless you stand much better than a snowball’s chance Johnson would rather ensure money goes to a Democrat that agrees with him MAYBE on one issue. Does he not realize that the money he gave also can find its way in other campaigns and efforts? Does he not realize that this money does nothing but HURT his party?
It is also quite odd that the husband has the PAC but yet it is the wife that gets the money from Johnson. It is also odd that someone who already agrees allegedly with Johnson would have her palms greased. Why bribe someone who already is on your side?
Several of his minions have already defended this as the effort of bipartisanship. There are many ways of being bipartisan - giving to Democrats and helping them stay in office is not one of them.
Find out where Morgan’s campaign has given money to. I am sure it is various liberal causes. Johnson just made sure those liberal causes got serious cash.
Can anyone tell me of ANY Republican who has ever done this same thing? Has Mitch McConnell done the same thing at the Federal level? Roy Blunt? Etc?
Sorry but giving Democrats money just because of one issue is inexecusable. This is poor decision-making and a bad precedent for GOP leadership over the Senate and #2 in the state. Eric, turn out the lights. The party’s over.
By Policy should come first
August 1, 2008 7:12 PM | Link to this
We have two types of Republicans… those who put good public policy first, and those who put party above everything else. The latter is dividing and killing our country. President George Washington warned us against partisanship for this exact reason.
By Craig
August 1, 2008 8:17 PM | Link to this
Putting policy first…odd that giving POLITICAL donations to someone who already agrees with the issue both support is seen as putting policy first. How is lining someone’s political coffers putting policy first? Everyone else in the legislature usually works on helping the bills of others who support like causes. One single issue is not putting policy first.
I know you Eric supporters will somehow excuse this and justify this but every reason you can come up with can easily be shot down. So please do not make Mr. Confederate Battle Flag All In Your Face out to be someone noble and above petty politics. Johnson has a history of being far below “putting policy first”. No matter how hard you sugar-coat the bitter, you still have the aftertaste.
By Learning to be bipartisan
August 1, 2008 8:22 PM | Link to this
We have some giant challenges facing this country and state that cannot be solved by one party only, particularly with education. I applaud this Senator for being one of the very few politicians brave enough to support people from across the aisle because of a public policy stance. We need more like him.
By gop senator
August 1, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
Now everyone knows why we kicked eric out of senate leadership.
The guy is an overbearing obnoxious jerk….and he gave money to democrats.
By gop senator
August 1, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
Now everyone knows why we kicked eric out of senate leadership.
The guy is an overbearing obnoxious jerk….and he gave money to democrats.
By Repubs LoveStick
August 2, 2008 12:52 AM | Link to this
The moral majority is a joke, repubs are the worst kind of sinner, ignorant.
By Working together where we can
August 2, 2008 1:27 AM | Link to this
I appreciate that someone in the Legislature actually cares enough about real issues to do something this unusual. Education by far is the biggest thing state government does, so this isn’t just some single issue, it’s the defining issue of our whole future.
Despite whatever things he’s done in the past, he is clearly trying to get Legislators of all stripes to come together. Most Americans don’t get all tied up with this partisan rancor that I read here online. We just want our elected officials to be civil and work together for worthy goals (why is that so hard for politicians and partisan hacks to understand?)
By Copyleft
August 2, 2008 2:59 AM | Link to this
The left has given the right the best gift they coul have given.
By Copyleft
August 2, 2008 2:59 AM | Link to this
The left has given the right the best gift they could have given.
By Copyleft
August 2, 2008 2:59 AM | Link to this
The left has given the right the best gift they could have given.
By Copyleft
August 2, 2008 2:59 AM | Link to this
The left has given the right the best gift they could have given.
By Bob
August 2, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this
Amazing that Scott Johnson, the chairman of the Cobb Republican party, forgot to finalize the party’s qualifying paperwork by forgetting to put the cobb gop’s ballot questions on the primary ballot. So much to handle…
By Eleanor
August 3, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
Folks - we would all be better off if we rebuked 95% of Republicans who are nothing but self-centered, obnoxious, and overbearing and could care less about anyone but themselves.
By eagle67
August 4, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this
Eric Johnson IS on a mission to destroy public education.
Do the research people ….one of the primary obligations under the GEORGIA constitution is for the “learned ones” under the gold dome to adequately fund public education. Have they met that obligation? They are still funding education at 1980 rates. Can you fill your gas tank with $10 like you could in 1980?
…NO…..
Most of the funding for public education has shifted to LOCAL taxpayers….lest we forget that Romeo House Speaker Richardson was trying to take that funding source away via the GREAT plan. Sounds like a plan, right. CSI is not needed to figure out what this PLAN is all about.
Does public education in Georgia need to improve? Sure it does…Is the answer to shift money to a private entity?
..well,let’s see….
If the private school has to: Follow the state and federal mandates, including NCLB and IDEA along with accepting EVERY student who registers for the school (yes, even the homeless and disruptive ones), then I say YES to vouchers.
I don’t think that is the real plan. Instead let’s separate our “good boys and girls” from the other “boys and girls”….in the guise of “choice,” and all will be well.
Oh, that is Lake Oconee Academy in Green County. I forgot that story has already been told by the haves on the white (right) side of the interstate in the form of a public..oops..private…oops, Charter school.
It is such a shame to see the master re-segregation plan in progress.
And…before you comment on MY comment. I am white, private school educated, and conservative.
By eagle67
August 4, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
Eric Johnson IS on a mission to destroy public education.
Do the research people ….one of the primary obligations under the GEORGIA constitution is for the “learned ones” under the gold dome to adequately fund public education. Have they met that obligation? They are still funding education at 1980 rates. Can you fill your gas tank with $10 like you could in 1980?
…NO…..
Most of the funding for public education has shifted to LOCAL taxpayers….lest we forget that Romeo House Speaker Richardson was trying to take that funding source away via the GREAT plan. Sounds like a plan, right. CSI is not needed to figure out what this PLAN is all about.
Does public education in Georgia need to improve? Sure it does…Is the answer to shift money to a private entity?
..well,let’s see….
If the private school has to: Follow the state and federal mandates, including NCLB and IDEA along with accepting EVERY student who registers for the school (yes, even the homeless and disruptive ones), then I say YES to vouchers.
I don’t think that is the real plan. Instead let’s separate our “good boys and girls” from the other “boys and girls”….in the guise of “choice,” and all will be well.
Oh, that is Lake Oconee Academy in Green County. I forgot that story has already been told by the haves on the white (right) side of the interstate in the form of a public..oops..private…oops, Charter school.
It is such a shame to see the master re-segregation plan in progress.
And…before you comment on MY comment. I am white, private school educated, and conservative.
By eagle67
August 4, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
Eric Johnson IS on a mission to destroy public education.
Do the research people ….one of the primary obligations under the GEORGIA constitution is for the “learned ones” under the gold dome to adequately fund public education. Have they met that obligation? They are still funding education at 1980 rates. Can you fill your gas tank with $10 like you could in 1980?
…NO…..
Most of the funding for public education has shifted to LOCAL taxpayers….lest we forget that Romeo House Speaker Richardson was trying to take that funding source away via the GREAT plan. Sounds like a plan, right. CSI is not needed to figure out what this PLAN is all about.
Does public education in Georgia need to improve? Sure it does…Is the answer to shift money to a private entity?
..well,let’s see….
If the private school has to: Follow the state and federal mandates, including NCLB and IDEA along with accepting EVERY student who registers for the school (yes, even the homeless and disruptive ones), then I say YES to vouchers.
I don’t think that is the real plan. Instead let’s separate our “good boys and girls” from the other “boys and girls”….in the guise of “choice,” and all will be well.
Oh, that is Lake Oconee Academy in Green County. I forgot that story has already been told by the haves on the white (right) side of the interstate in the form of a public..oops..private…oops, Charter school.
It is such a shame to see the master re-segregation plan in progress.
And…before you comment on MY comment. I am white, private school educated, and conservative.