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DEL.ICIO.USThe U.S. Senate race, and the case for a Georgia visit from Barack Obama
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A scenario is quickly unfolding in which you’re likely to see much more of Barack Obama in Georgia.
Not now, not before next Tuesday.
We’re talking afterwards, when the U.S. Senate race in Georgia becomes the only important, unresolved contest in the nation.
Late last week, three separate statewide polls showed the three-man race headed for an extra 28 days of campaigning between Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin.
Libertarian Allen Buckley, though he holds an important sliver of support, is headed for elimination.
In such a situation, Las Vegas odds-makers would normally make Chambliss a heavy favorite. Republican voters, mostly white and typically older, can be counted to plow through holiday distractions and make it back to the polls in early December.
Democratic voters, largely African-American and younger, have a poor reputation for follow-up.
But should Obama take the White House on Nov. 4, as appears more and more likely, those assumptions go by the boards.
Georgia is the only state in the Union in which a senatorial victory is defined as 50 percent plus one vote. Which means that, in an America suffering through the worst political hangover in its history, we could find ourselves serving up the hair of the dog that bit it.
Whether Democrats reach a filibuster-proof 60 seats in nine days makes no difference. A Georgia Senate run-off would not only be the final act of the nation’s 2008 political season, but would provide a first political test for a President-elect Obama — if he should accept the challenge.
Democratic insiders here and in Washington say there’s no doubt that Obama would make Martin’s cause his own. Support would include personal appearances in the state — a combination victory tour and get-out-the-vote effort intended to erase the traditional Republican advantage in cash and reliable voting base.
African-Americans in Georgia might not turn out a second time for the less-than-charismatic Martin, one strategist told us. But they would walk across hot coals if President-elect Obama personally asked them to.
Republicans, of course, would be forced to give a Georgia runoff the same priority — especially should a high-flying Obama involve himself. The opportunity to take the next resident of the White House down a peg or two before he’s sworn in would be irresistible.
It is possible that the title of senator from Georgia has become snake-bit.
We trade in our senators like we once recycled the family station wagon: A chromed Ford, then a finned Chevy, then a Ford again, in an endless cycle of buyer’s enchantment and remorse.
Herman Talmadge, a Democrat, was replaced in 1980 by Republican Mack Mattingly, who was subbed out in 1986 by Democrat Wyche Flower, who was beaten in 1992 by Republican Paul Coverdell. Coverdell won two elections, but died shortly after the second, and was replaced for four years by the nominally Democratic Zell Miller, who was traded in for a 2004 model Republican Johnny Isakson.
Sam Nunn, a Democrat, was the last Georgia senator to serve out multiple terms. He retired in 1996, to be replaced by Max Cleland, another Democrat — who was promptly beaten by Chambliss in 2002. You may now consider yourself up-to-date.
Following Fowler’s defeat in ‘92 — a Libertarian threw the race into a run-off held two days before Thanksgiving — Democrats tried to put a damper on the turnover by lowering the bar of victory to 45 percent plus one vote.
Republicans howled heresy. And years later, at the same time it passed a measure to require voters to produce photographic ID, a Republican-conquered Legislature restored the rule of “50 percent plus one.”
Republicans have already expressed regret for their approval of early voting in Georgia, which the local Obama campaign has mastered with astounding efficiency.
So there is a tendency to wonder whether Republicans are victims of the law of unintended consequences when it comes to the “50 percent plus one” rule as well.
Not so, one plugged-in Republican state lawmaker said on Friday. There’s every chance, he allowed, that the 50 percent rule will preserve the Chambliss campaign and permit it to fight another day.
That’s right. In a world suddenly turned upside down by Barack Obama and Wall Street, some Georgia Republicans are conceding that Chambliss — who only months ago was considered unassailable — could finish behind a relatively unknown Democrat next Tuesday.
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Comments
By Rich
October 26, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this
“Georgia is the only state in the Union in which a senatorial victory is defined as 50 percent plus one vote.”
What about Louisiana?
By Saxby Chambliss Socialist
October 26, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
Saxby Special Interest Chambliss is NOT a Republican, He is a SOCIALIST.. If the LOBBYIST that control him could vote, he would win but the people of GEORGIA are going to fire him..
By Bob in Winder
October 26, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
We need to fire both of our big spending, big government liberal Senators, Saxby this year, Johnny in 2 years. Georgia needs 2 CONSERVATIVE senators that will work for Georgia not the LOBBYIST.
By MadTaxpayer
October 26, 2008 7:32 PM | Link to this
Saxby lost his mind when he ignored our interests and voted for the idiotic plan to buy up toxic assets that no sane person would buy. Anyone stupid enough to vote for that has no right to represent us. It will be truly sad if his forced retirement gives the dems a magic 60, but if that happens, so be it.
By MadTaxpayer
October 26, 2008 7:34 PM | Link to this
Saxby lost his mind when he ignored our interests and voted for the idiotic plan to buy up toxic assets that no sane person would buy. Anyone stupid enough to vote for that has no right to represent us. It will be truly sad if his forced retirement gives the dems a magic 60, but if that happens, so be it.
By Julie Alton
October 26, 2008 8:00 PM | Link to this
Obama seems to have a Teflon quality because the American public is hesitant to criticize an African American. If Obama were white, he would have been crucified a long time ago.
All Obama says in his speech is empty hyperbole. And like a Gumby without integrity, he bends his words to fit what the public wants to hear, prostituting his words for a vote.
We know nothing about Obama, the only thing we know is that it is politically correct to vote for a black man and not ask questions. This need to vote for someone because of their race is an insidious and destructive form of discrimination. But what the populous fails to consider is Obama’s past actions and associations which clearly demonstrate a hatred for this country and horrendous bad judgment. And Instead of addressing the accusations of associating with terrorist and mob members, Obama reacts like a terrorist by threatening all who dare to criticize or challenge him. I have never given credence to the idea of an Anti-Christ, until now.
By justmyopinion
October 26, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
Julie Alton couldn’t have said it better. Unfortunately I’m afraid that we will have an Obama white house and it will be a sad, sad day for all of us. Of course the conservatives know this but the democrats will find out soon enough. We can only pray it’s only for 4 years but even that might be too long.
By TR
October 26, 2008 9:41 PM | Link to this
Julie your premise is faulty dear… to vote for white people just because you are white is also an insidious and destructive form of discrimination. Black people have been voting for white people since they were allowed to vote when they were allowed to vote. And your description of empty hyperbole and Gumby sans integrity and prostituting words sounds more like John McCain, if you indeed want to be politically correct. Put your cross away, put the gas can back, take your fancy hood off and go take a nap…you seem a little cranky.
By justmyopinion
October 26, 2008 9:46 PM | Link to this
Looks like Julie struck a nerve, huh? I don’t think you read her comment very well TR and I think you’re the one who needs to take a nap and drink some more of the Obama koolaid before you go to bed.
By Bo Chambliss LOBBYIST
October 27, 2008 6:14 AM | Link to this
I’m Voting McCain/Buckley.. only a fool would bet OBAMA/Chambliss..Obama & Chambliss are both SOCIALIST..Vote McCAIN/ BUCKLEY for our Childeren
By DMac
October 27, 2008 6:37 AM | Link to this
What good has Chambliss done?
Gas prices are crazy.
The stock market has crashed.
Unemployment keeps rising.
Hundreds of thousands of Georgia homes have mortgages that are 60 days past due. 37,000 Georgians suffered foreclosures last year.
There is no end in sight for a war that was started more than six years ago. A war based on lies.
WHAT GOOD HAS CHAMBLISS DONE!!!!!
By James
October 27, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this
Remember in 1006 when Wyche Fowler was in a run-off with Paul Coverdell and brought newly-election Bill Clinton to Georgia - ONLY TO HELP FOWLER LOSE THE RUN-OFF?
By Warren
October 28, 2008 5:55 AM | Link to this
Conservatives have leveled every charge imaginable against Sen Obama - anti-Christ, mobster, terrorist, socialist, koolaid. Meanwhile, Americans die in battle in Iraq and Afghanistan (Why is this, conservatives? If you believe in this war, shouldn’t you be there fighting?), America is indebted to China to run our economy, New Orleanians still suffer, foreclosures reign on American homeowners, and our Pres. and his oilmen steal billions from us thru the fixed-oil markets. And all conservatives can do is throw insult after insult. And yet, they will not serve in this war that they believe in. They will ask others to fight and die.
By Warren
October 28, 2008 5:57 AM | Link to this
Conservatives have leveled every charge imaginable against Sen Obama - anti-Christ, mobster, terrorist, socialist, koolaid. Meanwhile, Americans die in battle in Iraq and Afghanistan (Why is this, conservatives? If you believe in this war, shouldn’t you be there fighting?), America is indebted to China to run our economy, New Orleanians still suffer, foreclosures reign on American homeowners, and our Pres. and his oilmen steal billions from us thru the fixed-oil markets. And all conservatives can do is throw insult after insult. And yet, they will not serve in this war that they believe in. They will ask others to fight and die.
By Warren
October 28, 2008 5:57 AM | Link to this
Conservatives have leveled every charge imaginable against Sen Obama - anti-Christ, mobster, terrorist, socialist, koolaid. Meanwhile, Americans die in battle in Iraq and Afghanistan (Why is this, conservatives? If you believe in this war, shouldn’t you be there fighting?), America is indebted to China to run our economy, New Orleanians still suffer, foreclosures reign on American homeowners, and our Pres. and his oilmen steal billions from us thru the fixed-oil markets. And all conservatives can do is throw insult after insult. And yet, they will not serve in this war that they believe in. They will ask others to fight and die.