Several Democrats have told us they received a robo-call blasting Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed of not adequately supporting fellow Democrat Jason Carter in the governor's race over his frequent partner, Gov. Nathan Deal.
No Democratic sources we've contacted are taking credit for the call, but a few are cheering its message. There was often grumbling from Democratic quarters during the campaign that accused Reed, a close friend of Deal, of doing too little to aid Carter. (The mayor eventually hosted a fundraiser on the former state senator's behalf shortly before the vote.)
Here's one comment from a Democratic source who claims no knowledge of who paid for the call:
"Democrats aren't looking for advice from someone who's never won even 50,000 votes."
We're still trying to track down the audio and the funder behind the call.
Reed unleashed his own Twitter blitz after we reported the call. He suggested that Michelle Nunn and Carter should have more openly embraced President Barack Obama, and panned them for not welcoming the president to Atlanta when he arrived in September. Reed also dissed the party for sending out a controversial flyer invoking the unrest in Ferguson, Mo.
Here's some of his backlash:
Update: Reed's communications director, Anne Torres, sent the following statement on the robocall imbroglio:
The robo-call that made the silly claim that Mayor Kasim Reed did not do enough for Jason Carter to win this year's governor's race and that he "must decide if he is a true Democrat" was clearly sent by someone who is hoping that voters will have short term memory, and will be distracted enough to ignore how $30 million was spent to support this failed effort.
True Democrats stand with their Party, even when overpaid consultants and campaign managers tell you otherwise. When President Obama faced a tough re-election, I do not recall seeing these so-called "true Democrats" standing to defend the President's record and leadership. They were not seen when the Mayor was riding from Tampa to Jacksonville or Orlando. They were certainly not seen when he was campaigning in snow in Ohio. However, Mayor Reed did stand behind President Obama, and when he ran for re-election as Mayor in 2013, he proudly accepted President Obama's endorsement and support. True Democrats do not lead their party to failure and then blame their loss on President Obama. True Democrats understand that all voters matter – including African-American, Hispanic, and minority voters. They work to communicate with key constituencies during the entire campaign, not merely at the end of it in a token fashion.
True Democrats support policies that help people from all walks of life, like the minimum wage increase supported by President Obama, enacted by Mayor Reed's administration for municipal employees and popular with Georgia voters.
Those responsible for the robo-call need to step forward and accept their own failed policies and strategies as the real reason Georgia Democrats faced a resounding defeat on November 4.
To be clear, this is not a personal attack on Jason Carter or Michelle Nunn. It is a thoughtful critique of an unsuccessful campaign strategy that backs away from President Obama and the values of the Democratic Party.
The Mayor's position on this election has been clear and consistent from the start. In July, in an interview with GPB's Bill Nigut, he said that to win, the campaigns needed to invest $3 to $5 million dollars to engage minority voters, increase registration and turnout and speak to the issues we know Democratic voters care about. His post mortem analysis is not a personal attack on Michelle Nunn or Jason Carter. It is a repudiation of campaign strategies that repeat the same mistakes cycle after cycle. It is a repudiation of a Party that backs away from President Obama and Democratic values.
Whatever the motivation of the operatives behind the robo-call, Mayor Kasim Reed will not be distracted from the important work that is required to make Georgia Democrats relevant, successful and effective. As he has said many times before, the future of politics is performance. His speaks for itself.
It's worth noting that the $30 million figure is for all Democrats. Carter had about $9 million at his disposal.
The Carter campaign said it had nothing to do with the robocall. Here is campaign manager Matt McGrath:
"While disappointed with the result, we're enormously proud of the race we ran, and this particular blame game is unseemly and counterproductive. We may have been swept up in the national Republican wave, but that doesn't change the fact that Georgia is still on its way to becoming a battleground state. Instead of pointing fingers, Georgia Democrats should focus on that future and get back to work."
About the Author
