I don’t usually get much response when I write about House and Senate races but I like to do it anyway. Democrats were disappointed a few weeks ago when their candidate failed to qualify for a run-off to replace the deceased Charlie Norwood in Georgia’s 10 district. Unfortunately, Athens attorney Paul Broun, a conservative Republican, came in second place (21%) behind conservative Republican Jim Whitehead (44%). I didn’t take the news too hard though because, despite housing the University of Georgia, the 10th district is decidedly Republican (Bush took 66% of the vote in 2004). I figured Whitehead was going to win anyway. But, shockingly, he didn’t.
Athens physician Paul Broun was on the verge of declaring himself the surprise winner Wednesday in a razor-thin east Georgia contest for the 10th District congressional seat held by the late Charlie Norwood of Augusta.
“I have not declared victory yet, but I believe we’ve won,” Broun said in a telephone interview.
With 98 percent of voting precincts reporting after the Tuesday vote, Broun held a scant 373-vote lead over Jim Whitehead, a former state senator from the Augusta area. More than 46,500 votes were cast, for a turnout of less than 14 percent.
With both candidates running as conservative Republicans, the run-off election became a contest for influence between the district’s largest communities, Athens and Augusta.
A victory for Broun, 61, would represent a blow to the prestige of Augusta, which for 28 of the past 30 years has been able to boast a resident congressman.
This is yet another defeat for the NRCC (check out their music…too funny).
This is what counts as a victory for the long-suffering liberal residents of Athens, Georgia. How odd is that?
I’ve lived down in the South East for about 10-11 Years now. A Boston area “townie” moved into a rural county can be daunting, but I have seen many changes, even in this one decade.
There are pockets in the Rural areas and the College towns that are rapidly spilling change into their County and District levels. This can be a good thing. Long time good old boy networks are being at least, kept an eye on.
There are some Caveats though. For one, the giant suburban neighborhoods are outnumbering the country folk, You know, those old country families, ones been here since before the war.
The Progressives are pushing change very hard, almost in a bully kind of way. There’s an awful lot of Real nice Country folk who believe in most of what these yups are pushing, but don’t take kindly to being forced into these changes.
Some are turning to the Republican side, just for the numbers.
Liberals, and Progressives should hone their political skills, and be aware of these factors.
I may not always stop and comment, but I read these diaries and appreciate them. I do think the Senate is the key race in 2008. Goodness knows none of the leading Dems are going to immediately get us out of Iraq….
Man that is funny and touting the low poll numbers too while acting like Bush’s don’t matter. Way too funny.
I generally don’t comment on these because I don’t have much to add to what you’ve said, but I almost always read them and appreciate your analysis.