Mildly Interesting Political News

Wow, Barr got absolutely stomped in the primary in Georgia. I think the ridiculous margin is amazing. The guy is an incumbent who gets all kinds of national press. Challengers with no money who have been convicted of felonies involving children or farm animals can get 30%. This is the Republican primary mind you. I think Republicans are going to get crushed in November. Both House and Senate will be Democrat. Not that I want that, but there will be major Republican bleeding in Nov.

Dear HDPM,


Do you have any touts on NFL football? I need to find someone to bet the opposite side on and I believe you have just become my most likely candidate. My picks for the November election follows:

The republican majority will continue in the House with an extra seat or two added. The Senate will revert back to republican control with a count of 51 to 48 to 1 (independent).


As long as no party has 60 seats or more in the Senate not a lot can get accomplished in this august chamber. At least if Republicans can become committee chairman again we will get some meaningful judicial appointments and perhaps some sound legislation referred to the entire Senate for due consideration.


Jimbo

georgia dems in control of redistricting put barr in a majority black district.

30% among Republicans in primary is still ridiculous. Gerrymandering notwithstanding.

I hope you are right. I won't bet more than an adult beverage on what the American populace will do. Football is a much more honest game, although my picks would probably be bad. But if you are right I will gladly buy you a cold one if we ever meet.


As far as the Senate majority picking committee chairmen, I will say that the Republicans are completely limp when it comes to playing hardball in the Senate. I was at a small function where the Republican #4 guy in the Senate was complaining about Daschles tactics. I was sittting there wondering why the Republicans didn't use the same tactics the last few years. Well, I know why. It's the braintrust of the likes of Trent Lott, Ashcroft, et. al. who think being nice will help them. Totally insane. They need a dose of LBJ attitude.

i believe you miss the point. it was redistricted so that two replublican incumbents squared off in the primary. the following is a link describing the race:


http://www.american-blue.com/artman/publish/article_274.shtml


an excerpt:


"The match-up of Rep. Bob Barr, a four-term congressman who helped lead the charge to impeach former President Bill Clinton, and five-term veteran Rep. John Linder in Georgia's newly drawn 7th District has become one of the most heated and closely watched political duels of the year."

I am not missing the point. Barr is a 4 term incumbent with prominent support. Yeah, the race is supposed to be a dogfight and the winner will lose to the Democrat. All well and good. I am also assuming Georgia has a primary law that makes it at least impractical for the Democrats to want to vote en masse against Barr, i.e. in the republican primary solid Republicans are the ones voting. In that context it is shocking that an incumbent like Barr could lose 70-30. The worst candidates can pull 30%. If Republicans go against a well-known Republican like that, it is bizarre and a bad sign for Republicans in tight races who need to pull independent voters in. That race should have been no worse than 55-45. 55-45 is a landslide remember. 70-30 is unbelievable. It is a sign that something is off. That's what I am saying. There could be some other factor at work, but don't chalk this up to redistricting alone.

HDPM,


In Georgia cross voting in primaries is allowed by state law. It is speculated that that is the primary reason the incumbant Democrat kooky woman was defeated so handily by a first time office seeker in her district as well.


Jimbo

When I asked if it wasn't the economy, I meant that if HDPM is correct, and the Republicans do badly in November, wouldn't that result be attributable to the economy more than any other factor?

The best time to invade Iraq for Bush is the last week of October.


Republican propaganda is certainly preferable to

terrorist propaganda.

Linder and Barr were both incumbants who got put together in the same district by redistricting. Linder, who had more seniority, was always expected to win.