Georgia primaries

[suzer1013]

Well, folks, it's primary day, and tonight we will find out if Ralph Reed gets to continue his political journey to lieutenant governor in Georgia.

His Republican opponent in the primaries, Casey Cagle, isn't much better than Reed, frankly, but isn't quite as scary as far as the larger political spectrum is concerned. Reed's quest is national, while I hope Cagle's is only regional.

A co-worker of mine said that she hopes Reed will actually win the primary, because strategically she thinks it will be easier for a Democrat to win against him in the general election, because he is so far to the right that he might lose Repug support. If he does indeed win the primary, I hope she's right. She feels that Reed, even if he wins Lieut. Governor, will eventually do himself in with his extreme views and underhanded, downright illegal, doings. Again, I hope she's right.

The Democrats don't have much to offer against Reed or Cagle, though I think Taylor, much as I don't like him, would be a stronger opponent for the Dems. Both candidates (Taylor and Cox) have sold out GLBT folks, and Cathy Cox, who was our best hope, has flip-flopped and pandered to the Xtian "wrong", inserting her "faith and values" into her campaign ads. I had hoped she wouldn't stoop to that. It all makes me sick. I hated voting for any of them this morning, but I felt I had to choose the lesser of the evils presented.

We will see, tonight, how it all turns out. Regardless of who wins, I'm not hopeful for the future of equality in Georgia. Georgia is a beautiful state and I've met many wonderful people here. It's too bad that it has not been able to overcome it's history of oppression and injustice. And to think that MLK, Jr. came from this state, and we argue over whether tax dollars should support a civil rights museum here in GA. Nope, we spent our money trying to get the NASCAR museum. Oy. Only in Georgia....

Susan

[suzer1013]

Oh, and by the way, my partner and I passed a group of 20 or so teenagers this weekend who were out by the roadside stumping for Reed. They looked remarkably like the Nazi Youth (I'm not kidding). These are Xtian homeschooled kids -- Reed has been courting them and using them to campaign for him. <sigh>

Susan

[Zerbie]

Yikes.

It will be fascinating to see what comes of that sitch.

RE: the youth stumping for Reed - I wish I could remember the name of it now, but there is an extreme right youth group with a mission of "war" for our society, and I used to remember the name of the adult who formed and masterminded it, his website and books. Scares me to death.

With regard to primaries, we live in an extremely rightwing district in the SW. Our current state senator is the most homophobic legislator I've ever dealt with. She won't touch LGBT people, backs away when you try to shake her hand. That kind of thing. She is being challenged in the Republican primaries by another Traditional Values Republican who paints himself far to the right of what I go for, but to the left of her. So for the first time in my life, I made a campaign donation and petition signature to get the guy on the ballot. It would be great to have a choice between the two of them, and like you said, going for the lesser extreme. . . .I have a feeling the incumbent is going to win again, tho.

[suzer1013]

Sigh of relief. Ralph Reed just conceded defeat to Casey Cagle. Thank God for small mercies.

Susan

[BruceChris]

But lets celebrate instead

BC