Project Logic Ga

Georgia voters will see two U.S. Senate seats on the ballot this Fall and those elections might determine which political party controls the Senate. Shall we analyze the situations with an open-minded to arrive at logical conclusions?

In the first race, current Republican Senator David Perdue is facing Democrat Jon Ossoff. Ossoff is the young man who raised a zillion dollars when running for a U.S. House seat shortly after President Trump entered the White House. Trump selected a Georgia congressman for his cabinet and donors from around the nation were eager to make anti-Trump donations.  Ossoff didn’t win but Lucy McBath did take the seat later. Moderates around the state were surprised that former Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomblinson didn’t make a runoff with Ossoff for the Senate seat but a powerful endorsement from Rep. John Lewis went a long way for Ossoff.  The national Democrat Party must have been salivating over Ossoff’s outstanding donor list and the impact it could have for the overall Dem ticket in Georgia. We have rarely seen Ossoff campaigning in south Georgia..remember that central theme.

Senator Johnny Isakson leaving office for health reasons created another opening. President Trump wanted the seat filled by Rep. Doug Collins, his impeachment manager during that drama. Georgia Governor Brain Kemp selected wealthy businesswoman Kelly Loeffler. Both Collins and Loeffler are in a so-called jungle primary in which candidates from all parties running at the same time. If anyone gets over 50%, that candidate wins. If not, the top two vote-getters meet in a runoff in January.

The Democrats in the jungle primary create a dilemma because the candidate who helps the overall Dem ticket by driving out voters in metro Atlanta isn’t necessarily the best qualified for high-level government service. Pastor Raphael Warnock, former Senator Joe Lieberman’s son Matt Lieberman, former U.S. Attorney/Army officer/state legislator Ed Tarver and reparations expert Tamara Johnson-Shealey are getting most of the spotlight.

To me, the situation feels like the difference between a great bride/groom versus a great wife/husband. An elegant, graceful woman might make the perfect bride on her wedding day but a less glamorous lady could say “hey, let just go to the courthouse then Applebees” and be an excellent wife for 60 years.

Rapheal Warnock’s celebrity as a famous pastor makes him like the perfect groom. However, the considerable public service career of Ed Tarver positions him better to debate a Republican in a runoff.

Yes, service in office is not relevant if you can’t win. Actually, Warnock’s situation makes me think about candidate Donald Trump from four years ago. Trump was a groom who could put on a great show but his time as a metaphorical husband has been horrible. Oh, Warnock would be a decent senator but Ed Tarver would be much, much better.

A visit to Warnock’s campaign page shows an impressive list of endorsements–a Who’s Who on the national stage. But, did those endorsers recommend that Warnock develop knowledge of public policy and an understanding of Georgia outside Atlanta and his native Savannah? Most of those endorsers would have been better statewide candidates than any candidate in the special election except Tarver.

My personal speculation is that Warnock received much of his support because he is cool with the most powerful Democrat in Georgia—Stacey Abrams. We desperately need her magic in Georgia and several other swing states to rescue America from Trump. State and national Democrats gave her carte blanche in Georgia but that’s complicated because her Achilles heel seems to be rural area voters. She would be governor if our efforts for her were a little better in south Georgia. A candidate can’t win statewide in Georgia by winning Atlanta and the next six -largest cities only.

Outside Atlanta, candidates for high office must show an understanding of regional issues like agriculture, military/veterans, transportation and general kitchen table economic matters facing working families.

I am writing this at 4 a.m. because this conundrum is a mess. Should we get behind Warnock because his candidacy helps the Biden/Harris ticket? Should Tamara Johnson- Shealey get more support because she is campaigning everywhere and young voters might connect with her really progressive positions? Or should we support Ed Tarver because he is proven and would be excellent in office?

Forget about me…forget about fancy endorsements…forget who can raise millions. Every few years we have a senate Democrat candidate who can raise millions and who doesn’t win.

We should listen to all of the candidates and personally make up our minds.

https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_special_election_in_Georgia,_2020