Georgia Governor's Race Goes Downhill Fast
Patricia Murphy
Capitol Hill Bureau Chief
Posted:
07/2/09
If former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes was hoping for a hero's welcome when he announced that he's in for the 2010 governor's race, that hope went out the window today.
Fellow Georgia Democrat David Poythress, himself a candidate for governor next year, publicly called on Barnes to drop his comeback effort. Barnes served as governor from 1998 to 2002, but lost his reelection bid to Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue.
"Sometimes it takes a friend to speak the truth, even when that truth is hard to hear," Poythress wrote. He claimed Barnes, "was completely out of touch with ordinary Georgians," saying the ex-governor showed off his new "mansion" to Atlanta socialites last weekend "so they could admire the state seal buried in the floor, while record high, double digit unemployment struck the state." As for the state seal built into the floor of the entryway, It's a touch that Barnes' wife, Marie, said shows "Roy's extreme love for the state."
Poythress has held a series of elected and appointed positions in state government, but is best known as the former commander of the Georgia National Guard, a position he was appointed to by then-Gov. Barnes.
Barnes' entry into the race has caused his fellow Democrats heartburn, particularly the ones running against him in the July 20, 2010, primary. His legendary fundraising prowess threatens to sop up other Democrats' campaign donations. Several rival campaigns also said Barnes' track record shows he's not the party's best hope for winning back the governor's mansion. "Roy's lost once before," said Carol Porter, the wife of DuBose Porter, the House minority leader and another Democrat in the race.
An Insider Advantage/ Majority Opinion Research poll conducted before Barnes got into the race showed him to be an early favorite in the Democratic field. The former governor pulled in 38 percent of Democratic voters, while no other announced Democratic candidate got above 3 percent. The silver lining for the rest: 53 percent of Dem voters said it was way to early to make up their minds.
Barnes did not respond to Poythress' email. Without a staff or campaign office, rapid response is not yet on the menu, but we're told Barnes is in the process of assembling his staff now. We'll be following the race on both sides closely and will keep the Caps posted.
The full text of Poythress' shot-across-the-bow email is below:
Sometimes it takes a friend to speak the truth, even when that truth is hard to hear. Roy Barnes and I have been friends for many years, but I believe I have to say out-loud what is being uttered in hushed tones all across the state: Roy, you shouldn't run.
Democrats are worried that he'll bring the Party down – again. All the groups of people that Roy offended before – including all the teachers who still feel insulted – are ready to vote against him. And the Georgia Republican Party is lying in wait to slam-dunk his attempt to get back in office. Meanwhile, Roy remains completely out of touch with ordinary Georgia voters, touring Atlanta socialites through his new mansion last weekend so they could admire the state seal buried in the floor, while record high, double digit unemployment struck the state.
I find it very disingenuous for Roy to claim the title "white knight" of the Democratic Party galloping to the rescue especially since it's his late entry into the race, after an overdramatic 6 month Hamlet routine, which will cause a long and expensive Democratic primary. But this isn't the first time Roy has put the Democratic Party through pain. Here are three glaring instances where he left our Party high and dry:
- Instead of helping re-build the Democratic Party so it was prepared for victory after he lost to Sonny Perdue, Roy sat silent.
- Instead stepping in to stop the Mark Taylor v. Cathy Cox bloodbath in 2006, Roy sat silent.
- Instead of speaking out against Sonny's "austerity cuts" to Georgia's public schools, Roy sat silent.
Simply put, the new Roy sounds a lot like the old Roy.
His late entry into the race has strengthened my resolve and made victory twice as important as it was in January. Not only do Democrats have to stop Roy Barnes in the primary, we have to then come together to win the general election so we can solve some of the toughest policy challenges in the history of our state.
For the good of the Party, I hope that Roy Barnes realizes that there's still time for him to change his mind so we can avoid a divisive primary. Ironically, the only sure-fire way to prove that he has changed is for Roy to put Georgia's needs before his own ambition and stay out of the race for Governor.
Fellow Georgia Democrat David Poythress, himself a candidate for governor next year, publicly called on Barnes to drop his comeback effort. Barnes served as governor from 1998 to 2002, but lost his reelection bid to Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue.
"Sometimes it takes a friend to speak the truth, even when that truth is hard to hear," Poythress wrote. He claimed Barnes, "was completely out of touch with ordinary Georgians," saying the ex-governor showed off his new "mansion" to Atlanta socialites last weekend "so they could admire the state seal buried in the floor, while record high, double digit unemployment struck the state." As for the state seal built into the floor of the entryway, It's a touch that Barnes' wife, Marie, said shows "Roy's extreme love for the state."
Poythress has held a series of elected and appointed positions in state government, but is best known as the former commander of the Georgia National Guard, a position he was appointed to by then-Gov. Barnes.
Barnes' entry into the race has caused his fellow Democrats heartburn, particularly the ones running against him in the July 20, 2010, primary. His legendary fundraising prowess threatens to sop up other Democrats' campaign donations. Several rival campaigns also said Barnes' track record shows he's not the party's best hope for winning back the governor's mansion. "Roy's lost once before," said Carol Porter, the wife of DuBose Porter, the House minority leader and another Democrat in the race.
An Insider Advantage/ Majority Opinion Research poll conducted before Barnes got into the race showed him to be an early favorite in the Democratic field. The former governor pulled in 38 percent of Democratic voters, while no other announced Democratic candidate got above 3 percent. The silver lining for the rest: 53 percent of Dem voters said it was way to early to make up their minds.
Barnes did not respond to Poythress' email. Without a staff or campaign office, rapid response is not yet on the menu, but we're told Barnes is in the process of assembling his staff now. We'll be following the race on both sides closely and will keep the Caps posted.
The full text of Poythress' shot-across-the-bow email is below:
Sometimes it takes a friend to speak the truth, even when that truth is hard to hear. Roy Barnes and I have been friends for many years, but I believe I have to say out-loud what is being uttered in hushed tones all across the state: Roy, you shouldn't run.
Democrats are worried that he'll bring the Party down – again. All the groups of people that Roy offended before – including all the teachers who still feel insulted – are ready to vote against him. And the Georgia Republican Party is lying in wait to slam-dunk his attempt to get back in office. Meanwhile, Roy remains completely out of touch with ordinary Georgia voters, touring Atlanta socialites through his new mansion last weekend so they could admire the state seal buried in the floor, while record high, double digit unemployment struck the state.
I find it very disingenuous for Roy to claim the title "white knight" of the Democratic Party galloping to the rescue especially since it's his late entry into the race, after an overdramatic 6 month Hamlet routine, which will cause a long and expensive Democratic primary. But this isn't the first time Roy has put the Democratic Party through pain. Here are three glaring instances where he left our Party high and dry:
- Instead of helping re-build the Democratic Party so it was prepared for victory after he lost to Sonny Perdue, Roy sat silent.
- Instead stepping in to stop the Mark Taylor v. Cathy Cox bloodbath in 2006, Roy sat silent.
- Instead of speaking out against Sonny's "austerity cuts" to Georgia's public schools, Roy sat silent.
Simply put, the new Roy sounds a lot like the old Roy.
His late entry into the race has strengthened my resolve and made victory twice as important as it was in January. Not only do Democrats have to stop Roy Barnes in the primary, we have to then come together to win the general election so we can solve some of the toughest policy challenges in the history of our state.
For the good of the Party, I hope that Roy Barnes realizes that there's still time for him to change his mind so we can avoid a divisive primary. Ironically, the only sure-fire way to prove that he has changed is for Roy to put Georgia's needs before his own ambition and stay out of the race for Governor.