(1) PI again wins "Best titles for its stories, day in & day out." & (2) Party switchers are Dem. "rejects." -- Rep. Chuck Sims et al., Part XII.
Hands down winner of the "Best titles for its stories, day in and day out" award for 2004 goes to Tom Baxter and Jim Galloway for their (now) award-winning favorite Political Insider column, required first-thing to read most weekday mornings for me and thousands of others in the Empire State of the South.
One of today's title is up to par -- "The French knew how to handle this — the losers of a revolution were allowed to swap sides only after donating their heads."
The ajc's PI piece describes the pent-up feelings that can result from party-switching, in this story within the "switchee" party rather than the "switchor" party. The story:
You'd think that Republicans would be happy . . . with the way they've seized near-total control of Georgia over the last two years. And the politicians at the top of the heap are indeed as delighted as a 10-year-old with a new BB gun.
It's the Republican partisans in the trenches who struggle with the downside of success — the flood of established Democrats who, seeing the writing on the wall, are suddenly declaring themselves to be loyal members of the GOP.
We talked this week with Johnny Harrington, a 71-year-old businessman in Jesup, who's backed local Republicans since Mack Mattingly was a U.S. senator. For years, he and other south Georgian Republicans have had their cross-hairs on Hinson Mosley, the long-time House Democrat. They've cussed him. They've plotted against him.
Harrington's wife Sandra — a member of the state committee — ran against Mosley six years ago. And lost. This year, Harrington gave $2,000 to Republican Kay Godwin in her race against Mosley.
Mosley won again. And promptly declared himself a Republican. Harrington said state Sen. Tommie Williams of Lyons came down to Wayne County shortly after the election to deliver the news.
Said Harrington: "What makes me mad is that I've spent thousands of dollars trying to defeat Hinson Mosley. Now they're coming down here and saying, 'He's voting with us.' Well, if he was bad six months ago, he's bad today.
"We're getting the rejects of the Democratic party and legally cannot refuse them," he said. "I'm scared of Democrats trying to take our party over."
The opinion, while relatively commonplace among the rank-and-file, is seldom voiced — given that the top Republican in Georgia is only a six-year convert.
_______________
The pent-up feelings and frustrations works both ways Mr. Harrington. In our case, being the House District is the home of Rep. Chuck Sims, the feelings and frustrations are felt within the "switchor" party.
Shortly after the poster child party switcher jumped ship, the following appeared on the local Democratic Party's website, CoffeeCountyDemocrats.com :
The following Letter to the Editor from Mary White -- a great American and a loyal Democrat -- in a very plainspoken and eloquent manner, conveys the feelings, frustrations and even a tad of anger of many Citizens in District 169 toward Rep. Chuck Sims. (Georgia House of Representatives District 169 is comprised of Atkinson County and Coffee County.)
Editor
The Douglas Enterprise
Douglas, Georgia
Dear Sir or Madam:
Would someone please explain to my why a candidate has to declare a political party if that candidate is allowed to change his party affiliation shortly after he has been elected? I am speaking in reference to Mr. Chuck Sims and his recent declaration that he is changing from a Democrat to a Republican.
Come on Chuck, what's up with that?
I am a registered Democrat and have almost always voted for the Democratic candidate. However, I have occasionally voted for a Republican if I thought he/she was the better candidate. For instance, I recently cast my vote for Mr. Earl Brice, an open Republican, in the District 4 local County Commissioner race. I am quite sure I made the right decision.
I probably would have voted for Mr. Sims regardless of his party affiliation if he had been "Man" enough to convert before the elections. The Democrats have always supported Chuck Sims because they thought he was an honest man who had the best interest of the citizens of Coffee County in mind. I'm sure he still does, or at least I hope he does.
Why didn't you "come out" before the election, Chuck? It would have been a lot easier for this Democrat to accept.
There's no doubt about it, Mr. Sims did get my vote on November 2, 2004, but he lost my respect shortly thereafter.
Your very truly,
Mary WhiteCitizen/Democrat of Coffee County (and proud of it)
_______________
Following this the local Party's website has the "A Man Without a Party Ode to Chuck" that -- along with the advice to Reps. Sims and Moseley that "Big Brother is watching you" -- appears in the 11-24-04 post.
One of today's title is up to par -- "The French knew how to handle this — the losers of a revolution were allowed to swap sides only after donating their heads."
The ajc's PI piece describes the pent-up feelings that can result from party-switching, in this story within the "switchee" party rather than the "switchor" party. The story:
You'd think that Republicans would be happy . . . with the way they've seized near-total control of Georgia over the last two years. And the politicians at the top of the heap are indeed as delighted as a 10-year-old with a new BB gun.
It's the Republican partisans in the trenches who struggle with the downside of success — the flood of established Democrats who, seeing the writing on the wall, are suddenly declaring themselves to be loyal members of the GOP.
We talked this week with Johnny Harrington, a 71-year-old businessman in Jesup, who's backed local Republicans since Mack Mattingly was a U.S. senator. For years, he and other south Georgian Republicans have had their cross-hairs on Hinson Mosley, the long-time House Democrat. They've cussed him. They've plotted against him.
Harrington's wife Sandra — a member of the state committee — ran against Mosley six years ago. And lost. This year, Harrington gave $2,000 to Republican Kay Godwin in her race against Mosley.
Mosley won again. And promptly declared himself a Republican. Harrington said state Sen. Tommie Williams of Lyons came down to Wayne County shortly after the election to deliver the news.
Said Harrington: "What makes me mad is that I've spent thousands of dollars trying to defeat Hinson Mosley. Now they're coming down here and saying, 'He's voting with us.' Well, if he was bad six months ago, he's bad today.
"We're getting the rejects of the Democratic party and legally cannot refuse them," he said. "I'm scared of Democrats trying to take our party over."
The opinion, while relatively commonplace among the rank-and-file, is seldom voiced — given that the top Republican in Georgia is only a six-year convert.
_______________
The pent-up feelings and frustrations works both ways Mr. Harrington. In our case, being the House District is the home of Rep. Chuck Sims, the feelings and frustrations are felt within the "switchor" party.
Shortly after the poster child party switcher jumped ship, the following appeared on the local Democratic Party's website, CoffeeCountyDemocrats.com :
The following Letter to the Editor from Mary White -- a great American and a loyal Democrat -- in a very plainspoken and eloquent manner, conveys the feelings, frustrations and even a tad of anger of many Citizens in District 169 toward Rep. Chuck Sims. (Georgia House of Representatives District 169 is comprised of Atkinson County and Coffee County.)
Editor
The Douglas Enterprise
Douglas, Georgia
Dear Sir or Madam:
Would someone please explain to my why a candidate has to declare a political party if that candidate is allowed to change his party affiliation shortly after he has been elected? I am speaking in reference to Mr. Chuck Sims and his recent declaration that he is changing from a Democrat to a Republican.
Come on Chuck, what's up with that?
I am a registered Democrat and have almost always voted for the Democratic candidate. However, I have occasionally voted for a Republican if I thought he/she was the better candidate. For instance, I recently cast my vote for Mr. Earl Brice, an open Republican, in the District 4 local County Commissioner race. I am quite sure I made the right decision.
I probably would have voted for Mr. Sims regardless of his party affiliation if he had been "Man" enough to convert before the elections. The Democrats have always supported Chuck Sims because they thought he was an honest man who had the best interest of the citizens of Coffee County in mind. I'm sure he still does, or at least I hope he does.
Why didn't you "come out" before the election, Chuck? It would have been a lot easier for this Democrat to accept.
There's no doubt about it, Mr. Sims did get my vote on November 2, 2004, but he lost my respect shortly thereafter.
Your very truly,
Mary WhiteCitizen/Democrat of Coffee County (and proud of it)
_______________
Following this the local Party's website has the "A Man Without a Party Ode to Chuck" that -- along with the advice to Reps. Sims and Moseley that "Big Brother is watching you" -- appears in the 11-24-04 post.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 7:40 AM
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