It’s all about the sheriffs
From the ajc's Political Insider:
Over at Hotline on Call there’s an interesting analysis of party politics in Georgia and Arkansas. It makes an argument that a lot of old-timers would say amen to: That sheriff’s races, or in this case sheriffs’ endorsements, are the truest measure of where party politics is at the grassroots level.
And the link to Hotline on Call notes in part:
The below press [release is] helpful in explaining, in part, why . . . Dems are . . . not given much of a chance in Atlanta [to regain the governor's mansion].
Gov. Sonny Perdue (R), the first GOP governor in the history of his state, crows about picking up the endorsement of 76 of Georgia's county sheriffs, 37 of whom are Dems.
Why the big deal?
As Georgia elects more Republicans up and down the ballot, the last bastion of rural Dem strength, the so-called "courthouse crowd," becomes more comfortable crossing party lines and publicly stating their support for statewide GOP candidates. Surely such Dem sheriffs are already -- and have been for some time -- voting for Republican presidents. Now they're backing a GOP governor over a South Georgia Democrat, LG Mark Taylor, with deep roots in his party's rural tradition. The next logical step is to back Republicans at the local level and, finally, to switch parties, themselves. The end result is the political death of the Dems' "courthouse crowd" and the top-to-bottom dominance of the GOP in states like Georgia. Without a local bench, where will Dems find their state house and congressional candidates?
Over at Hotline on Call there’s an interesting analysis of party politics in Georgia and Arkansas. It makes an argument that a lot of old-timers would say amen to: That sheriff’s races, or in this case sheriffs’ endorsements, are the truest measure of where party politics is at the grassroots level.
And the link to Hotline on Call notes in part:
The below press [release is] helpful in explaining, in part, why . . . Dems are . . . not given much of a chance in Atlanta [to regain the governor's mansion].
Gov. Sonny Perdue (R), the first GOP governor in the history of his state, crows about picking up the endorsement of 76 of Georgia's county sheriffs, 37 of whom are Dems.
Why the big deal?
As Georgia elects more Republicans up and down the ballot, the last bastion of rural Dem strength, the so-called "courthouse crowd," becomes more comfortable crossing party lines and publicly stating their support for statewide GOP candidates. Surely such Dem sheriffs are already -- and have been for some time -- voting for Republican presidents. Now they're backing a GOP governor over a South Georgia Democrat, LG Mark Taylor, with deep roots in his party's rural tradition. The next logical step is to back Republicans at the local level and, finally, to switch parties, themselves. The end result is the political death of the Dems' "courthouse crowd" and the top-to-bottom dominance of the GOP in states like Georgia. Without a local bench, where will Dems find their state house and congressional candidates?
posted by Sid Cottingham | 2:15 PM
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