Georgia Politics, Campaigns & Elections for May 10, 2013

Sighted in DC Yesterday: John Barrow

While it’s not surprising that Democratic Congressman John Barrow was seen in Washington, DC yesterday, what was surprising was the location. The Capitol Hill Club, formally known as the National Republican Club of Capitol Hill, where a group of Georgians was holding a breakfast with the Peach State’s Republican congressmen.

Bookman: Barrow not Liberal Enough

Liberal AJC columnist Jay Bookman sent his latest column via radio transmission from Pluto, because he’s obviously not on Earth when he spouts drivel like this:

Barrow survives in the 12th District because he has cobbled together a coalition that is well suited to that largely rural, conservative district. Like a craftsman of a disappearing art form, he is the last successful practitioner of the old Yellow Dog Democrat formula, and he deserves respect for that. But that formula represents the party’s past, not its future.

The coalition that in time will make Democrats competitive again in Georgia will include suburban and urban moderates, professional women, black voters, young people and the state’s ethnically diverse immigrant community.

Also to file under “delusional” is the notion that Democratic State Rep. Scott Holcomb and Democratic former Labor Commissioner are moderates. They’re liberals.

Barrow Red-zoned by National Republican Congressional Committee

The NRCC has announced a new name program for trying to beat John Barrow: Red Zone.

The seven Democrats whom Red Zone will focus on are: John Barrow of Georgia, Jim Matheson of Utah, Ann Kirkpatrick and Ron Barber, both of Arizona, North Carolina’s Mike McIntyre, West Virginia’s Nick Rahall and Minnesota’s Collin Peterson.

The goal for Republicans is to strengthen their 17-seat House majority.

Each targeted Democrat resides in a district won by Republicans in the past three presidential elections. Of the seven, Barrow, Matheson and McIntyre stand out as perennial Republican targets. In 2012, Matheson, McIntyre and Barber each won by less than 1 percentage point.

“It’s not a secret that we’ve gone after these guys, and they keep finding ways to elude us even if they’re in conservative districts. They’re strong defensive players,” said Annie Kelly, a regional political director for the NRCC who is overseeing Red Zone. “We’re starting early and putting these guys on notice that just because they’ve gotten away doesn’t mean we’re giving up.”

African-American voter turnout higher than whites

A GOP Pollster told a group I was in this week that given demographic trends in the electorate, a party whose base is white voters eventually runs out of voters, especially when it comes to winning national elections. Add in lower voter turnout and the problem is exacerbated.

Making history, America’s blacks voted at higher rates than whites in 2012, lifting Democrat Barack Obama to victory amid voter apathy, particularly among young people, new census data show. Despite increasing population, the number of white voters declined for the first time since 1996.

Blacks were the only race or ethnic group to show an increase in voter turnout in November, most notably in the Midwest and Southeastern U.S., the Census Bureau said Wednesday. The analysis, based on a sample survey of voters last year, is viewed as the best source of government data on turnout by race and ethnicity.

The Associated Press reported last week that black voter turnout surpassed whites for the first time, based on an analysis by experts of earlier data.

—Black voter turnout surpassed that of whites mostly in the Midwest region, which covers Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as the Southern U.S. region including Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Kyle Wingfield of the AJC looked at state level results and concluded that voter id requirements don’t appear to affect turnout among African-American voters.

Saxby Chambliss honored as Conservative Champion

What?! Yeah, that’s how I misread that headline, which actually says Senator Chambliss was given an award by the Georgia Wildlife Federation for being a conservation champion.

Bibb County Money Woes

A reduction in force to cut costs in the Bibb County Board of Education budget caused parents to ask the Board of Education to rethink the structure of cuts.

The school system’s latest proposal would cut 125 positions, helping save about $10.6 million in ongoing expenses while leaving a $8.1 million structural deficit for next year. That proposal would further drain the school system’s financial reserves to avoid a tax increase.

Behind the numbers are people. The school board is expected to approve a reduction in force Tuesday that would affect dozens of people.

During a public comment period, business owner and parent of seven Andy Wilson said the school board ignored his advice last year before blowing through the school system’s reserves, which was last projected to be $15.5 million at the end of next month.

“We sat here and told you that you’re bankrupting us, and now that you’ve done it, it’s not a surprise,” Wilson said, pounding a table as his voice boomed. Wilson said the school system failed to plan for obvious changes in federal and state cuts and increasing health insurance costs.

“You need to stand up en masse apologizing to Bibb County for what you’ve done,” Wilson said.

Effingham County Audit Causes Consternation

Anticipation of what an audit of county government might say is causing consternation on the Effingham County Commission, and Chairman Wendall Kessler has asked his colleagues, via press release, to chill out.

Several commissioners have said to reporters that they think the audit finds serious fault with County Administrator David Crawley and his wife, Patrice Crawley, the county clerk.

“I would caution the public and employees of the county against making any presumptions in this matter until the information is presented and the facts are known,” Kessler said.

“I have been troubled by the way in which this situation has been handled and I am concerned for the county’s best interest, however I cannot stand idly while accusations are being leveled without due process,” Kessler said.

“I remain in hopes that cooler heads will prevail and this necessary process can be concluded,” he said.

Three commissioners say they’re very concerned about what they learned in meetings with the auditor. Two others say the findings are minor things that don’t rise to the level of firing anyone.

LNG Export

The trend toward switching from importing natural gas to exporting via Savannah has spurred safety concerns from area residents.

The owners of the LNG import facility on Elba Island are part of a trend. Like 20 other similar facilities around the U.S. they want to become exporters of domestic natural gas.

On Thursday, federal regulators collected public comments about the environmental impacts of turning Elba’s pipeline natural gas into liquefied natural gas.

“In the last few years, LNG import has declined due to domestic gas discoveries in the U.S.,” Heard said as part of a project overview that opened the meeting. The proposed project, estimated to cost from $1 billion to $1.5 billion, would generate “several hundred temporary/construction jobs” and “75-plus permanent jobs,” he said.

But for several Savannahians in attendance it wasn’t the money spent or jobs that got their attention, it was the mention of the project’s “trucking of natural gas liquids.” Just over a year ago, a nearly two-year fight to prevent Elba’s previous owner from trucking up to 58 truckloads of LNG a day out of Elba and across DeRenne Avenue ended when project partner AGL Resources pulled out.