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Gwinnett
bigger than Cobb in both population
and in Republican votes for governor
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com
SEPT. 6, 2002 -- Gwinnett has not only passed Cobb County as now
the third most populous county in the state. Gwinnett now has also
passed Cobb as the most Republican when it comes to voting in the
recent primary. This must make Gwinnett the biggest Republican county
in the state in the recent primary.
Altogether, Gwinnett found 32.34 per cent of its voters going to
the polls, or 78,125 of the 241,307 registered.
In the recent primary, Gwinnett had 59,470 people voting in the
Republican primary for governor. That compared to Cobb County's
54,358 votes in the same race.
Fulton County, the state's most populous county, was third most
heavily Republican, with 32,814 votes. While DeKalb is the second
largest county in population, it voted but 6,382 people in the Republican
governor's race. Yep, once heavily Republican DeKalb has shifted
dramatically. It counted 95,397 Democratic votes for Roy Barnes
in an uncontested race!
While Gwinnett topped Cobb in Republican votes for governor, it
fell well behind Cobb in the Democratic turnout. Cobb had 18,614
people voting for re-nomination of Roy Barnes (his home county),
while Gwinnett accounted for only 12,308 votes for Barnes. Meanwhile,
Fulton County recorded 48,548 for the sitting governor.
Top vote-getter in Gwinnett was Republican Insurance Commissioner
John Oxendine, with 47,833 votes, while Rep. John Linder was second
at 37,738. Among Democrats, Sen. Max Cleland had the most, 12,756,
followed by Barnes with 12,308.
Meanwhile, statewide, Cleland led all candidates, getting 454,733
votes. while Barnes totaled 434,832 votes. However, Republicans
outvoted Democrats in the governor's race, with the three candidates
polling a combined 511,363 votes.
Hmmmmm.
* * * * *
When you fail to take your own county in a statewide race, your
chances are pretty doomed.
That's what Bill Bryne, the former chairman of the Cobb County
Commission, found out in his recent race for governor. While Bryne
polled the most votes out of Cobb County in that race, 25,858 votes,
that was only 44 per cent of those voting. Yep, 56 per cent of the
voters went against their former commission chairman. Eventual winner
Sonny Perdue got 19,102 Cobb votes, or 35 per cent, while Linda
Shrenko garnered 11,395 votes for third place in Cobb.
* * * * *
HARD TO BELIEVE: some reports are saying that defeated Congresswoman
Cynthia McKinney is considering a write-in candidacy for the Senate.
Others say she will run against Sen. Zell Miller in 2004.
Perhaps it's as a wag reported: "Cynthia has…time on
her hands and an ego to feed."
* * * * *
GEORGIA NEWCOMERS find the state's system of not registering
people by party, and allowing anyone to vote in any primary, a little
odd. But Georgians find no fault with it, and sometimes, relish
the opportunity to vote in any primary they choose.
Most people may think of themselves as Republican or Democrat,
and routinely vote in that party's primary. However, there are the
"independents", who enjoy voting in one primary one year,
the other the next, depending on what contests are interesting.
That's led to the possibility of what some people call "crossing
over" and voting in a primary in which you do not usually vote.
Since you are not registered by party in Georgia, it's a right all
Georgians enjoy.
After any race where crossover voting may have been a factor, you
often hear cries calling for eliminating this long-held Georgia
technique. Such cries usually come in tight races.
So it was a little unusual to hear some of the supporters of Cynthia
McKinney calling for an end to crossover voting. That was no close
race, but a blow-out for Denise Majette.
Cynthia just doesn't get it. The Republicans did not do her in,
though many may have "crossed over" and voted against
her this time around. The real culprit was the low turnout in what
would have normally been Cynthia strongholds. Apparently they could
not stand returning Cynthia to Washington, and just stayed home.
Crossover voting may have felt good to some Republicans, but that
was not the enemy. Cynthia was her own worst enemy, whether the
voter was Democrat or Republican.
FEEDBACK:
9/6: Young man suggests
ice cream is good for soul
Editor, the Forum:
Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son
asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God
is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even
thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And liberty
and justice for all. Amen!"
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard
a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids
today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why,
I never!"
Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I
do it wrong? Is God mad at me?" As I held him and assured him
that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at
him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my
son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a
great prayer.
"Really?" my son asked.
"Cross my heart," the man replied. Then in a theatrical
whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started
this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream.
A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.
Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My
son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember
the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word,
walked over and placed it in front of the woman;
With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice
cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."
Please keep it moving. Sometimes we all need some ice cream.
-- Brian Luders, Duluth
9/6: Mudslinging turns
off this voter
Editor, the Forum:
I always enjoy your publication. I wish that other newsmen, activists,
etc. would follow more closely the guidelines that Buzz B(rockway)
suggested. I followed closely the campaign for State Senate District
45. It is unfortunate that the two candidates that did not make
the run-off were the two candidates that did not participate in
mud-slinging, etc. and actually campaigned according to the pledge
they signed.
It seems that we keep saying we don't like negative campaigning
but we keep voting for those who engage in it. Perhaps at heart
we, the voting public, are not as nice as we pretend to be.
-- Janet Gibson, Lawrenceville
9/6: Walking: Relax,
get the dog and enjoy
Editor, the Forum:
No dog but weight. I've "been there, done that, and can't
be bothered now."
My best suggestion is to neither drink nor eat nothing but clear
water after 6 p.m. Cokes? I once did as many as 17 in 24 hours and
now I don't care much for them. I probably drink 17 a year now.
And I weigh what I did when I finished Junior College in 1933.
Relax, get your dog and enjoy. Life's too great to be ignored.
-- Loretta Roberts, Suwanee
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY:
As a poet might say,
"To have and have not."
"People who have what they want are fond of telling people
who haven't what they want that they really don't want it."
-- Poet Ogden Nash, (1902 - 1971).
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