Charles Shiflett Column August 1, 2004

Random Thoughts On The Primary Election

Well, with a little time to mull over the July 20th primary election, I thought I would unload a few
random thoughts on the topic.

• Uncaring Voters: After looking over the election results, I have come to the conclusion that there
are some people who just shouldn't vote. Yes, they have a right to vote - but they also have a
responsibility to themselves and their fellow citizens to make informed decisions. A large segment of
those participating in the primary election didn't have a clue about some of the races they cast votes
in.

A perfect example is one of the low profiles races on the statewide ballot - that of State Court of
Appeals Judge, a non-partisan race which appeared on Republican, Democrat, and non-partisan
ballots. Six candidates sought the office. Howard Mead, a well-connected Democrat, spent a small
fortune on television advertising. Lee Wallace sent out a direct mail piece statewide. Mike Sheffield
was prominently featured on a massive mailing by the Christian Coalition. The other three candidates
did virtually nothing.

So who was the top vote getter in this field of six? Debra Bernes. I personally saw no TV, no radio, and
no direct mail - so how did she come in first with roughly thirty percent of the vote? She can thank the
alphabet. With her last name beginning with a “B”, she was at the top of the ballot. The majority of
voters in that race didn't have a clue about any of the candidates so they just selected the first name.
She will now face Sheffield in a run-off. The moral of this story? If you are thinking of running for office,
change your last name to something beginning with “A”.

• Jeff Lewis: According to some, Jeff dodged a bullet this time out. In the end he pulled down a
comfortable 56% of the vote in a hard fought race. Typically most incumbent legislators will face a
substantial challenge roughly every ten years or so. Jeff has served 12 years, so he was due. Boyd
Pettit lost his Bartow County state house seat after ten years. State Senator Nathan Dean was almost
knocked off in the early 90's and again in 2002. Representative Buddy Childers barely survived in 1994
and is in serious trouble this year.

I could give more examples, but the point is this was the year the stars were lined up against Jeff. He
was vulnerable, but managed to hang on. He will be a better campaigner and more importantly… a
better legislator in the years ahead because of this semi-close call.

• Other Local Races: Incumbents Clarence Brown, Gary Bell, and Tom Moseley faced underfunded
opponents and didn't have to break much of a sweat in holding their offices. Personality and knowledge
of the issues are great attributes for challenger candidates, but you must have access to money - lots
of money. Voters need to hear valid reasons why an incumbent should be replaced, and that means
lots of radio, TV, newspaper, and especially direct mail. Studies show a voter must hear a message at
least seven times before it begins to sink in.

There's a large group of unconnected folks out there who vote, but are not part of the local grapevine.
You have to reach those voters to have a chance of victory against an incumbent. In a county this
large, door-to-door campaigning and a large network of friends and family will only take you so far -
unless you are Cynthia McKinney.

• Cynthia McKinney: If you need a reason as to why most Georgians now consider themselves
Republican, look no further than the pro-Islamic, anti-American leftwing nutcase named Cynthia
McKinney. With no discernable media, the former Democrat congresswoman rallied her gang of hacks
and street thugs to run a low-key door-to-door campaign and sneak past a field of challengers to claim
the Democrat nomination for the 4th Congressional District. Many DeKalb County residents are now in
shock that McKinney pulled it out without a runoff.

Each political party has its extremists, but using the word looney when describing McKinney is being
generous. Unfortunately, the Democrat Party is now filled with the likes of Cynthia McKinney, Michael
Moore, and company. Zell Miller has done this nation a huge favor by telling it like it is about today's
Democrat Party. Of note, Zell referred to McKinney as being “looney” two years ago.

• Runoff Election: If past elections are any indication, turnout for the upcoming primary runoff
probably won't even hit a paltry ten percent of registered voters. With the office of tax commissioner, a
county board of education seat, an appeals court judgeship, and the Democrat U.S. Senate
nomination all up for grabs - I hope that more people care. More importantly, I hope those who do
show up at the polls do their homework before they get there.