McKinney, Majette are in tight race in (GA) 4th

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 08/02/2002 | RHONDA COOK

[Pokey78]

U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney appears to be locked in a tight re-election battle, and her campaign manager said Thursday he is worried.

In a new poll, challenger Denise Majette claims a slight edge over McKinney in the Democratic race for the 4th Congressional District, 41 percent to 39 percent, with less than three weeks until election day. But the 6 percent margin of error makes it a statistical dead heat. About 20 percent were undecided.

"Yeah, I'm worried; I'd rather be ahead," said Bill Banks, McKinney's campaign manager. Banks admitted this is the toughest campaign fight that the five-term congresswoman has had.

"We're going work as hard as we can," he said.

Conducted by the nonpartisan Marketing Workshop, the poll was released Thursday by the Internet political news service that commissioned it, InsiderÂAdvantage. Three hundred people, a fairly low sample, were asked this week about their plans for the Aug. 20 primary.

InsiderAdvantage chairman Matt Towery said the poll showed 10 percent of those planning to vote in the Democratic primary otherwise aligned themselves with Republicans, indicating a potentially sizable "crossover" vote. Georgians can vote in either primary.

"But it remains to be seen if they will actually vote in the Democratic primary," said Towery, a former Republican state legislator.

McKinney has drawn criticism and controversy with her outspoken style. She caused a storm by suggesting President Bush might have known about the Sept. 11 attacks but did nothing so his associates could make money in the ensuing war.

Majette said Thursday's poll numbers were similar to internal poll numbers her campaign released several weeks ago. "None of this is surprising," said Majette, a former DeKalb County State Court judge.

But political observers were indeed surprised.

"To have a dead heat for an incumbent is truly astonishing," said Emory University political scientist Merle Black.

"If the poll is right, this would be an explanation of why McKinney started out with that huge [advertising] blast at Majette."

Charles Bullock, a political scientist at the University of Georgia, said the poll may indicate a change in the electorate. "New, younger voters may find her [McKinney's] style less appealing," he said.

Staff writer Bill Torpy contributed to this article.

[Catspaw]

Indepundit: What were you doing? (Check out who donated to Cynthia McKinney on 9/11)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/726249/posts

[Chu Gary]

""If the poll is right, this would be an explanation of why McKinney started out with that huge [advertising] blast at Majette."


Go Ms. Majette..knock the snot out of that b*tch!!!

[Brett66]

In a new poll, challenger Denise Majette claims a slight edge over McKinney in the Democratic race for the 4th Congressional District, 41 percent to 39 percent

Please God, let that hold past the primary.

[John Jorsett]

Anyone know what Denise Majette is like? Is she as big a leftist dolt as McKinney?

[Guillermo]

We're going to need a few thousand extra votes to counter McKinney's certain fraud.

If you live in the 4th, contact me, and I can tell you what to do to help. Even if you don't, but know someone who does, you can still help.

The 4th is most of Dekalb and southwest Gwinnett.

[mhking]

Anyone know what Denise Majette is like? Is she as big a leftist dolt as McKinney?

I don't think anyone can be as big a dolt as McKinney; Majette is at least well-reasoned. Zell Miller appointed her to the state court, and her decisions have been pretty good ones.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

[Guillermo]

No.

First off, she is pretty smart (notwithstanding her degrees from Yale and Duke). McKinney is an idiot.

Is Majette a righty?? No way, but she will be several times better than McKinney.

The way her campaign puts it, the race is against someone who will be a legislator versus someone who is an activist. "McKinney is just another Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton" they say.

And, Majette knows that if she wins, it will be due to the support of Republicans who came out and voted for her.

I suspect she will be a Sanford Bishop type.

[Catspaw]

I don't know about Majette's positions, but I do know McKinney is the darling of the Nation of Islam & is downright chummy with Louis Farrakhan. Fruit of Islam guarded McKinney a couple weeks back when she spoke before a press club in Georgia. ANYTHING is less liberal than that.

Here's Majette's website: http://www.majetteforcongress.org/

[mhking]

I suspect she will be a Sanford Bishop type.

Based on her court record, I'd be inclined to agree with you.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

.

[Catspaw]

I believe McKinney's mad at Zell when he condemned her for her attack on Bush post 9/11. I believe Zell has donated money to Majette's campaign.

[alnick]

It's a damn shame that after this woman has exposed herself as a terrorist sympathizer, that without Republicans crossing over, that the 'rats would still re-elect her, and may succeed in re-electing her anyway.

[mhking]

Yep and yep. [lol]

[Catspaw]

I just checked out McKinney's website. Very puff-piece (no mention of the NOI), wafer thin. She even put up a policy link to hiphop, but didn't put down her position.

http://www.cynthia2002.com/

[jumpstartme]

From the Insider Advantage web site article:

Jeff Shusterman of The Marketing Workshop assessed the poll with this blunt statement: "If white voters turn out at the level that the poll suggests is possible, then Majette will win the primary."

[mhking]

From tomorrow (Friday) morning's AJC Political Insider column:

Catching the crossover

Matt Towery and Bill Shipp came out last night with a poll in the 4th Congressional District debate. You can find the details at www.billshipp.com. Yet there's something worth noting here, and that's the difficulty in designing a poll that will catch the one thing in the Cynthia McKinney-Denise Majette race that could prove crucial: Republican crossovers.

Usually, a primary poll's sole problem is finding that rabid Democrat or Republican filled with enough passion to wade through the summer doldrums to a polling place. In this race, you have to find that passion in the Democratic race, and measure it among straying Republicans, too.

[FreedomPoster]

InsiderAdvantage chairman Matt Towery said the poll showed 10 percent of those planning to vote in the Democratic primary otherwise aligned themselves with Republicans, indicating a potentially sizable "crossover" vote.

You've got that right. Anecdotal item on this: I stopped by the hair salon my wife patronizes on the way home from work tonight (wanted to talk to her to firm up dinner plans). She was a little late, ended up drinking a glass of wine with the stylists while waiting and talked to a woman getting her hair done in the chair across the way. She was *ALL OVER* voting in the Dem primary against Cynthia, was already planning on doing it, didn't need any convincing by me. She would have normally voted in the 'Pubbie primary.

People *hate* Cynthia here in Dunwoody, perhaps because of the hate we've been shown by her people.

McKinney pings all around.

[Betty Jane]

How does a crossover primary work? Can you get a ballot for just one position, or do you have to choose to vote 'rat for every race? Are there any statewide races that could use this turnout or is this race the best use of the pubbie primary vote in this district this year?