On the Move: McKinney Challenger Levels Financial Playing Field [GA]

State Judge Denise Majette raised more than six times as much as Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) last month, according to new reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, closing what had been a huge gap in resources. The financial mismatch was by far the most striking among House campaigns in the Peach State, although most of the other competitive Aug. 20 primaries in the state are open seat races.

Majette, who ended June with just $99,000 in the bank, raised $489,000 in July and reported $196,000 in cash on hand at the beginning of August. She also spent almost the same amount as McKinney during the period, doling out $393,000 in the month.

Since the beginning of August, Majette reported raising another almost $140,000.

McKinney, meanwhile, raised $79,000 in July and reported $141,000 in her war chest at the end of last month after spending just over $400,000 in July.

An independent poll conducted late last month showed Majette with a slim lead over the incumbent, reinforcing the results of a poll released by Majette in May.

Bob Doyle, a consultant to the challenger's campaign, described the money flowing to her coffers as "further evidence of Cynthia McKinney being on the ropes.

"The fundraising numbers are evidence that our message is working and that Cynthia McKinney, her days are numbered," said Doyle. "I think people in Georgia have had enough of her over-the-top comments in Congress."

But Bill Banks, McKinney's campaign manager, said the race is about Majette's "abysmal" record as a state court judge. He also suggested that reports that there is a movement among Republicans to support Majette may backfire.

The increasingly bitter 4th district race, pitting two black women against each other for a safe Democratic seat, has drawn obvious comparisons to another primary contest decided in Alabama earlier this year.

Attorney Artur Davis beat five-term Rep. Earl Hilliard (Ala.) in a Democratic runoff after their positions on the situation in the Middle East helped provide both candidates with an infusion of out-of-state money in the campaign's final months.

But both campaigns' strategists in the Georgia race sought to downplay any similarities between the two contests.

Doyle noted that 70 percent of Majette's contributions are from in-state sources, although the figure indicates a drop from the 90 percent estimate the campaign touted through the end of June.

Banks, meanwhile, said that while Davis had run against Hilliard before, Majette has "never run for any elected office."

Both campaigns, however, have received PAC contributions from organizations aligned with each side of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Many of the same political action committees that supported Davis have given money to Majette, while McKinney has received contributions from similar interest groups that backed Hilliard, such as the Arab American Leadership PAC.

McKinney has continued to attack Majette's record on the bench in radio and television ads. Majette, meanwhile, has responded with ads that say McKinney's negative attacks are just the latest example of her going too far. McKinney has made controversial comments on foreign policy matters as well as the post-Sept. 11 war on terrorism.

Meanwhile, support for McKinney, like Hilliard, has poured in from many of her colleagues in the Democratic Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus.

While 14 Members sent checks from their campaign accounts in July and early August, Democratic Caucus Chairman Martin Frost (Texas) gave McKinney $5,000 from his leadership PAC.

Majette's latest reports showed she has not benefited from any Members' contributions, other than a $1,000 check from Sen. Zell Miller (D-Ga.) in June, but she has gotten the attention of at least one luminary in the state.

According to her pre-primary report, Majette has received a $1,000 contribution from Henry "Hank" Aaron, owner of Hank Aaron BMW in Atlanta and Major League Baseball's all-time home run leader.

Meanwhile, in another closely watched and hotly contested primary in the Peach State, Rep. Bob Barr (R) raised nearly double the total of Rep. John Linder (R) in July, though Linder still held a sizable cash-on-hand edge.

Linder spent more frugally, however, with $789,000 left in his war chest. Barr had $478,000 in the bank.

Each candidate received support from their House colleagues in their pre-primary filings.

Linder was the beneficiary of $1,000 contributions from the leadership PACs of Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) and GOP Conference Vice Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (Ohio).

In Georgia's 3rd district, likely the most competitive of the four open seats, 2000 8th district nominee Jim Marshall and attorneyChuck Byrd are embroiled in a contested Democratic primary.

Byrd raised nearly $40,000 more than Marshall in the filing period, but Marshall had a $305,000 to $281,000 cash-on-hand lead.

While Byrd and Marshall battle it out, BibbCountyChairman CalderClay (R) continues to stockpile resources for the general election. Clay raised $71,000 in July with $647,000 in reserve.

In the new 11th district, which takes in much of Barr's old 7th district, former Rep. Buddy Darden and 2000 7th district nominee Roger Kahn are engaged in a no-holds-barred struggle for the Democratic nomination.

State Sen. Phil Gingrey and wealthy businessman Cecil Staton are considered the two frontrunners on the Republican side.

Both Kahn and Darden dipped into their own pockets to provide the vast majority of the campaign's funding during July.

Kahn gave himself $850,000, bringing his total investment in the race to $1.45 million; Darden loaned himself $210,000 in the period. He gave an additional $26,000 on Aug. 7 and another $60,000 two days later.

Gingrey had a slight cash-on-hand lead, with $303,000 in the bank to $278,000 for Staton.

In the two new seats the state gained in reapportionment, both of which strongly favor Democrats, candidates worked hard to stockpile additional resources for the last crucial push.

In the 12th district, which sprawls through much of southeastern Georgia, Charles Walker Jr. (D) remains the favorite.

Walker, whose father is the state Senate Majority Leader, raised $43,000 and had $147,000 in reserve. He had raised $398,000 total for the race.

Tony Center emerged as Walker's most serious challenger due principally to his personal donations.

Center has given $255,000 of his own money to the race, although he did not loan his campaign a dime in the last month.

Barbara Dooley, the likely Republican nominee in the 12th district, raised $110,000 in July with $165,000 on hand.

The 13th district takes in black areas south and west of Atlanta and features three candidates vying for two spots in a likely Sept. 10 runoff.

State Sen. David Scott, who is black, is generally considered a lock for one of the runoff spots in a district that has a 42 percent black population.

Scott raised $38,000 and carried $106,000 at the end of June. He loaned his campaign $80,000 on Aug. 8, bringing his personal stake in the race to $335,000.

Fellow state Sen. Greg Hecht outraised former Democratic Party ChairmanDavidWorley as they raced for the second runoff spot.

Meanwhile, the Republican Senate primary between Rep.SaxbyChambliss and former state Rep. Bob Irvin remained a financial mismatch.

Chambliss raised $191,000 in July and ended the month with more than $2.1 million in his campaign coffers. Irvin, in contrast, brought in $19,000 for the month and had $145,000 in the bank.

Sen. MaxCleland (D) continued to prove his fundraising mettle with $300,000 raised and more than $3 million in reserve.

Majette's latest reports showed she has not benefited from any Members' contributions, other than a $1,000 check from Sen. Zell Miller

Good ol' Zell!

Someone ought to explain the continuing appeal of Max Cleland to GA voters. An original disciple of "Georgia Jimmy," Cleland has held office for some 30 years in GA. It is hard to imagine anyone voting against him, except for GOP stalwarts. The Republican contender Chambliss looks like a weak candidate to me, but I don't think any GA Republican could make much of a race against Cleland. I bet a lot of GA voters think his name his "Cleveland" too!

Also anti-abortion advocates should oppose Cleland, as he has a 100 percent pro-abortion voting record. Isn't it bizrre that a disabled person like Cleland who boasts of his "compassion" would turn a deaf ear to the wails of the unborn? And GA voters are no better by keeping him entrenched in power.

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!)

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Meanwhile, support for McKinney, like Hilliard, has poured in from many of her colleagues in the Democratic Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus.

While 14 Members sent checks from their campaign accounts in July and early August, Democratic Caucus Chairman Martin Frost (Texas) gave McKinney $5,000 from his leadership PAC.

So Jesse Jackson is not the only one sticking with this predictable loser. Gotta wonder what they think they are accomplishing. Well, I won't object to it if they choose to discredit themselves by backing a terrorist sympathizer.

It looks like she's pulled ahead of Cynthia in contributions.

MAJETTE, DENISE L	07/31/2002	DEM	$875,557	$679,372	$64,400	$774,907	$196,184
MCKINNEY, CYNTHIA	07/31/2002	DEM	$590,095	$616,591	$151,038	$415,759	$140,952
PEREIRA, BARBARA BRUNNER	07/31/2002	REP	$37,531	$16,193	$1,000	$6,642	$21,338
VAN AUKEN, CYNTHIA L	07/31/2002	REP	$27,696	$17,006	$0	$6,647	$10,690
DAVIS, CATHERINE	07/31/2002	REP	$8,611	$6,910	$3,000	$5,611	$1,699
WARREN, SUNNY	07/31/2001	REP	$762	$1,066	$0	$95	$0

And a click on her name, then on contributors, shows most of her support is in district, unlike Cynthia. It's good news that her constituents are getting fed up with her.

Hopefully enough will go out and vote.

Cleland is a Clinton Democrat through and through. He's running all these commercials now touting his and war record (and hoping for sympathy votes from his disability), but if Chambliss can attack his very left voting record I think we have a chance to throw him out. He lost my vote when he replied to my letter saying he 'had weighed the evidence against the President and found it didn't rise to the level needed to vote for impeachment.'

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