The Real Story in Georgia

Washington Post ^ | 27 Aug 2002 | David Lublin

[CodeWeasel]

In the rush to celebrate the defeats of Republican Bob Barr and Democrat Cynthia McKinney, the media missed the real story coming out of the Georgia primaries: Two African American Democrats running in majority-white districts appear likely to clinch their party's nominations for open seats and then win the general elections. Their victories would signal that African Americans can win in such districts, opening the way to future gains in black representation.

African American representation in the House leapt dramatically in 1992 after the creation of numerous majority-black districts. But blacks will not experience the same post-redistricting gains in 2002. Since Shaw v. Reno in 1993, the Supreme Court has sharply curtailed the drawing of bizarrely shaped majority-black districts. A narrow majority on the court believes that making race the dominant factor in redistricting violates the Constitution's equal protection clause.

[Malcolm]

I don't know that David Scott will win the 13th district. I have not seen any polling yet, and as this is a new district, (mine), it is hard to predict. The GOP candidate's name is Cox. He/She ran unopposed in the primary. I hope it will be a competitive district, but methinks the Dem GA Legislature made sure to make it a guaranteed win for one of their own. Like the '92 redistricting that resulted in a 8-3 GOP House delegation, I hope that they miscalculated this time as well.....

[GraniteStateConservative]

Champ Walker orchestrated a drive by Democrats to support Max Burns over Barbara Dooley (the more electable Republican)-- which is the opposite strategy of the GOP in GA-4 (stupid party anyone???) knowing a primary run-off was a better outcome than a general election defeat at the hands of Dooley.

Also from the article, I learned Georgia almost had two crazy black people in their delegation: McKinney and Julian Bond (who compared Republicans to the Taliban).

[Coop]

Bummer. When you flagged me I was hoping this was an article telling me how Max Cleland really is vulnerable. :-)

[Malcolm]

Julian Bond is not in the Congressional delegation. You're probably thinking of John Lewis.....

[GraniteStateConservative]

No, that was my point.

...learned Georgia almost had two crazy black people in their delegation

[Saundra Duffy]

Interesting but I wish everyone was color blind.

[Slewfoot]

Since Shaw v. Reno in 1993, the Supreme Court has sharply curtailed the drawing of bizarrely shaped majority-black districts.

Right

[Malcolm]

LOL; at least the GA Dems are talented at modern art.....

[CPT Clay]

13 is certainly bizzare!

[mhking]

Believe it or not, of all those weirdly shaped districts, only two, the more normal shaped 5th (mostly intown Atlanta and central Fulton County), and the elongated 12th (from Athens to near Savannah) are the only majority black districts in the state.

All those other weirdly shaped districts were drawn in the way they were in order to protect Dem incumbents, and to maximize the possibility of Dems being elected in other districts. The 7th, 8th, 11th, and 13th in particular being addressed. If those four districts were drawn normally, three of those four seats would almost certainly go GOP.

You can thank Gov. Roy "King Roy" Barnes and House Speaker Tom "I'll be here until I die" Murphy for that.

[mhking]

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[Protagoras]

Chicago and environs are famous for that kind of nonsense. They have gone so far as to carve out one block or even several houses on a block to keep certain seats in the hands of various ethnic groups. Polish, Hispanic, black, or any other group whose members tend to vote in a block.

It's almost as bad as the anti-freedom ballot access laws in most of this country.

[Slewfoot]

Looks like thier plan to get rid of Barr and pick up the 11th and 13th will work this time. Imho we should get the 11th back when we put up a strong candidate, but this time they have a well financed one with some name recognition and we have an unknown with little cash.

I'm still trying to figure the 13th, most of it looks like good rat area but why the eastern branch. You think they were trying to make another district like the 4th, where the north end has a 30% turn out and the south has a 95 to 110% turn out?