I've never heard of Thomas. (0.00 / 0)

That said, I support her 100%.  Barrow's the most conservative Dem in Congress and he resides in a D+2 district.

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by: The Animal @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 16:03:47 PM UTC

Its great (0.00 / 0)

to have the grassroots, but she needs to raise some money and right now she has none.  Its very unlikely she wins unless she can raise at least 1/2 a million.

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by: Marylander @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 16:07:04 PM UTC

Pick a side (0.00 / 0)

It's hard to envision a more Republican-sounding ad.  

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by: Ware V. Wendell @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 16:31:03 PM UTC

I have heard of her. (0.00 / 0)

Maybe that's because I live in Georgia. Was she one of "Dean's Dozens"?

miasmo.com

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by: miasmo @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 16:37:12 PM UTC

Contrary view (0.00 / 0)

I may be somewhat biased because I volunteered with DCCC in 2004 to help elect Barrow. He narrowly unseated a Republican that year, one of the few bright spots of the season.

No question that the ad is awful. But Barrow gets a 70 percent rating from the ADA in 2007. In 2004, the last year his predecessor was in office, he got a zero.

Consider also that in the last general, blacks were 36 percent of the vote in the district, so Thomas can't win on race alone, even if Obama at the top of the ticket brings more blacks to the polls.

Finally, I've moved from Georgia, but I never heard much about Thomas when I was there. No Dem has any power in the legislature, unfortunately, so even if she were a smart progressive she'd have had no opportunity to do anything. A quick Google news search isn't encouraging: An article saying she voted against a tax break for filmmakers without realizing it already existed, and one saying her reason for running is to get more Savannah representation vis-a-vis Athens (where Barrow is from).

Barrow may be the best we can do in this district until a more distinguished progressive comes along (or unless someone can cite some more impressive creditials for Thomas than I found -- some basis for thinking she could win in the fall in a district that is mainly conservative).

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by: WI Dem @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 16:42:10 PM UTC

I don't know about Thomas, (0.00 / 0)

but any Democrat who runs a commercial against "the death tax" doesn't belong in the Democratic Party. Dems will have a solid majority in the House. Why do we need dickheads like Barrow in Congress tarnishing the Democratic brand. As long as we've got a solid majority, I'd just as well see a Republican in that seat as opposed to a Democrat who's a conservative asshole.  

miasmo.com

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by: miasmo @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 16:52:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Death tax does suck (4.00 / 1)

But in 2007 Barrow voted right on minimum wages, medicare drug negotiation, employee free choice, DC voting, Head Start funding, the Iraq supplemental, stem cells, student loans, wage discrimination, FISA, SCHIP, the Intelligence Bill and the Energy Bill.

If we purge Barrow to burnish "the brand," we likely lose the good vote on all of those issues next time.

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by: WI Dem @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 17:06:29 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The assumption (0.00 / 0)

is that we can win the seat with a more progressive Democrat.    I don't think anybody would really have much enthusiasm for a primary fight if this was an R+10 district that Barrow was holding.  This is a D+2 district - it's hard to see how any Dem wouldn't be a favorite against a non incumbent in such a district in 2008.

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by: The Animal @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 18:21:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'd question the assumption (0.00 / 0)

Given how close the elections have been in the district.

It will be a good Dem year, which will help, but running someone with no real legislative or professional record (assuming that's true, and I'm willing to stand corrected) and just a high school diploma seems like a good way to lose.

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by: WI Dem @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 18:52:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Tell me then (0.00 / 0)

What other D+2 seats currently held by the Democrats are you worried about the Democrats losing in 2008?  You are aware that we just picked up an R+10 open seat.  This isn't 2002-2004 any more.  

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by: The Animal @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 19:34:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'd worrry about and D+2 (0.00 / 0)

seat where we dumped an incumbent and ran someone without any professional or academic credentials.  

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by: WI Dem @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 19:48:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

So... (0.00 / 0)

if we dump him and run a random professor from the University of Georgia, you're cool with it?

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by: The Animal @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 20:43:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Project Vote Smart - Senator Regina D. Thomas (GA) (0.00 / 0)

http://www.votesmart.org/bio.p...

miasmo.com

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by: miasmo @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 16:44:50 PM UTC

Not a stellar resume nt (0.00 / 0)

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by: WI Dem @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 17:09:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

... (0.00 / 0)

It's more impressive than Barrow's was when he got elected.
http://www.votesmart.org/bio.p...

I support John McCain because children are too healthy anyway.

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by: Sam L @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 18:09:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not to be elitist but (0.00 / 0)

He graduated from Harvard Law. She has a high school diploma.

Which one would you hire to represent you in Washington?

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by: WI Dem @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 18:49:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'd hire the one (4.00 / 2)

I'd hire the one who doesn't run ads about cutting and running in Iraq.

I'm not saying they're super stars, but supporting a reactionary on the basis of his resume when his resume isn't even that good strikes me as somewhat misguided. Maybe you have some other concern?

I support John McCain because children are too healthy anyway.

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by: Sam L @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 18:59:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes (0.00 / 0)

That:

1) Barrow is not a reactionary based on his voting record, but is an ADA "hero."
2) That he can probably win.
3) That his challenger very likely won't, and even if she did it would be very hard to imagine not getting rolled in DC without a stronger background than she seems to have.

And I resent your implication.

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by: WI Dem @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 19:09:53 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

When I mean something, I say it (4.00 / 1)

If I were assuming you to be a racist, I would say so.

1) That may be, but he has a pretty bad voting record based on his Progressive Punch score. He's not exactly a team player.
2) That may be true as well, but in a D+2 district in an election cycle where we are winning R+10s and we're not in any danger of losing the majority, I'm not too worried about taking the risk.
3) I think it is wrong that she "very likely won't" win, but beyond that, I think that the best test of her appeal in the district is the primary. His Harvard education doesn't strike me as an electoral boon any more than her time in the State Senate does.

Your concerns are perfectly legitimate. In fact, similar concerns are brought up in response to basically every challenge or potential challenge of a Bush Dog. That doesn't make them wrong, but I don't think they should necessarily convince a Democrat who opposes the war in Iraq to support a candidate who supports it.

I support John McCain because children are too healthy anyway.

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by: Sam L @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 20:03:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

OK, sorry (4.00 / 1)

for jumping to conclusions on the previous comment, and thanks for setting me straight. Have been reading too many Hill-Obama flame wars.

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by: WI Dem @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 20:10:48 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

"Not to be elitist" must be... (4.00 / 2)

... the new "with all due respect."

Joe Lieberman graduated from Yale.  W went to Yale and Harvard.  That doesn't mean they have any damn sense.

Seriously, this guy pulled talking points directly from the R's mouth ("death tax," "amnesty," "cut and run").

I'm all for a certain degree of ideological diversity within the party.  America is a big country and this party is a big tent.  It's one thing to be a conservative Democrat and to break with the party on some votes (choice, etc.).  

It's another thing entirely to campaign as a Republican and to serve as a sock puppet for Frank Luntz.

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by: Ware V. Wendell @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 19:19:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Agree (0.00 / 0)

I just think it's not realistic to throw support to a challenger sight unseen, based on an admittedly awful ad. Barrow has a decent voting record, and that district is always close, regardless of how Charlie Cook rates it. If we dump the incumbent we need a really strong candidate to hold it (assuming the GOP fields someone reasonably credible), and it doesn't appear Thomas would be very strong. Maybe Thomas has some appeal that no one on this thread has yet cited, and if so, more power to her -- I'd donate to her cause. But if not, it's better to have Barrow than the wingnut GOPster who would replace him.

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by: WI Dem @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 19:32:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Why is it close? (0.00 / 0)

The district is D+2, and it's in Georgia. Georgia is not exactly a state that looks favourably on national Democrats, so if you have a congressional district that performs better than the nation as a whole, it's fair to say that it's reasonably Democratic.

So why is Barrow, who's doing his best to burnish his local credentials, doing so badly? Is it because he can't bring out the base, or is it because he's not bringing over the voters he's aiming for? I don't know, but I think the answers to those questions will decide what should be done about the primaries.

Forgotten Countries - a foreign policy-focused blog

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by: Englishlefty @ Thu May 15, 2008 at 12:36:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Ugh. (4.00 / 1)

I grew up in Athens and have met John Barrow on a few occasions, even knew some of his family as a child.

He's a nice guy and a decent person but he has a limited vision and sees politics in GA in very "DLC" terms. His tenure in Athens politics is, well, uninteresting.

I think a challenge from the left is just what is needed in Athens.  Regardless of the outcome, this will be a good discussion.  Of course, the Banner Herald and the establishment could react to this in interesting ways...

I don't know a thing about Regina Thomas (I live in a different state now), but I think the demographics look good.  As a native, this feels right to me and I can't believe it hasn't happened sooner.  Actually, I can.

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by: Andy Wallis @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 18:00:34 PM UTC

I don't know a ton about (0.00 / 0)

Thomas but all I have heard is good.

This is a very winnable race and one that we should push hard.

A Blue Majority endorsement would help a lot. She needs money to get the message out. But if she has enough she could maybe just win.

John McCain: Beacuse lobbyists should have more power

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by: Populista @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 20:28:34 PM UTC

Some local perspective (4.00 / 1)

John Barrow's been rather disappointing as a congressman, though I do still like him. He was a very progressive commissioner for Athens-Clarke County for many years and won a seat in Congress running center-left when the district was more favorable to Democrats. The state GOP redistricted the 12th, which he represented, and it put him in the position of either going down to Savannah to run for re-election in the 12th in a marginally more favorable district or stay in Northeast Georgia in a very GOP-friendly district against the late Charlie Norwood.

He went south and moved to the right, which is politically understandable but personally frustrating. I like Barrow, even if I disagree with him on a lot of issues, and I do think he's the more viable candidate in the general election.

That said, Regina Thomas is top-notch. It bugged me that she opposed Sunday Sales legislation at the state level (we're one of three states who forbid alcohol sales on Sunday), but she's been a strong progressive in the Georgia General Assembly and has lots of support down in Savannah (from what I hear as I'm in Athens-Clarke County).

My allegiances are kinda split on this one since it's hard to reconcile my personal allegiance to Barrow with my ideological support of Thomas. The latter would have a harder time winning and holding on to the seat, but with Obama heading the ticket and turnout assured to be up this year, this is the time for her to make a run.

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by: Safe As Houses @ Wed May 14, 2008 at 21:45:39 PM UTC

Not to be crass about this (0.00 / 0)

But I am highly dubious that a Black candidate can win in a district as white as Barrow's.

The only Black congressman from the South in a non-Black majority district is Sanford Bishop who is a) very conservative; and b) got elected when the district was majority white.

The last Black candidate in the 12th district, Champ Walker, lost in a "surprisingly" wide defeat for a supposedly dem leaning district, 55-45.  There were ethical concerns around Walker, but it also seems fairly clear that White people just didn't vote for him.

It'd be great to have someone more liberal than Barrow in that district, and the district seems Democratic enough to potentially support that.  But a bruising, racially polarized primary is not a good place to be in for the general election (and any election in which a Black challenger defeats a white incumbent is bound to be both bruising and racially polarized).

So, the question is not really "Would Thomas be a better congressperson than Barrow?"  The question is "Should the netroots be like the Club for Growth, and make it easy for Republicans to win seats by unseating Democrats who aren't ideologically correct?"

Going after people like Al Wynn and Dan Lipinski is one thing - they're in safely Democratic seats, which any Democrat would win in November.  Going after someonee like Barrow, who is in a seat which Republicans have won as recently as six years ago, and where the African American population is lower than anywhere in the South that elects a Black congressman, with a Black challenger, seems to just be courting defeat.

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by: jlkenney @ Thu May 15, 2008 at 20:30:09 PM UTC