Post by brassmonkey on Dec 3, 2008 14:49:59 GMT -5
Although the Obama/Pelosi/Clinton bullet may just be enough to ruin America, at least we dodged the Democrat super-majority bullet with Georgia electing a Republican. Who knows what kind of hell would have been unleashed on our freedoms and sovereignty had they won the super-majority.
Chambliss wins second term in U.S. Senate
Defeats Jim Martin after arduous runoff campaign
By JIM THARPE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss beat back a prolonged challenge from Democrat Jim Martin on Tuesday to win a second term in office after a bruising four-week runoff between the one-time University of Georgia fraternity brothers.
Chambliss’s double-digit victory dashed Democrats’ dreams of securing a filibuster-proof, 60-vote “super majority” in the Senate and buoyed a Republican Party battered by staggering losses in the Nov. 4 general election.
“Republicans still know how to win an election,” Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan told hundreds of Chambliss supporters at the Cobb Energy Centre.
Chambliss said GOP volunteers from 43 states came to Georgia to assist his runoff bid, licking envelopes, calling voters and knocking on doors to get voters back to the polls.
“You’re the reason this happened,” the 65-year-old Moultrie lawmaker told cheering supporters. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
Martin, 63, called Chambliss to concede at 9:45 p.m. and addressed his supporters 15 minutes later at the Park Tavern.
“Tonight the voters of Georgia have spoken,” Martin, an Atlanta attorney, told his supporters. “I accept that decision.”
Anna Beck, 25, of Atlanta, who worked for the Martin campaign as deputy finance director seemed to sense the inevitable after major news organizations began to call the race at 9 p.m.
“I’m sorry for the turnout. I wish it could have been higher. [But] I don’t know what we could have done differently,” Beck said.
Chambliss and Martin — Sigma Chi frat brothers in the 1960s — faced off in a race that became the focus of U.S. politics in wake of the Nov. 4 general election.
Despite the gravity of the race and the media attention focused on the two candidates, turnout appeared to be just over half what it was in the general election.
The Chambliss win was a major save for Republicans, who watched their political fortunes wither on Nov. 4. A Martin victory would have been another setback for the GOP, which threw a small army of its political stars, volunteers and millions of dollars into the race.
Chambliss’s victory means Republicans now will have at least 41 votes in the upper chamber, enough to stop major legislative initiatives by the Democratic majority in the U.S. Congress. Only the senate race in Minnesota, where a recount is ongoing, still must be decided.
During the runoff, Republicans painted Chambliss as a “firewall,” the “last man standing” to prevent what they contend would have been Democratic excesses. Democrats touted Martin as the man who would provide a “bridge” to the change promised by President-elect Barack Obama.
Obama tip-toed into the race, but never became fully involved. He recorded a radio ad for Martin and an automated “robo” call, but declined an invitation to come to Georgia and campaign for his fellow Democrat. Many of his campaign volunteers came to Georgia to help the Martin effort.
Big-name politicos also flocked to the state to stump for the two candidates. Former President Bill Clinton came for Martin as did former Vice President Al Gore. Former GOP presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) came to the state for Chambliss as did McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Keith Myers, 31, volunteered for Chambliss the last two weeks and came to the Cobb Energy Centre for the election results.
“I’ve always identified myself with Saxby and his conservative values — the Fair Tax and he’s pro-life,” said Myers, a mental health counselor who lives near Buford. “Because the Democrats might obtain a filibuster-proof majority I felt an extra urgency.” He volunteered for Chambliss, making phone calls last week.
Saxby Chambliss’ mother, 91-year-old Emma B. Chambliss, was on hand to her son’s victory celebration. She couldn’t vote for him, though. She moved from Saluda, N.C., to Roswell just two months ago and missed the deadline for voter registration in Georgia.
“No, I didn’t get here in time” she said. “I was disgusted, disgusted,” she said, shaking her head.
Much of the money that poured into Geoergia was spent on a barrage of televised attack ads, which were still being aired as voters headed to the polls.
The Chambliss-Martin runoff was a surprise to many. Chambliss had a strong lead in the polls until the economy tanked in September and the first-term senator backed a controversial $700 billion financial rescue package. Neither Chambliss nor Martin got a majority of vote Nov. 4 in their senate battle with Libertarian Allen Buckley. That set up a runoff between the two top vote-getters.
Both campaigns knew turnout was the key to a win, and both worked hard to get campaign-weary voters to the polls in the aftermath of the Thanksgiving holiday. Both Martin and Chambliss put hundreds of volunteers on the ground to call and visit potential voters and get them to vote.
Chambliss first won election to the Senate in 2002, defeating former Democratic U.S. Sen. Max Cleland. Chambliss had served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives before that win.
— Staff writers Aaron Gould Sheinin and Mary Lou Pickel contributed to this report.
Chambliss wins second term in U.S. Senate
Defeats Jim Martin after arduous runoff campaign
By JIM THARPE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss beat back a prolonged challenge from Democrat Jim Martin on Tuesday to win a second term in office after a bruising four-week runoff between the one-time University of Georgia fraternity brothers.
Chambliss’s double-digit victory dashed Democrats’ dreams of securing a filibuster-proof, 60-vote “super majority” in the Senate and buoyed a Republican Party battered by staggering losses in the Nov. 4 general election.
“Republicans still know how to win an election,” Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan told hundreds of Chambliss supporters at the Cobb Energy Centre.
Chambliss said GOP volunteers from 43 states came to Georgia to assist his runoff bid, licking envelopes, calling voters and knocking on doors to get voters back to the polls.
“You’re the reason this happened,” the 65-year-old Moultrie lawmaker told cheering supporters. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
Martin, 63, called Chambliss to concede at 9:45 p.m. and addressed his supporters 15 minutes later at the Park Tavern.
“Tonight the voters of Georgia have spoken,” Martin, an Atlanta attorney, told his supporters. “I accept that decision.”
Anna Beck, 25, of Atlanta, who worked for the Martin campaign as deputy finance director seemed to sense the inevitable after major news organizations began to call the race at 9 p.m.
“I’m sorry for the turnout. I wish it could have been higher. [But] I don’t know what we could have done differently,” Beck said.
Chambliss and Martin — Sigma Chi frat brothers in the 1960s — faced off in a race that became the focus of U.S. politics in wake of the Nov. 4 general election.
Despite the gravity of the race and the media attention focused on the two candidates, turnout appeared to be just over half what it was in the general election.
The Chambliss win was a major save for Republicans, who watched their political fortunes wither on Nov. 4. A Martin victory would have been another setback for the GOP, which threw a small army of its political stars, volunteers and millions of dollars into the race.
Chambliss’s victory means Republicans now will have at least 41 votes in the upper chamber, enough to stop major legislative initiatives by the Democratic majority in the U.S. Congress. Only the senate race in Minnesota, where a recount is ongoing, still must be decided.
During the runoff, Republicans painted Chambliss as a “firewall,” the “last man standing” to prevent what they contend would have been Democratic excesses. Democrats touted Martin as the man who would provide a “bridge” to the change promised by President-elect Barack Obama.
Obama tip-toed into the race, but never became fully involved. He recorded a radio ad for Martin and an automated “robo” call, but declined an invitation to come to Georgia and campaign for his fellow Democrat. Many of his campaign volunteers came to Georgia to help the Martin effort.
Big-name politicos also flocked to the state to stump for the two candidates. Former President Bill Clinton came for Martin as did former Vice President Al Gore. Former GOP presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) came to the state for Chambliss as did McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Keith Myers, 31, volunteered for Chambliss the last two weeks and came to the Cobb Energy Centre for the election results.
“I’ve always identified myself with Saxby and his conservative values — the Fair Tax and he’s pro-life,” said Myers, a mental health counselor who lives near Buford. “Because the Democrats might obtain a filibuster-proof majority I felt an extra urgency.” He volunteered for Chambliss, making phone calls last week.
Saxby Chambliss’ mother, 91-year-old Emma B. Chambliss, was on hand to her son’s victory celebration. She couldn’t vote for him, though. She moved from Saluda, N.C., to Roswell just two months ago and missed the deadline for voter registration in Georgia.
“No, I didn’t get here in time” she said. “I was disgusted, disgusted,” she said, shaking her head.
Much of the money that poured into Geoergia was spent on a barrage of televised attack ads, which were still being aired as voters headed to the polls.
The Chambliss-Martin runoff was a surprise to many. Chambliss had a strong lead in the polls until the economy tanked in September and the first-term senator backed a controversial $700 billion financial rescue package. Neither Chambliss nor Martin got a majority of vote Nov. 4 in their senate battle with Libertarian Allen Buckley. That set up a runoff between the two top vote-getters.
Both campaigns knew turnout was the key to a win, and both worked hard to get campaign-weary voters to the polls in the aftermath of the Thanksgiving holiday. Both Martin and Chambliss put hundreds of volunteers on the ground to call and visit potential voters and get them to vote.
Chambliss first won election to the Senate in 2002, defeating former Democratic U.S. Sen. Max Cleland. Chambliss had served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives before that win.
— Staff writers Aaron Gould Sheinin and Mary Lou Pickel contributed to this report.
