Republican revenge in Georgia
How Sarah Palin helped the GOP deprive Democrats of a filibuster-proof Senate majority
Sarah Palin helped reelect Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss in Georgia.
(AP Photo/Stephen Morton)
Call it Sarah Palin’s revenge, said Andrew Malcolm in the Los Angeles Times online. The former Republican vice-presidential candidate campaigned for Sen. Saxby Chambliss ahead of a run-off vote on Tuesday, and helped him win reelection thanks to heavy conservative turnout. Now there’s no way for Democrats to win a filibuster-proof, 60-vote majority in the Senate.
Chambliss’ double-digit victory did more than dash Democrats’ dreams of a supermajority, said Jim Tharpe in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It “buoyed a Republican Party battered by staggering losses in the Nov. 4 general election,” and shows what the GOP can still do when its volunteers show up in force to make calls and knock on doors to get conservative voters to the polls.
There’s still not much for the GOP to celebrate, said Rachel Kapochunas in Congressional Quarterly Politics. The Democrats still have 58 seats voting with them—59 if Al Franken wins the “cliffhanger race in Minnesota.” With those gains and the help of “some of the Senate’s more moderate Republicans,” Democrats should be able to break filibusters anyway, leaving Republicans without a key tactic to delay Democratic legislation.
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8 Comments
Posted by Joy C, Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 10:42 am What crap, Democrats did not even challenge this seat the second time around. Palin is becoming a urban legend. But that is OK, let the GOP think it can ride her back into power.
Posted by carol, Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 10:47 am I am sure Sarah had some impact on this race but I think the main factor was voters do not want to see a 60 senator majority in the senate. I think this is good for the country.
Posted by Jay S, Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 1:30 pm The only thing this race shows is how big Obama's coattails were. Without him on the ballot, the Georgia race went from a nailbiter to a blowout. The only bad sign for Democrats is that it shows them what 2010 may be like without Obama on the ballot, but a lot can happen between now and then.
Posted by Brett, Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 1:49 pm This shouldn't about one party versus the next. It should be about what's best for the country as a whole. Let's hope our congressional representatives remember that. Country before party. Always.
Posted by Jerry Friedman, Thursday, December 4, 2008, 3:35 pm I am just glad that the minority will still have the power to filibuster. Given the poor quality of those who represent us, a mechanical or technical defense, such as the filibuster becomes all the more important.
Posted by jane, Thursday, December 4, 2008, 4:47 pm Sarah Palin was the savior of the GOP in GA? Give me a break! Have you ever been to GA?! They are so conservative and so Republican (and so gerry-mandered) no Democrat has a chance. The bigger story is that there was a run-off at all, not that the GOP candidate eventually won. Anyone who thinks Palin swooped in and saved the day is out of touch with the culture and climate in the Peach State.
Posted by Kam, Saturday, December 6, 2008, 5:49 pm What's happening here? I believe this is the first election in decades where the repub won and the dems didn't yell foul, he cheated. Funny how Palin brings out the hatred and hate mongering in the dems but not enough to get them to the polls to vote against her and her choices. 2010 may be a very interesting year.
Posted by Michael J. Gorman, Sunday, December 7, 2008, 1:22 am I hope Sarah Palin stays around as a Republican"all-star." It would be a great break for the Democrats to have her as an opponent. She's not only the most divisive force in politics today, but she wants to be the most divisive force around. She's a Karl Rove "all-star" and a favorite of idiots like the druggie radio foghorn, Rush Limbaugh. So, Republicans, please, Sarah Palin for President, and Joe-the-Plumber for Vice President. Announce it now so it can have it's effect in 2010 and 2012.
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