Crossed at Tondee's, a new Georgia blog.
Georgia seems to lag the rest of the U.S. in terms of frustration with this Republican administration. Despite the President reaching a record low approval rating of 29%, a recent Georgia poll showed Bush's approval rating at 38%.
What's got to happen to get the message to Georgia, or is there no hope? Do progressive candidates face a tougher fight here than in most other states?
One thing the Georgia poll showed is a disapproval for Bush's Iraq war handling (38%) although his handling of the "war on terror" still gets a positive mark of 49%. Saxby Chambliss came out after the vote on the Iraq funding bill arguing that Georgians do not believe "the war is lost," and although that doesn't equal the idea that the war is being handled properly, it indicates a possible disconnect between the leadership and the voters.
On the Democratic side of the Presidential campaign, interestingly, the candidates in 4th and 5th place among Presidential candidates--after Clinton, Obama and Edwards--are centrist Bill Richardson and undelcared potential candidate Wesley Clark at 4% and 3% respectively. Clark's showing might be related to his exposure to Georgia's conservatives as a Fox News analyst.
Georgia's GOP leaders are showing support for the extremist right, specifically Newt Gingrich. Georgia's Senators have high approval ratings as does Sonny Purdue. Does this offer a window of opportunity for progressives, moderate Democrats, or both? Can they win a national election, or will it be a big challenge to win either a national or a State election?
Facing South argues that a sea change may be brewing. What do you think?