I voted...
...and most of my candidates won, for the first time I can remember. Those of you who follow Georgia politics may draw some inferences from that -- or may not. But the big three races, considered iron-clad safe seats for the incumbents, were Governor, Senator, and Georgia's 18th state district (from which the current Speaker of the State House comes): nobody expected Governor Roy Barnes, Senator Max Cleland, or Representative Tom Murphy (Democrats all) to lose, let alone all three.

I think I understand why Governor Barnes lost: He pissed off the all-powerful teachers' unions by meddling in the structure and powers of the state superintendent. But I had no idea they were mad enough to vote Republican: They must really be upset. And then there's that dog's breakfast of a flag he saddled us with, which didn't make him any friends. But that doesn't explain Cleland or Murphy.

The AJC is trying to come up with reasons that don't spell "Because they were Democrats," and more power to them. But personally, I think the proverbial Last Straw was the Wellstone "funeral". That spectacle is going to have long-term repercussions. The Democrats now know that to be true: I wonder if they yet understand why.

I still resent the fact that, in the United States House of Representatives, I am unrepresented and disenfranchised. I live in Georgia's Fifth district, and incumbent Congressman John Lewis (D), as usual, ran unopposed.

In the nearby Democrat-safe Fourth (although, all things considered, one can take nothing for granted anymore), the last gasp of Cynthia McKinney died: Denise Majette (D) won handily. "[Democratic] Party officials thought they had offset any dampening of the turnout in south DeKalb county, where supporters of U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney, who was defeated in the August primary, had threatened to stay home -- or vote Republican." Vote Republican? I thought the McKinney crowd was convinced that it was Republicans, voting in the Democratic primary, who had cost them the election. Their way of getting even is to vote for the Republican candidate? Apparently McKinney did indeed have the loon vote all to herself.