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By: MATT SCHAFER
COMMENTS |
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Five men campaigning to be the next senator from Georgia will know their fate July 15, when votes are tallied in Georgia’s second primary election of the year. The winner of the Democratic primary faces off against U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) in November.
Most polling data and political observers see the race as a two-man contest between DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones and former state Rep. Jim Martin, but former television reporter Dale Cardwell has been consistently among the top three in independent polls.
Most of the gay support is split between Martin, a strong gay rights ally during his years in the Georgia General Assembly, and Rand Knight, who has actively sought gay votes and supports gay marriage. Knight, the only candidate to march in the Atlanta Pride parade July 6, has several key endorsements, but has yet to break 20 percent in public polling results. Although Martin did not march in the Pride parade, many of his supporters did.
Martin made waves with a few gay voters when he said he did not support gay marriage in a recent televised debate. He said he has always been clear that he supports civil unions, including during his unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor, and would advocate for a number of gay issues. Martin held a fundraiser the Monday before Pride at Einstein’s in Midtown entitled “Proud to Support Martin for Senate.”
Josh Lanier, Cardwell and Jones did not participate in Pride. During the television debate, Cardwell and Jones also said they do not support gay marriage, while Lanier joined Knight in supporting it.
Fundraising is seen as one way of measuring a campaign’s viability. While second quarter campaign disclosure reports were due by June 30, all five candidates filed by paper rather than electronically. A spokesperson for the Federal Election Commission said the disclosure forms had not been turned over to the FEC from the Secretary of Senate’s office by press time. Two of the candidates did voluntarily disclose fundraising totals.
Cardwell said his campaign brought in approximately $160,000 and any funds still remaining would be spent by July 15.
“I’ll tell you how much money I’ve raised because I believe money is what’s wrong with the system,” Cardwell said.
Josh Lanier said he also believes money is what is wrong with politics, but has taken it further than Cardwell by raising much less. Lanier reported raising $435 between April 1 and June 25, for a total of $15,315.16, which includes a $12,500 loan from himself to his campaign. Lanier, running an “un-campaign,” made a point of not hosting fundraisers or accepting donations through the internet.
“I have just enough cash on hand to get to Atlanta for the debate this weekend,” Lanier said. “In fact I might just spend it all, buy a lot of gas and get myself a big Coke.”
The other campaigns declined to make any financial numbers available ahead of the FEC filing. Knight’s campaign did report buying radio advertisements, which will compete with Martin’s television ads.
Jones’ Campaign Coordinator Lisa Johnson declined to make the disclosure report or Jones available for interviews.
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Gay Marriage |
Civil Unions |
Expanding federal hate crimes laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity
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Repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell"
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Employment Non-Discrimination Act (would ban gay and transgender job bias)
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| Dale Cardwell |
Opposes |
Supports
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Supports
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Supports
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Supports |
| Vernon Jones |
Opposes |
Supports
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Unsure
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Supports
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Supports |
| Rand Knight |
Supports |
Supports |
Supports |
Supports |
Supports |
| Josh Lanier |
Supports |
Supports |
Unsure
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Supports
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Unsure
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| Jim Martin |
Opposes |
Supports |
Supports |
Supports |
Supports |
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