A Thin Reed in Ga.

Related Content

Related Story

• Tribe Files Suit Against Abramoff, Reed, Scanlon

Print

E-Mail

Reprints

Text Size

Latest News

• Balfour Drops Out of Race for Linder's Seat
• Setbacks Zero Out Gains in Whip Count
• Schumer, Graham Unveil Immigration Reform Blueprint
• Subpoenas Target Nevada Firms That Donated to NRSC
• Obama Fails to Sway Lynch

Georgia’s Congressional Republicans are largely staying out of the hotly contested primary for lieutenant governor that features ex-Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed, who has been tarnished by his link to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

Reed’s battle with Casey Cagle, until now a relatively unknown state Senator, will be decided by voters Tuesday.

At the outset, the race appeared to be Reed’s to lose. But it has garnered increasing national attention as the scope of the federal Abramoff probe has expanded, uncovering more details of Reed’s relationship with the convicted lobbyist. The latest polls have shown the contest to be a dead heat.

Only two of the state’s seven GOP House Members have made public endorsements.

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) is backing Reed, serving as one of his campaign co-chairmen, while Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) is with Cagle, who hails from his hometown.

Other Georgia Republicans are keeping their powder dry.

Westmoreland said his decision to back Reed simply was based on his commitment toward building the state GOP into the majority party it is today.

The Congressman recalled that in 2000, after Westmoreland had been elected Republican leader in the state House and Reed had become state party chairman, Reed made a personal commitment to him to turn back the state’s longtime Democratic dominance.

“He promised he would not quit until I was elected Speaker,” he said.

In less than six years, state Republicans did complete a historic transformation — winning the governorship, both U.S. Senate seats and control of the state Legislature.

Westmoreland said it is shameful that some Republicans seem to have forgotten Reed’s role in that turnaround by now working to defeat him.

While Deal acknowledged that Reed’s efforts to build the state party and elevate the Republican cause were an issue in the campaign, he suggested the “overriding concern about ethics” might trump it.

He also noted that Reed was leading the state party at the same time that he was allegedly involved in Abramoff’s dealings. That, he said, leads to more questions about whether he was “saying one thing publicly and doing another privately.”

Cagle represents Deal in the state Senate, and Deal said there was little question he is the most qualified candidate in the race, with 12 years in the state Legislature under his belt.

This is Reed’s first run for public office.

As for the Abramoff scandal and the prominence it has played in the race, Westmoreland chalked it up to nothing more than “guilt by association” for Reed.

“He has not been indicted. He has not been charged with any crime,” Westmoreland said.

Reed has said repeatedly that he regrets having worked on the casinos issue with Abramoff, but has denied any wrongdoing in the scheme to bilk millions from Indian tribes.

A federal civil lawsuit was filed Wednesday by a Texas Indian tribe alleging that Abramoff, Reed and their associates committed fraud and racketeering in an effort to shut down the tribe’s casino.

Cagle’s latest ad is a harsh attack on Reed, charging that he took millions from Abramoff to help casinos.

The ad also alleges Reed worked with the lobbyist to deny women and children legal protection from sweatshops in the Mariana Islands “even though our government warned that women on the island were subjected to forced abortions and children were coerced into prostitution,” an announcer says in the Cagle ad.

Westmoreland said the spot amounted to nothing more than desperation.

“Casey doesn’t have anything positive to say about himself,” he said. “That’s a shame.”

While the surrogates for both sides seem confident in victory, privately the delegation’s Members seem to be divided on who will win next week’s race. Two Georgia Republicans, who wished to remain anonymous, split when asked their prediction for who would emerge from the primary.

They also wondered whether Cagle has overplayed the Abramoff issue, and noted even though Reed has been damaged by those allegations, it would be foolish to underestimate his ability to turn out the GOP base — something he perfected during his time with the Christian Coalition.

“Nobody knows anything about Casey Cagle’s positions except that he’s not Ralph Reed,” said one member of the so-called G-7, who asked not to be identified.

Privately other Republicans note that Cagle has a frosty relationship with Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) and while Reed frequently mentions his work for the governor on the campaign trail, Cagle rarely mentions Perdue at all. It remains to be seen to what extent that might impact the primary’s outcome.

Reed campaign manager Jared Thomas, who managed freshman Rep. Tom Price’s (R-Ga.) campaign last cycle, said that the campaign has used Westmoreland’s name in statewide mail pieces and he expects the freshman Congressman will be useful in other get-out-the-vote efforts between now and Tuesday.

“I feel that we’ve run a good race,” Thomas said. “We’ve got the best candidate and we’ve got a great get out the vote plan, and can’t wait ‘till Tuesday.”

Meanwhile, final financial reports were filed this week that showed Cagle had essentially pulled even with Reed in fundraising for the contest.

Cagle raised just more than $1 million in the second quarter of the year. Reed raised about $850,000, $500,000 of which was a personal loan to his campaign.

Former Sen. Zell Miller (D-Ga.) has endorsed Reed and has done one automated call to voters, in addition to other advertising, on his behalf.

The state’s two Republican Senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, are both remaining neutral in the contest.

Meanwhile, Democrats have a closely-watched statewide primary of their own next week, when they will settle on a nominee to take on Perdue in November.

Perdue became Georgia’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction when he defeated a Democratic incumbent in 2002 and he is currently viewed as a strong favorite for re-election.

Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor and Secretary of State Cathy Cox are vying for the Democratic gubernatorial nod. Recent polls have shown Taylor ahead.

While Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.) is backing Taylor, most Democrats in the Congressional delegation are staying neutral.

“I’m frying my own fish right now,” said Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.).