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Survey shocker: Sen. Jason Carter polls ahead of Gov. Nathan Deal

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If Gov. Nathan Deal wants to keep his seat in the governor’s office, he may want to start thinking about leading on issues that have an impact on people outside of his donor list.

In a statewide survey of voters, Better Georgia found no strong support for Gov. Deal, primarily because of voter perceptions of cronyism and corruption along with a lack of leadership on key issues.

The big surprise in our polling, however, is the impact that Gov. Deal’s weak leadership is already having on voters.

In a General Election head-to-head, State Sen. Jason Carter jumped ahead of Gov. Deal, 45 percent to 42 percent.

Rep. Scott Holcomb is tied with Gov. Deal at 41 percent apiece.

And House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams is close to the governor’s numbers at 39 percent to his 45 percent. [Read more...]

May 15, 2013

Poll: Michelle Nunn beats Karen Handel head-to-head

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Better Georgia released the results of a recent statewide survey of registered voters testing announced and potential candidates for the U.S. Senate seat open in 2014. The survey finds that potential candidate Michelle Nunn’s entry to the race would immediately make the General Election competitive.

The survey shows a Republican advantage of 4 percentage points before either party has chosen its candidate. It also shows that in a crowded primary, Republican voters favor the most conservative candidate, Congressman Paul Broun.

Michelle Nunn, the founder and CEO of an international non-profit and the daughter of former United States Senator Sam Nunn, performs best when compared with potential GOP candidate Karen Handel, former Georgia Secretary of State. In a head-to-head match-up of the two women, Nunn draws 47 percent to Handel’s 39 percent. Nunn is tied with Congressman Phil Gingrey at 46 percent for each candidate. The most moderate Republican candidate, Congressman Jack Kingston, performs best against Nunn, 48 percent to 42 percent. None of the Republican candidates top the 50 percent mark when tested against Nunn.

“Georgia voters are growing increasingly tired of status quo conservatives who put ideology before common sense solutions to Georgia’s biggest challenges,” said Better Georgia Executive Director Bryan Long.  “Georgia is simply not a ‘red state’ where the most conservative candidate is assured victory. Anyone who believes otherwise simply has not looked at the data.”

Download the survey results as a PDF: BetterGeorgia.com/May2013Senate

Polling conducted May 8-10, 2013 by 20/20 Insight, LLC for Better Georgia. The survey reached 1,662 registered voters and has a 2.4 percent margin of error.

BY THE NUMBERS

Republican Candidate Vote for Nunn Vote for Republican Not Sure
vs. Paul Broun 42% 45% 13%
vs. Phil Gingrey 46% 46% 8%
vs. Karen Handel 47% 39% 14%
vs. Jack Kingston 42% 48% 11%
Average Vote 44% 44% 12%

 

Biographies and Results of GOP Primary

Paul Broun is a Congressman from Athens. He is one of the most conservative members of Congress and has served since 2007. Broun has been endorsed by former Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul. He has focused on cutting federal spending and taxes, and has advocated for the repeal of Obamacare. Before his election to Congress, he was a family physician………..33%

Phil Gingrey is a Congressman from Marietta. He is a conservative who has served in Congress since 2002, and before that was a member of the Georgia state Senate and a physician who delivered babies. He has focused on cutting federal spending and taxes, and as chairman of the Congressional Doctors Caucus has worked to repeal and replace Obamacare………..20%

Jack Kingston is a Congressman from Savannah who has served since 1992. He is a conservative who has served on the House Appropriations Committee for several years where he has focused on budget issues and has been recognized for his efforts to cut federal spending and taxes. He has also voted to repeal Obamacare………..18%

Karen Handel is the former Georgia Secretary of State. She is a conservative who also served as the chairwoman of the Fulton County Commission, where she worked to reduce county spending and cut taxes. In recent years, she worked for the Susan B. Komen foundation that funds efforts to fight breast cancer. While there, she worked to end the foundation’s funding of Planned Parenthood because it provides abortion services………..10%

Not certain at this time or none of these candidates………..17%

Better Georgia is the fastest-growing progressive advocacy organization in Georgia with the most proficient and accurate polling operation. In 2012, New York Times columnist and leading political polling analyst Nate Silver ranked Better Georgia’s polling efforts with 20/20 Insight as the most accurate in the state.

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May 13, 2013

Georgia high school students ready for first integrated prom

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Wilcox County’s first-ever integrated prom is tonight, thanks to the leadership of the town’s teenagers.

There’s a lot we could say about the prom but we’ll just let the students talk instead. Here’s an interview with two students and Democracy Now host Amy Goodman:

Democracy-Now-Wilcox-County

Why two proms?

MARESHIA RUCKER: Our school, when they integrated, they never did start to sponsor a school prom, so they left it up to the parents to have a prom for their children. That’s how it ended up having a white prom and a black prom all these years. But when we became juniors, we decided that we get along with everyone, we all do everything together, so there was no reason for us to have a prom that excluded any one of us.

[Read more...]

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April 27, 2013

AJC: Emerging force in Georgia politics likes to needle ruling party

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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a profile of Better Georgia in a two-column article on the front of today’s Metro section. The article shows why our work is important and reveals how we’ve already been successful.

Rarely has a no-comment generated such impassioned response.

After Gov. Nathan Deal’s office said he wouldn’t chime in on a left-leaning group’s push to get him to support an integrated prom in rural Georgia — calling the prodding a “silly publicity stunt” — the stance took on a life of its own.

Soon, celebrities were tweeting their outrage, progressive blogs were posting updates and major news outlets were weighing in.

[Read more...]

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April 22, 2013

Whites only prom tonight

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Deal-Facebook-PromThere were some people — especially Georgia’s conservative lawmakers and pundits — who asked why Better Georgia would jump into the issue about the Wilcox County integrated prom.

Georgia conservatives just couldn’t figure out why we should care.

Some said we were late to the parade. The governor’s office called it a ‘silly publicity stunt.’

But the truth is that we know the world is watching our state.

We know this is a time to stand up for civil rights and equality. We know that however Georgia reacts will become a part of our international reputation.

Tonight, a group of students — encouraged by their parents — will once again gather for a “private” event where only white students are invited to dance.

This morning, the Toronto Star published a 2,300-word article about Georgia’s racial legacy. The article is titled, “Black and white — and grey.”

The reporter called Better Georgia to ask what we think about tonight’s white-only private dance and the efforts of four teenagers to host an integrated prom next Saturday.

Here’s what Canada’s largest daily newspaper published this morning:

Not everyone is willing to let Wilcox off the hook so easily. Bryan Long, executive director of Atlanta-based political progressives Better Georgia, said the controversy now stands as the most visible vestige of segregation-era South.

“The students who want to uphold and defend white proms as ‘separate-but-equal’ tradition weren’t alive in the 1970s,” said Long.

“I don’t think they fully grasp why separate proms exist. They were a hate-filled and spiteful way for white parents to rebel against desegregated classrooms. The attitude was, ‘You can make us go to school together but you can’t make us dance together.’

“We don’t want to apologize for Georgia. But as important as tradition is … we need to stand up and not let a very small minority of people with racial hatred speak for us. It’s incredibly brave, what these girls are doing. And a great opportunity for us to tell the rest of the world we’re leaving that legacy behind.”

Imagine if Gov. Nathan Deal or any of our elected leaders told the world that Georgia is finally moving beyond white-only proms.

Instead, Gov. Deal took three swings at making a public statement and in the end, all he could say is “it appears to me that the parents and students have worked that out on their own.”

Pay attention here. Gov. Deal said that the parents who supported the tradition of white-only private parties for decades have worked this out even as the segregated prom goes on tonight.

And he goes on to say, “I think that people understand that some of these are just local issues and private issues.”

Gov. Deal is wrong. Tonight’s white-only dance is no more a private and local matter than were private white-only water fountains.

In 2013, Gov. Deal’s “private and local” defense of segregation is inexcusable.

From where we sit, this is a complete lack of leadership on an issue that will determine how the world sees Georgia. This is a lack of leadership on an issue that will have an impact on which businesses will invest in Georgia.

We intend to keep Gov. Deal and all of our elected officials honest and accountable to you and all Georgia voters.

We cannot do this without your support, though.

Please give $5 or more right now to invest in our mission. Give $5 to make sure we can continue to stand up for basic civil rights in every Georgia county.

Donate now »

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April 20, 2013

Gov. Nathan Deal finally speaks on integrated proms

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Under mounting public pressure, Gov. Nathan Deal has finally addressed the integrated prom being organized by students in Wilcox County:

“I believe that anything that’s associated with a school should not have the distinction or discrimination made based on race or gender or any other separation,” he said. “But it appears to me that the parents and students have worked that out on their own, as they should.”

The AJC’s Greg Bluestein asked Gov. Deal if there is anything he could do as the state’s top leader to help prevent the issue of segregated proms from surfacing again.

Gov. Deal said, “Probably stay out of their way.”

And the governor continued:

“We’ve come a long way in the state of Georgia. We don’t need things like this being divisive. We think we have put most of those issues behind us. None of us condone things that would send the wrong message about where we are with regard to race relations. But by the same token, I think that people understand that some of these are just local issues and private issues, and not something that the state government needs to have its finger involved in.”

While we commend Gov. Deal for adding his voice to this important national news story, we strongly disagree that issues of civil rights and equality are “just local issues and private issues.”

As one Georgia native once said, “I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

We applaud the teens in Wilcox County who looked at the world around them and knew it could be better. We need more leaders like these across the state.

And, finally, we pray that 2013 will be the last year that segregated proms are held in Georgia.

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April 17, 2013

Congressman Rob Woodall still blames the ’47 percent’

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Congressman Rob Woodall is still using last year’s talking points. It may be time for him to update his note cards.

At a recent town hall meeting, the Georgia Congressman complained that many Americans don’t care about our country because they are getting a free ride. He told the group that it’s time for every American to pay taxes.

I’m sure you’ve heard this argument from conservatives before. It’s the same argument Mitt Romney made before losing the Presidential election.

“You know, folks mock Mitt Romney for what he said, but he’s right,” Rep. Woodall told the crowd.  “Forty-seven percent of American citizens pay zero in income taxes. It’s just true.”

Our friends at Georgia Fair Share recorded this video and it’s worth watching:

“I don’t care if you’re paying a dollar.  You need to believe that you are involved in the process, and you need to have skin in the game,” Rep. Woodall told the crowd.

But wait just a minute. [Read more...]

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April 15, 2013

Gov. Nathan Deal ‘won’t take sides’ on integrated prom

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It should be easy for Georgia’s governor to stand behind students who are fighting to end an unacceptable tradition of “separate-but-equal” proms.

We found out last night that it’s not.

Gov. Nathan Deal refused to support the students of Wilcox County who are breaking with tradition to host the school’s first integrated prom.

Speaking to Macon’s largest news station, 13WMAZ, a spokesperson said Gov. Deal won’t take sides in the controversy. (Read the news story: Gov. Deal Won’t Comment on Wilcox Prom)

His reason? Because Better Georgia suggested it.

Instead of offering kind words of support for the students, the governor’s spokesperson said, “This is a leftist front group for the state Democratic party and we’re not going to lend a hand to their silly publicity stunt.”

The “silly publicity stunt” is our simple idea that maybe, just maybe, Georgia’s governor should say that our future depends on bright, forward-thinking students like these.

Why can’t Gov. Deal say that?

Why won’t Gov. Deal support these young leaders?

Gov. Deal may want to call State Rep. Edward Lindsey, a Republican now running for Congress, for some advice.

“If there is one thing I have learned in politics it is that you get a whole lot more done if you do not care who gets the credit,” Rep. Lindsey wrote this week on the conservative blog Peach Pundit. “Wilcox County is where my mother is from and where I spent every summer on my grandfather’s farm. I am proud of these students. Elizabeth and I have contributed to their cause. I ask everyone else on Peach Pundit do the same.”

Other elected officials have also offered public statements of support for the students who are fighting for an integrated prom:

  • State Sen. Steve Henson, Senate Minority Leader (D – Tucker)
  • State Sen. Vincent Fort (D – Atlanta)
  • Rep. Ed Lindsey, House Majority Whip (R – Atlanta)
  • Rep. Stacey Abrams, House Minority Leader (D – Atlanta)
  • Rep. Buzz Brockway (R – Lawrenceville)
  • Rep. Stacey Evans (D – Smyrna)
  • Rep. Virgil Fludd (D – Tyrone)
  • Rep. Brett Harrell (R – Snellville)
  • Rep. Scott Holcomb (D – Atlanta)

Gov. Deal has once again proven that he would rather call us names than do the right thing.

Better Georgia has called on ALL elected officials to support these students who are leaders in their community. We are calling on Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and Independents.

This is not a partisan issue.

If you agree, please call Gov. Deal today and ask him to publicly support these students.

CALL GOV. DEAL: 404-656-1776

Tell him to put civil rights before political name-calling.

This is an important moment to stand up and tell the nation that Georgia doesn’t stand for “separate-but-equal” proms, that we’ve moved beyond the 50s, 60s and 70s.

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April 12, 2013

Sen. Steve Gooch fears Nathan Deal’s retribution over Chip Rogers

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Caught on tape

Gov. Nathan Deal must really love Chip Rogers.

Since creating the GPB job for Chip in a private meeting in October and making the announcement public in December, Gov. Deal has done everything in his power to protect the $150,000 per year job from a growing controversy.

Today we finally learn what’s really going on at the Gold Dome and why 35 state senators have ignored voters’ demands to remove Chip.

When asked if Chip Rogers was worthy of his new position, State Sen. Steve Gooch replied simply: “No.”

In a caught-on-tape moment, a GOP senate leader tells a Georgia taxpayer that Georgia Public Broadcasting can’t fire Chip Rogers because of the governor’s political pressure, and, instead, “they probably would have cut three or four employees and kept him.” [Read more...]

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March 5, 2013

Nathan Deal’s $150,000 blog posts

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Gov. Nathan Deal created a new job at Georgia Public Broadcasting for Chip Rogers with the original title of Executive Producer of Job Creations.

He didn’t give Chip a job description. Instead, he told GPB to figure that part out — why bother with the details!

But he did give Chip a $150,000 per year taxpayer-funded salary and a mystery production budget for a radio show.

Chip has been on the job five weeks and we finally get to see what we’re getting as a result of the governor’s investment of your tax dollars.

Chip Rogers’ $150,000 Blog Posts:

In one of Chip’s first government-funded blog posts, he reveals 5 Myths About Job Searching. Among the myths he promotes with our tax dollars is that “The Smartest Person Always Gets The Job” and “Dating A Co-Worker Will Lead To Career Doom”.

If you think this is a waste of taxpayer dollars during a time of bone-deep budget cuts, please write to these 35 senators who voted to keep $150,000 in the GPB budget instead of moving the money to support education.

Or even better, call GPB President Teya Ryan (800-222-6006 tryan@gpb.org) and ask her if these blog posts represent the absolute best work at GPB.

Chip Rogers is the second-highest paid employee at GPB. He earns three times the salary of other employees with similar skills.

Is Chip’s work the best GPB can produce with our $150,000?

Here’s the real problem.

Georgia was among the hardest-hit states during the Great Recession and one of the slowest to begin recovering. We’ve added back just 41 percent of all the jobs lost, while Georgia’s population continued to grow.

With more people and fewer jobs, Georgia needs to add more than 400,100 jobs to return to pre-recession levels and dig out of our jobs deficit.

If he started today, Gov. Deal would need to add more than 20,000 jobs every month to make up that gap before he faces voters again Nov. 4, 2014.

His appointment of the disgraced former Senate Majority Leader as Executive Producer of Job Creations does nothing to solve real problems for real Georgians.

Gov. Deal cannot turn around Georgia’s economy and help more Georgians get back to work with Chip Rogers’ silly advice to turn their resumes into a chocolate bar wrapper.

It seems that Gov. Deal is only interested in creating jobs for his political buddies — not for the rest of us.

Click here to sign the petition.

Fire Chip Rogers: Sign and Share the Petition

Jobs data and analysis from the Georgia Budget Policy Institute’s fact sheet, “Georgia Still Adding Jobs, though Public Sector Lagging Behind” January 2013.

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March 4, 2013
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