Georgian voters one step closer to filling open U.S. Senate seat

Articles: Georgian voters one step closer to filling open U.S. Senate seat

Posted by admin on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 01:08 AM

Rep. Johnny Isakson opened a wide lead Tuesday in early returns in the Republican primary for the seat held by maverick Democratic Sen. Zell Miller, whose retirement has given the GOP a good opportunity to pick up a Senate seat.
Eight Democrats vied for the nomination but face an uphill battle in a state that has experienced a sudden shift to the right in the past two years. With 28 percent of precincts reporting, Isakson had 99,658 votes, or 55 percent, followed by former Godfather's Pizza Chief Executive Officer Herman Cain, who had 49,721 votes, or 27 percent. Six-term Rep. Mac Collins was in third with 18 percent. On the Democratic side, businesswoman freshman Rep. Denise Majette pulled ahead with 38,820 votes, or 34 percent, compared with 24,779 votes, or 22 percent, for businessman Cliff Oxford. To avoid an Aug. 10 runoff, the candidates needed 50 percent of the vote. Democrats dominated Georgia until 2002, when Sonny Perdue became the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. Perdue also persuaded four Democratic state senators to change parties, giving the GOP control of that chamber. Miller, a 72-year-old former governor who was appointed after GOP Sen. Paul Coverdell died in 2000, in many ways symbolizes the state's shift to the right: He often votes with Republicans, backs President Bush and is scheduled to speak at the Republican National Convention. The Republican candidates in the Senate race sparred mostly over abortion. Cain and Collins repeatedly criticized Isakson as not being conservative enough, citing his support for allowing abortions in the event of rape and incest. Isakson, an Atlanta real estate executive and veteran state lawmaker, took former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's seat in Congress in 1999 after Gingrich resigned. Cain was the second black since Reconstruction to run for a top state office in Georgia as a Republican - evidence, GOP activists said, of their growing base. John Breaux of Louisiana, Bob Graham of Florida and Fritz Hollings of South Carolina are other Democrats who are leaving the Senate.

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