Blog for Democracy

Judge recommends removal of Gross from ballot

Ouch.

An administrative judge has recommended that Keith Gross, a 24-year-old Democrat challenging state Rep. Mike Jacobs (R-Atlanta), be removed from the November ballot.

If ratified by Secretary of State Karen Handel, the decision would free Jacobs of major party opposition in his first contest as a Republican. Jacobs, who is seeking a third term, switched parties in 2007.

Had the judge waited until after the July 15th Primary to issue his ruling, the DPG would have been permitted to appoint a candidate to run against Jacobs. As it stands now, we are SOL.

This is beyond embarrassing.

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22 responses to “Judge recommends removal of Gross from ballot”

  1. JerryT Avatar
    JerryT

    I agree, with the one caveat that after about the fourth candidate for seat, we should try to steer somebody towards a seat that they might be qualified and eligible for that has NOBODY running, Seems like we end up with 9 or 10 in some races pretty regularly.

    Thing is, I assume the Party doesn’t know about a lot of these candiates until after they have announced, at which point it’s tough to retract. Do potential candidates talk to the state party? Their county party? If not, why not? Is there any chance of coordinating this? Shouldn’t a potential candidate be talking to their party at some level even as they begin to contemplate a run? What might prevent them from doing so? What can we do to make it easier for them?

  2. Decaturguy Avatar
    Decaturguy

    I wish people would stop worrying about having more than one qualified candidate run in a primary for a winnable race! Look at what happened this time, a possibly qualified candidate did not run because she was afraid of having a primary challenge, but instead we get no qualified candidate, literally.

    This is politics folks. If you are afraid to fight then you shouldn’t be involved!

  3. JerryT Avatar
    JerryT

    Yes I’m pissed off, but ultimately this isn’t about blame. It’s about figuring out a path forward, a path to success. As we identify failures, we may find that the process is flawed or that there were personal failures. Organizations can have good leaders and not so good leaders, and effective members and not so effective members. But a good process will allow for progress, and hopefully even success. Organizations have to be able to quickly identify where failures are occurring and create a fix or a workaround.

    Let’s say we find that elected officials serving as vice-chairs is ineffective. It’s just not acceptable to see that we have a failure there and accept it and live with it. We either have to change that scenario or develop a way to work around it.

    I don’t think it would be unrealistic to set a goal of recruiting two viable candidates for 80 for next time. Put somebody in charge of the task. The candidates should be vetted and have been coordinating with the party by a certain date, maybe around September 1 2009. If that date comes and we haven’t met the goal, we need to have a backup plan or an intervention by someone, and that process should be defined, and it should exist regardless of the comings and goings of individual personalities.

    Every key goal should have a similar plan. And if Dubose calls and wants something at odds with the plan, we have to be able to say “sorry, that violates our operating plan”. The Exec Comm could vote to violate the plan, but they should have to agree to do it.

  4. Reid Avatar
    Reid

    Geez, Louise. As a resident of District 80 who was quite enthused about ejecting Jacobs, may I just say to the GDP … bite me. Oh, wait, you already did. Hard.

    Jacobs made his status as Republican “official” a year ago, after it was clear in an “unofficial” manner for quite some time before that. Yet this happens four days before the primary?

    There’s some huge coattails coming to town this November, but in my district, the GDP has no one to ride them.

    That’s not just stupid, not just incompetent, it’s criminal.

  5. chris Avatar
    chris

    I second Bob’s suggestion. Of course, in District 80 the only offices to run for right now are either state offices or county offices, and the scale of the county offices (commissioner, school board) are much larger than state rep.

    Of course, if Mike Jacobs gets his way and creates the City of Brookhaven maybe he’ll actually be creating an entire minor league bench to take him on in the future.

  6. Bob Avatar
    Bob

    The problem is a lack of viable candidates.

    The solution is to develop a stable of campaign-tested, experienced candidates by finding and supporting good people for local offices like school boards, city councils, mayor, whatever. Recruiting volunteers is important but these office holders will provide the framework for a new, successful GDP.

    Non-partisan races? Yes, so what? The only difference between a campaign for City Council and State House is scale. And a few years experience as an elected official is invaluable for moving up to higher office.

    The good news is these races are usually run on the off years when we’re all sitting around complaining about the lack of viable candidates. The strategy takes a while, but it’s been working well for the opposition, right?

    Bob Roche

    Mayor Pro-tem,

    Doraville

  7. innerredneckexposed Avatar
    innerredneckexposed

    You can always ask a campaign to refund donations.

    I’m not a lawyer but I would suggest doing it sooner rather than later because the KG480 Campaign may cease to be in the immediate future.

    Although I guess you could say it never *really* existed.

  8. Jen B. Avatar
    Jen B.

    Boo! I want my money back.

  9. mcantone Avatar
    mcantone

    Hence why I hope the state committee gets the Vice Chairs right! I know Sally, and others (including Virgilio before he quit) WANT to be more involved then they are and should be.

    My point exactly JerryT, I think it’s very tough for someone to have to be an elected official, plus hold some other profession, plus deal with their personal/family life and be a very active member of the party leadership to the point we need them. Let’s put people in those positions who are willing to work WITH the staff (like Sally). But, at the same time, all Vice Chairs aren’t staff for a reason as well, and they don’t get paid because the staff runs the party…

    Makes me wonder how a certain someone plans on being an elected official and a paid party staffer (first of such kind if it happens) should he win…

  10. JerryT Avatar
    JerryT

    But Mike, isn’t the reason the staff does that work is BECAUSE the vice chairs are sometimes ineffective? Isn’t this a BIG argument for discouraging elected officials from holding those positions? How can they possibly answer to both constituencies?

    Thanks IRE. Extra balls are good.

  11. innerredneckexposed Avatar
    innerredneckexposed

    Shots on me tonight Jerry. (For your outrage and beating me at some pinball).

    And anyone else who is there and reads this.

  12. mcantone Avatar
    mcantone

    Winfred isn’t the PAID staffer in charge of candidate recruitment though (but I do hope the state committee gets the vice chairs right next time). And from what I remember, there was little to no outreach to the vice chairs from the DPG. Let’s not kid ourselves though, it’s the actual staff that runs the party operations, including most especially candidate recruitment because that’s why they collect salaries, right?

    Also, if we’re passing blame, the DPG consults much more closely with the House Caucus (dubose, teilhet and the such) so they should be lumped in more than Winfred.

    Our TWO top targeted races, this and Sen. Johnny Grant’s, both had the Dems thrown off the ballot. That smells of something…

  13. allison Avatar
    allison

    Jerry, I second your sentiments. I’m glad I don’t live in 80 – I couldn’t imagine myself more pissed off right now at DPG and at Keith. Why did he even try?

  14. JerryT Avatar
    JerryT

    This has got to be the bottom. The worst day in the agonizing decline of the GDP. From here, it can be nothing but up. Right? How embarrassing… for him, for me, for the party. This is the best we can do? This is pathetic on so many levels. I really feel betrayed and ripped off.

    He didn’t even try to succeed.

    “When asked where his personal bank statements were sent (between January and July 2007) respondent said “Don’t know”.

    “Respondent testified that he did not know if he paid any Georgia income taxes for 2006”.

    Thanks for taking this seriously. Asshole.

    Jane K, I like you personally, but this has got to change. The best we can do against a turncoat in a Dem district is an unknown 24 year old who doesn’t even live here? What the hell are we doing in terms of candidate recruitment if we can’t even get THIS one right?

    Can we recall Winfred Dukes?

  15. plange Avatar
    plange

    I CAN’T FRIGGIN BELIEVE THIS!!!! ARGH! THE TRAITOR IS GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS!

  16. CatherineAtlanta Avatar
    CatherineAtlanta

    Thunder, you will soon learn that Martha Stewart is the bomb. She’s make Rachel Ray look like http://tinyurl.com/2q9j9y

  17. Tim Avatar
    Tim

    acc/to Sec of State website the deadline for collecting signatures already passed July 8th

  18. innerredneckexposed Avatar
    innerredneckexposed

    I guess it was inevitable.

    Worst. Candidate. Ever.

    He should move back to Florida. Or Maryland. Or wherever it is he lives.

    As an aside, we just got cable installed at my office and I turned it right to the Rachel Ray Show. And I’m still watching it.

    Thunder is now turning in his man-card.

  19. nicolette Avatar
    nicolette

    catherine – well he’s loaned himself $50k for the campaign so far….

  20. mcantone Avatar
    mcantone

    crap 🙁 sad news…

  21. CatherineAtlanta Avatar
    CatherineAtlanta

    Wonder what happens to the contributions folks made to Mr Gross’ campaign…

  22. Jules Avatar
    Jules

    I would have titled this post “Gross Out”.

    but hey that’s just me.

    So, now what? I guess the Dekalb crew needs to help Michelle get her signatures toot-sweet.

    Also, a certain senior political consulant isn’t looking too swift-o right now eh? snort. snuffle. oops.

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