Black Vote Surges in Georgia

[applegrove]

https://politicalwire.com/2018/06/30/black-vote-surges-in-georgia/

"SNIP..........

“Turnout among black voters soared in last month’s Georgia primary, a show of strength that could bode well for Democrats in this year’s contests for governor and other statewide offices,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

“The number of black voters rose 43 percent in the May 22 election when compared with 2010, the last time there was a competitive race for governor. The data show the broad majority of African-American voters pulled Democratic ballots, which could bolster the hope of Stacey Abrams, who is racing to be the nation’s first black female governor. Her Republican opponent will be decided in a July 24 runoff between Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp.”

“At the same time, the proportion of white voters continues to decline. White voter participation in last month’s primary was down 9 percent from 2010.”

...........SNIP"

[sheshe2]

1. K&R

[Julian Englis]

3. The Atlanta Journal Constitution has more in depth coverage of this story. Link below.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution story: Black and Democratic voters gain on Republicans in Georgia

Here's an excerpt:

Turnout among black voters soared in last month’s Georgia primary, a show of strength that could bode well for Democrats in this year’s contests for governor and other statewide offices.

The number of black voters rose 43 percent in the May 22 election when compared with 2010, the last time there was a competitive race for governor, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis of demographic data released this week by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.

The data show the broad majority of African-American voters pulled Democratic ballots, which could bolster the hope of Stacey Abrams, who is racing to be the nation’s first black female governor. Her Republican opponent will be decided in a July 24 runoff between Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp.

At the same time, the proportion of white voters continues to decline. White voter participation in last month’s primary was down 9 percent from 2010. And white voters are more likely to be conservative, making up 93 percent of the GOP primary vote — and just 30 percent of the Democratic support.

“It confirms what we’ve been seeing among the Democratic base around the country: There is energy that’s going to be felt in the fall from voters who are clearly excited,” said Beth Schapiro, a Democratic strategist. “And they’ve got to keep generating as much enthusiasm as they can.”

[Demovictory9]

4. uh oh... GOP gotta create some new voter suppression laws for Georgia.

you know they are racking their brains!!!

[Julian Englis]

5. Actually, they have assigned the best minds available in the country....

the country of Russia.

[Ilsa]

6. That idiot SoS Kemp will have to work harder to disenfranchise

voters if he wins his runoff.

[GaryCnf]

7. You cannot suppress an inspired black electorate

Even in those states where the GOP had passed race-targeted voter suppression before 2012, the community turned out big enough to give Obama his second pure (50+%) popular vote majority, something no Democrat had done since FDR.

We have a historic opportunity in Georgia.

[YOHABLO]

8. the Good-ole-white boy crowd is trying to hang on. Times is changin boys

[ehrnst]

9. The black vote has put and kept Democrats in office since the LBJ administration.

"Identity politics" my ass.

[Cha]

20. Funny that's what I mentioned.. that

is to be properly scorned

[ehrnst]

21. ...

[Duppers]

10. Yes!! Hope this is a trend!

👍

[gademocrat7]

11. Good news!

Stacey Abrams is charismatic woman. She has fired up our base.

[kellytore]

12. I was canvassing in Marietta Ga. today for Abrams

and I spoke with numerous people who were excited for her campaign. The people who feel as though no one listens to them, know they have a voice in Stacey. I am running for the State House 35th District which is in North Cobb County and we are getting ready to unseat a 7 term Republican moron. The people in my district are so ready for change.

[GulfCoast66]

13. The base of our party.

When the base turns out, we win.

[Hortensis]

14. Aren't you part of the base too? I've been registered

Democrat for over 45 years, though not a line voter before 1990. Since about 1990 or so I've voted completely Democrat. In the last decade I've finally learned to be genuinely proud of being a Democrat. No surviving notions of being an "independent" who is registered Democrat for practical reasons:

I AM A DEMOCRAT!

I am truly PROUD to be part of the party's base among all my fellows who believe in and support our liberal democracy and progressive policies. Surely all can now realize that they only exist because of us and that WE have been battling to preserve them for over 200 years?

You? Maybe you're too new to the party to feel you have a history? If you're part of the base, though, I invite you to realize it and be proud of yourself also.

Btw, we vote in Georgia and are also proud to be part of the movement that is running Stacey Abrams for our governor. Of course.

[GulfCoast66]

15. President Obama and European travel turned me into a liberal

But the fact remains that as a southern white male I am hardly the face of our party.

And I like reminding people who exactly makes up our base since there seems to be an objection by some on the left to our parties devotion to what they call Identity Politics. Not here in DU, but you know what I mean.

And make no mistake I’m am proud of being a liberal and proud to be a member of the Democratic Party.

As an aside. I do not fit the stereotype of a Democrat in the south. Kind of husky, pick up truck driving, hunting fishing member of the upper middle class. I almost never hear racist comments by people I am around. But I do often hear derogatory comments about liberals. I live for those moments when I self ID as a liberal social democrat and then in 15 seconds list all the good things liberals brought this country. Which is just about any thing good. The looks on the faces and lack of intelligent responses are classic.

Have a nice weekend.

[Hortensis]

18. You too. You describe our educated in-town friends

acquaintances. Really the same for our rural, uneducated ones. Everyone knows we're liberals, though, so society is now divided between the hard-cores who give us the fish eye and those decent and open enough to what is different to be able to be courteous, and even friends in some cases. Of course that affects what we hear.

I do believe that as a liberal voter you ARE the face of our party, btw. Although the party still has a conservative bloc, Democrats are overwhelmingly liberal and our faces come in every possible shape and color.

Good thing. Of America's over 235 million 2016 registered voters, of the 137 million who voted only about 6.5% were black. By far most of those, of course, voted Democrat. But in spite of the strength and commitment of that 6.5%, they can't carry us. We'll do it together, or not at all.

[uponit7771]

23. +1

[Uncle Joe]

16. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread applegrove

[Tarheel_Dem]

17. This is very good news, but sad at the same time. When will voters learn that they have to keep up..

the fight even when their guy is in the WH? Midterms are always important, and complacency is never an option. The numbers in 2010 should have been just as strong as 2018. Many people fell into the trap of those who were telling them they should feel "disillusioned" or "disappointed" that Pres. Obama hadn't changed the world in 18 months. But alas....

[Cha]

19. YAY! Our Dem Base! Not "identity politics"..

Gracias Apple!

[smirkymonkey]

22. Good news!

Watch closely for republicans tampering with the ballots come election time.