Georgia gubernatorial election, 2006
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Georgia Gubernatorial Election was held on November 7, 2006. The primary election was held on July 18. Governor Sonny Perdue
was re-elected to his second term; he is the first Republican
Governor of Georgia
since the end of Reconstruction. Currently Republicans control both houses of the General Assembly
. During 2005 Perdue's approval rating fluctuated between the high fifties and low sixties; as of September 2006 his ratings sat at 63 percent approval. http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/50StateGovernor060921State.htm
, to strongly rebuke the group's members.
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
was re-elected to his second term; he is the first Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Governor of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
since the end of Reconstruction. Currently Republicans control both houses of the General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
. During 2005 Perdue's approval rating fluctuated between the high fifties and low sixties; as of September 2006 his ratings sat at 63 percent approval. http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/50StateGovernor060921State.htm
Democratic Party
- Mark TaylorMark Taylor (politician)Mark Fletcher Taylor is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. He served two terms between 1999 to 2007 as the tenth Lieutenant Governor of Georgia...
, Lieutenant Governor of GeorgiaLieutenant Governor of GeorgiaThe Lieutenant Governor of Georgia is a constitutional officer of the state, elected to a 4-year term by popular vote. Unlike some states, the lieutenant governor is elected on a separate ticket from the state Governor.... - Cathy CoxCathy CoxLera Catharine "Cathy" Cox is a Georgia politician, a member of the Democratic Party, the former Secretary of State of Georgia, and a candidate for Governor of Georgia in 2006...
, Secretary of State of GeorgiaSecretary of state of GeorgiaThe secretary of state of the U.S. state of Georgia is an elected official with a wide variety of responsibilities, including supervising elections and maintaining public records.... - Bill Bolton
- Mac McCarley
Republican Party
- Sonny PerdueSonny PerdueGeorge Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
, incumbent Governor of Georgia - Ray McBerryRay McBerryRay McBerry is a former Republican candidate for Governor of Georgia in the 2010 primary.-Political activism:McBerry is one of the leading proponents of the restoration of the Constitutional Law concept of States' Rights found in the 10th Amendment and is one of the most frequently requested...
, businessman
Democratic
Republican
Fundraising
Perdue had more financial resources on hand than Taylor. As of the March 31 filing, Perdue reported that he had in excess of $8 million on hand, while Taylor had $4.1 million in reserve. Perdue had the added advantage of facing a weak opponent in Ray McBerry in the primary election, while Cox and Taylor engaged in a bitter struggle for the Democratic nomination. Hayes, the Libertarian candidate, reported less than $1,000 on hand, though the September 11 Zogby poll showed him attracting a surprising 8.1 percent of polled voters.Advertisements
A minor controversy developed during the primary campaign over an ad created by Georgians for Truth, a group founded by several prominent Democratic fundraisers. The ad criticized Perdue for allegedly failing to pay his taxes for several years before becoming governor, allegations that had been made in the 2002 campaign as well. Cox and Taylor, for reasons that are not clear, requested that the group not run the ad, prompting the Georgia Democratic Party chairman, Bobby KahnBobby Kahn
Bobby Kahn is a Democratic American political activist and the former chairman of the Democratic Party of the U.S. state of Georgia. Kahn was elected chairman in 2004; his term expired in 2007. He previously served as chief of staff under former Governor Roy Barnes.-External links:*...
, to strongly rebuke the group's members.
Education
- The HOPE ScholarshipHOPE ScholarshipThe HOPE Scholarship Program created in 1993 under the supervision of Georgia Governor Zell Miller, is a merit-based higher education scholarship that is funded entirely by revenue from the Georgia Lottery and is administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission...
program and its stability and continued solvency are recurring issues in Georgia politics. Citing budget constraints, Perdue signed Republican-sponsored legislation that significantly cut the benefits conferred by the program. Cox and Taylor both severely criticized the governor for these actions, and both pointed to the fact that Perdue voted against the legislation creating the program as a state senator in 1993. Perdue backed an amendment to the state constitutionGeorgia (U.S. state) ConstitutionThe Constitution of the State of Georgia is the governing document of the U.S. state of Georgia. The constitution outlines the three branches of government in Georgia. The legislative branch is embodied in the bicameral General Assembly. The executive branch is headed by the Governor. The judicial...
that would have shifted the allocation of the lottery funds that support the program, but the legislation was defeated http://www.cbs46.com/Global/story.asp?S=4624902.
-
- On April 19, 2006, Cox charged that Taylor had not sponsored the HOPE scholarship legislation in 1993, as he claimed. Taylor apparently sponsored a companion bill that did not pass, although he supported the bill that did pass. The incident portended a strongly negative campaign for the Democratic nomination.
- College Tuition may also be an issue. During Perdue's first term, Georgia's universities substantially increased tuition fees.
- School funding: Perdue successfully backed legislation that requires Georgia schools to spend at least 65% of their budgets "in the classroom". Democrats charged that some school programs, such as music classes, do not fit the definition of "in the classroom."
Health Care
- Peachcare, a state program providing medical care for needy children and families, emerged as a point of contention between Perdue and his challengers. Perdue approved a cut in the program during his administration. Taylor, a strong supporter of the program, was particularly vocal in attacking Perdue and advocating significant expansion of the program.
- MedicaidMedicaidMedicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
: Perdue made Medicaid reform a priority during his first term. Democrats were critical of the reform proposal that Perdue presented to federal officials.
Immigration
The problem presented by illegal immigrants emerged during Georgia's 2006 legislative session as an issue likely to have a large impact on the gubernatorial campaign. Perdue signed legislation restricting the ability of illegal immigrants to access state resources, including health care and public education.Voting
- Voter identification legislation signed by Perdue requiring photo identification for voting while expanding absentee voting opportunities had a substantial impact on the campaign. Democrats strongly denounced the legislation as discriminatory against the poor and elderly, while Republicans attempted to alleviate such concerns by providing access to photo identification for those not possessing it.
- Paper ballots were a major concern of Taylor supporters, who felt that Cox made a mistake when she brought electronic voting to Georgia as Secretary of State.
Polling
| Source | Date | Taylor (D) | Perdue (R) | Hayes (L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic Vision | Nov. 1, 2006 | 36% | 52% | 5% |
| Strategic Vision | Oct. 25, 2006 | 32% | 51% | 9% |
| Strategic Vision | Sept. 27, 2006 | 39% | 51% | 4% |
| Zogby/WSJ | Sept. 11, 2006 | 34.9% | 47.4% | 8.1% |
| Zogby/WSJ | August 28, 2006 | 40.7% | 51.3% | |
| Strategic Vision | August 23, 2006 | 41% | 54% | |
| Rasmussen | August 4, 2006 | 39% | 53% | |
| Zogby/WSJ | July 24, 2006 | 39.3% | 52.1% | |
| Strategic Vision | June 28, 2006 | 44% | 50% | |
| Zogby/WSJ | June 21, 2006 | 40% | 48.6% | |
| Strategic Vision | May 10, 2006 | 39% | 51% | |
| Rasmussen | May 6, 2006 | 36% | 51% | |
| Rasmussen | March 26, 2006 | 41% | 51% | |
| Strategic Vision | March 8, 2006 | 33% | 57% | |
| Rasmussen | Feb 16, 2006 | 33% | 53% | |
| Strategic Vision | Jan 25, 2006 | 36% | 57% | |
| Strategic Vision | Dec 7, 2005 | 38% | 55% | |
| Strategic Vision | Oct 26, 2005 | 37% | 55% | |
| Strategic Vision | Aug 4, 2005 | 40% | 52% | |
| Strategic Vision | May 13, 2005 | 42% | 50% | |
| Strategic Vision | Feb 11, 2005 | 44% | 50% |
Results
See also
- U.S. gubernatorial elections, 2006
- State of GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- Governors of Georgia