“Honestly, it’s really nothing at all.”
– Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene describing her primary competition in an Axios interview.
Georgia’s US House candidates, Republicans or Democrats, must be very envious as to how easy it will be for the infamous MTG (Marjorie Taylor Greene) to win reelection in November. She has only one key task – fend off any threats in the House 14th District GOP primary.
A recent Time magazine column described her varied competitors in this race (https://time.com/6169563/marjorie-taylor-greene-primary-challenger/). Although there are several folks running, her GOP competition boils down to one lady-Jennifer Strahan. Strahan is a political novice, a businesswoman who describes MTG as a “social media celebrity”
(https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2022/04/26/marjorie-taylor-greene-unimpressed-gop-primary-challengers). But she had raised $322,000 as of last month. Impressively, some of the money came from moderate GOP office holders and former office holders (and/or their PACs), plus, scattered Democrats. And a third of the funds that were received in 2021 were from out of state sources.
But this amount is about one tenth of what Greene has yet to spend. Greene has wasted the last two years accomplishing virtually nothing in Washington except being despised by many of her GOP colleagues. But she has spent her term raising a tremendous amount of cash from the rubes out there via her constant rabble rousing and is now one of the most successful (https://www.axios.com/house-candidates-fundraising-3733a053-13 dd-486b-9a19-1072d4079938.html).
The one survey done in the 14th District is key to understanding the background of the race (https://jewishinsider.nyc3. digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/20220727/GA-2022-CD14-GOP-Primary-Survey-Topline.pdf). Only 28% of potential District 14 voters view MTG negatively. The survey shows Greene with 57% of GOP voters. She is trouncing everyone, with Strahan (at 27%) the only one even in double digits.
Meanwhile, the Democrats have decided to shoot themselves in the foot. I will explain why their “strategery” (thanks, SNL) won’t work.
This district has been described as the 10th most Republican leaning district in the nation. It’s in the Georgia mountains, very rural and conservative. I know; I once lived in a rural county bordering the area.
The above survey asked local Democrats if they would vote in the GOP primary if it led to MTG’s defeat. 100% said yes. Another survey question found that 86% of voters were going to vote in the GOP primary versus only 7% in the Democratic primary, so maybe some Democrats will switch temporarily.
On their end, the Democratic “powers that be” are pushing a political unknown, Marcus Flowers, to be their nominee. I get virtually daily donation requests from him. Oh, and I should mention that he is a black Democrat running in a very conservative District that is virtually all white and GOP. So, excuse me, they have decided to shoot themselves in both feet. Being woke is not going to win a race in the Georgia hills.
Don’t mistake what I am saying. I would vote for Flowers in a New York minute. Further, I have personally always wanted our nation to be color blind and have fought mightily to make it so. But for the Democrats to put on blinders and pretend that skin color is irrelevant in this particular North Georgia District is the height of naiveté. In a broader sense, having a ridiculous “go high when they go low” mentality (as described by Michelle Obama) is why the Democrats are in a lot of trouble longer term.
The only obstacle that may derail Greene is a unique Georgia lawsuit brought by locals (https://www.axios.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-federal-court-hearing-05795cd8-52b3-415e-a387-493cd8b581bc.html). This “hail Mary” lawsuit seeks to get her removed from Congress on the basis that she tried to overthrow the government on 1-6-21. The 14th Amendment of the Constitution permits removal if an elected official is “engaged in insurrection or rebellion.”
But good old “Dumb like a fox” MTG is not as stupid as many on the left believe. MTG refused to answer any significant questions, replying “I have no idea” and “I don’t recall.” You cannot get someone convicted on perjury charges if their memory has suddenly and miraculously gone away. So, like it or not, MTG will be with us for a long time.
Jack Bernard is the former Director of Health Planning for Georgia. He has served 4 terms on two Georgia Boards of Health.
