Get Ready for Round 2

We now stand in the aftermath of one of America's most memorable and ground-breaking elections. While some cheer at Obama's unprecedented victory and others threaten to move to canada, it is easy to forget that the battle is not over yet. The Georgia Senatorial race, which has progressed to a runoff election, holds influence that will reach far beyond the state's borders. With the recent defeat of republican Ted Stevens in the Alaska, the democrats need only two more senate seats to obtain a filibuster-proof majority in the senate. Georgia has now become the focus of both political parties, as key leaders such as John McCain and Bill Clinton spend time campaigning in the state. Just like in the presidential election, the attack ads continue to fly back and forth as the parties fight for that final seat in the US Senate.

Because of their lower visibility and more grassroots nature, local elections are often decidedly more negative than national ones. These candidates have been strikingly bold in making exaggerated accusations about their opponents, often making attacks with little or no truth behind them. Take this ad run in North Carolina by Incumbent senator Elizabeth Dole: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM-7Itc3kTo Later refuted by Dole's challenger this ad represents the kind of attack that would never fly in a national election, but commonly occurs in senatorial races.

So far, both candidates have taken the example of their party's presidential candidate and run negative campaigns. However, Chambliss has a past reputation for such attacks, due to a particularly controversial ad run in his 2002 campaign against Incumbent democrat, Max Cleland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM-7Itc3kToThis Harkens back to a time when voting against bush was actually a bad thing, and the fear of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein was fresh in the minds of the american people. By showing images of America's enemies, the Chambliss campaign was able to successfully play off of fears of islamic terrorism, newly brought to the forefront by 911. Several congressmen, including John McCain, would describe the ad as "reprehensible" and "worse than disgraceful" for casting a veteran and triple-amputee as unpatriotic.

Though allegations of racism were not made, the Chambliss-Cleland ad can be seen as an implicit appeal to racist sentiments against Arabs and Islam. The images of Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein effectively primed fears of the Arab world and Islam, whom many whites held responsible for 911. Although the Chambliss campaign probably did not intend racism, the ad's effectiveness is amplified by racial resentment of the arab community.

Chambliss' 2008 campaign has been equally negative, making accusations that his opponent has worked against family interests by voting down specific versions of a child prostitution law: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AruQy6GLDiw This particular ad carries specific weight for Jim Martin because his own duaghter was once abducted for a period of time. The Martin campaign has responded by saying that he voted down those particular laws only so that a different version could later be passed. However, the ad gives the effect that Martin opposes child prostitution laws, an allegation twhich is obviously untrue.

The democratic candidate has also run negative ads, casting his opponent as unpatriotic for voting down parts of the GI bill, and criticizing his lack of armed service while bringing Martin's to the forefront:
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/attack_ads_flying_in_home_stre.php

If the ad reaches enough voters, it could severely undermine the "Protect America" image that chambliss is trying to convey.

Apart from those ads, there has also been a prime focus on the economy coming from both candidates. In an exchange that is strikingly similar to the presidential debates, both candidates have accused the other of raising taxes. just like the presidential race, both sides have existing bot contrasting evidence for these accusations, making it very hard for the voter to decipher who actually hasthe better record on lowering taxes.

It will be interesting to see whether Martin can must enough visibility to succesfully dethrone the incumbent. If he is successfull, and the Minnessota race also turns out in the democrats' favor, Obama will be backed by a supermajority in congress. Whether or not this would be a good thing, there is no doubt that this may be one of the most nationally inluential choices that Georgia voters will ever make.

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For Further Reading:

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Kleefeld, Eric. 2008. "Attack Ads Flying in Home Stretch" Talking Points Memo retreived from: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/attack_ads_flying_in_home_stre.php

dec. 1st, 2008

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Armbruster, Ben. 2008 "Chambliss Defends 2002 Attack Ad That John McCain Called ‘Disgraceful’ And ‘Reprehensible’" Think Progress. retreived from:http://thinkprogress.org/2008/11/12/mccain-chambliss/

dec. 1st, 2008

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Barr, Andy. 2008 "Cleland Ad Causes Trouble for Chambliss" Politico. retreived from: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15561.html

dec. 2nd 2008