Atlanta's WSB-TV has reported that a new Insider Advantage poll shows former state representative and Lt. Governor candidate Jim Martin gaining significant strength with an 11 point lead over his nearest competitor, DeKalb County Executive Vernon Jones, in the five person race to challenge Republican horse's ass Saxby Chambliss.

Martin now leads Jones 31-20, with the other three challengers in singls digits. Still, approximately one third of GA Voters remain undecided. The entire story is here.

These numbers indicate a likely runoff between Martin and Jones. Jones, with a history of alleged sexual misconduct in office, recently earned a barrage of negative publicity for publishing a campaign photo of himself and Barack Obama. The photo was a photo-shopped fake that implied Obama supported Jones. Obama has made no endorsements in the GA-Sen primary race.

More on the flip...

The National Education Association has endorsed Rand Knight in the Georgia Democratic primary.The press release is below the fold.

Here's video of the Georgia Senate primary debate that was held yesterday.And yes it was held on FOX (we can't afford to boycott the bastards here in Georgia).If you want to know what I think about the race, look here.

Hi everyone,

Georgians, like most in the nation, have focused most of our attention on the presidential race but another very important race closer to home is taking place.   Several Democratic candidates are running to challenge Saxby Chambliss for the Georgia U.S. Senate seat.

Former state representative and Lt. Governor candidate Jim Martin announced yesterday that his fledgling  primary campaign exceeded its fundraising goal of $250,000 by raising $346,000 in less that 12 days.

Martin is a solid progressive who faces five other opponents in the June 15 Democratic primary, none of which have the statewide name recognition or fundraising capabilities Martin so well demonstrated in his Lt. Governor campaign versus right wing Republican Casey Cagle. Martin earned 75,000 more votes in the Lt.Gov. race than Dem gubernatorial candidate Mark Taylor in his race against Sonny "Pray for Rain" Perdue.

Martin joins the race with top contender Vernon Jones, DeKalb County CEO,and four other potential candidates: Ecologist Rand Knight, Statesboro's Josh Lanier, former WSB talking head Dale Cardwell, and Rockdale County School Board member Maggie Martinez.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss will be up for reelection this year.  Will he finally get his comeuppance for more than a decade of intolerance, corruption and gutter politics?  If you will be in the Atlanta area on April 2, you have the opportunity to hear four Democratic primary candidates debate each other for the chance to replace a Senator whose tactics have been described by members of his own party as "beyond offensive" and "reprehensible."  See below the fold for information on the candidates as well as debate details.

Well-known Georgia populist firebrand and former state legistlator Wycliffe "Wyc" Orr is seriously considering a run against the incompetent and disgraceful Bush rubber stamp, Saxby Chambliss.

Orr, a north Georgia trial lawyer and military veteran, is well-respected throughout the state and is acknowledged as one of the best stump speakers among all Georgia politicians. A group of activist Georgia Democrats, concerned about the various weaknesses of the current 3 declared candidates, is strongly urging Wyc to run and has launched a "Draft Wyc" organization to support his candidacy.

Get an idea of Wyc's stump strength in the video on the flip...

Rand Knight is running for the Senate in Georgia, and he is a Democrat:

I am running for U.S. Senate because I am sick and tired of our great country being misrepresented to the rest of the world, and misled into poor decisions that are costing irreplaceable lives, an indebted future, an unhealthy food supply, and failure in our healthcare and educational systems.

Our current Republican Senatorial leadership has completely forgotten that our number one job is to take care of business at home. When we have poverty in every city, homelessness on the streets, failing urban infrastructures, air and water so polluted that you cannot go outside or swim in many places, and almost $9 trillion in National debt, we must do better to solve our nation’s problems.(emphasis mine)

Follow me below the fold for a look at a couple of key issue statements.

Dale Cardwell, Emmy Award winning investigative reporter for Atlanta's WSB-TV, has announced he is leaving his post to challenge Saxby Chambliss in 2008. Although this story was previously diaried here, a closer look at Cardwell's positions on multiple issues published since the announcement merit considerable further discussion, and this is an understatement.

Here's an excerpt from the initial announcement story
in last Saturday's Atlanta Journal Constitution (link to entire story is here):

Cardwell  says he will run against what he calls the daily, debilitating corruption of Washington, and promises to eschew money from special interest groups and political action committees.

Sound good? Have Georgia Dems found the perfect populist candidate along the lines of Alabama's exciting Ron Sparks? Not quite. Bring your barf bag and read more on the flip:

I haven't seen this on Daily Kos today, but if it has, I apologize.

About a week ago, I wrote an article detailing Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss' vulnerability for his 2008 reelection bid. Last week's article Chambliss is probably best-known around these parts for his shameful association of Max Cleland (a triple-amputee Vietnam hero) with Osama Bin Laden in his 2002 TV ads. He was last seen running neck-and-neck with former Governor Roy Barnes in an independent poll (42-40%), leading many to wonder who could be a strong candidate to knock off Chambliss.

Dale Cardwell was not one of those discussed. Still, his candidacy is worth keeping a close eye on, for he might be able to do the trick.