A word about the Atlanta mayoral election.

[MGKrebs]

This election was a bit more complicated than many comments here would allow for.

The choice (for many) was this: The Dem who is deeply tied to an ongoing corruption scandal, or the 'independent' who may not be the most progressive in philosophy but is a known mainstream quantity and is likely not corrupt.

Yes there are those who will reflexively vote for the D under any circumstances, but that feels a lot like what we are accusing the R's of with the Roy Moore issue. This is why people like Shirley Franklin and Ceasar Mitchell and Cathy Woolard endorsed Norwood- there is a line that we cannot cross. If we accept corruption, what have we won?

[delisen]

1. Exactly. There were many good reasons to vote for Mary Norwood.

[marybourg]

2. Thank you. I had no idea about the corruption and was puzzled. nt

[msongs]

3. where is the evidence that the winner is corrupt? tied to means nothing nt

[MGKrebs]

4. Well obviouly I can't be too specific without getting the deleted,

But approach it like you were planning to vote and investigating the candidates. Read Bill Torpy's column in the ajc (atlanta paper).

[R B Garr]

5. Calling Democrats corrupt is just a ploy in itself anymore.

It could just mean that an incumbent wants to use a bank for a construction loan or some other common practice and they are smeared because ——- banks, omg!! It’s just ticking people off now with these superficial taunts that everyone is corrupt if you’re a Democrat, and an Independent is the arbiter and decider of corruption for all of us.

[MGKrebs]

6. Maybe for somebody else, but not me.

Do you know anything about this race?
You are attributing some widespread conspiracy to this specific circumstance in this one race. Just look it up and see for yourself what was going on in this race.

[R B Garr]

8. I was referencing the bloated and overused corruption

charges. I did Google the race yesterday, but I’m not local. I was just saying that corruption has been grossly overused, so if I’m skeptical at the accusation, then others might be, too.

[MGKrebs]

10. Understood. But what I am reacting to is people jumping to

the conclusion that Shirley Franklin (and others) should be kicked out of the party (somehow) for endorsing the candidate who they viewed as less likely to get arrested. That's a step beyond being skeptical.

[themaguffin]

7. The actual voting breakdown by geography suggests something else at play.

[MGKrebs]

9. It's no secret that Atlanta has a pretty significant racial divide.

It is changing, but slowly. I was pretty stunned by this map:
http://www.myajc.com/news/atlanta-mayoral-runoff-election-2017-precinct-results-map/nnKzoJYBcvkd4E5Hit38CM/

[Blue_true]

11. Norwood was endorsed by police unions.

Those unions are never on the side of citizens' rights.

[MGKrebs]

12. And that would be a completely legitimate criteria for making a choice.

But I would suspect that there are plenty of Dems who have been endorsed by police unions.