Ralph Reed Eyeing Georgia Governorship, White House
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James Joyner | Tuesday, January 18, 2005 |
Reed said to see Georgia as path to White House (Washington Times)
Word that Ralph Reed plans to seek the lieutenant governorship of Georgia signals what friends say is the former Christian Coalition executive director’s ultimate ambition â 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. A Bush White House favorite, Mr. Reed would have to give up his lucrative campaign-consulting business in order to run for a relatively minor office in his home state.
Associates say Mr. Reed, 43, whose picture first appeared on the cover of Time magazine nearly 10 years ago, hopes to use the lieutenant governor’s job to position himself to run for Georgia governor. Friends also say the Atlanta-based consultant’s long-held ambition is ultimately to win for himself the Republican presidential nomination that, as a campaign adviser, he has helped others to seek.
Reed is an impressive fellow but his chances of securing the Republican nomination for president, let alone carrying a majority in the Electoral College, are slim indeed. He’s simply too associated with the likes of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson to have much appeal to any but the most staunch Christian conservatives.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.
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A December Weekly Standard piece on lobbyists and Indian gambling had a very damning accusation against Reed. It said (I'm quoting from memory here--I'll post the reference if I can locate it) he offered to "mobilize the Baptist preachers" in Texas against reservation gambling, as part of a scheme to benefit rival gambling interests of his client(s). I remember it because it seemed (if true) so cynical and corrupt.
James I agree,
In modern times Christians hold as the foundation for their society a true sober faithful gov't institution, not historically inclined for the natural inferiority of the pragmatized televangelism who's figures have a tendency to be extremist and, quite frankly, say dumb things and can't seem to escape hollow forms of self-display.
Though I think if we looked to the past to the kind of the world one is trained to want, we would see privacy is the favored viture of the adroit Christain. I think we will also find the majority, the voting majority, adroit. But it the acts of individual men who set the standards, these men, for these institutions who may indeed have power, lack the attractive yoke to run.
Though the yoke is not essential one could argue it helped Bush, with all the problems of the first term.
Jesse Jackson attempted to reflect a yoke, but the public saw through it, too many bodygaurds to fake anyone.
John McCain has the yoke, and has great chances.
Reagan had the yoke.
And others, might I say half of the '04 running Dem.'s had a little too much yoke.
You are probably correct. And certainly if he ran today he would be considered a somewhat more serious Gary Bauer. A successful stint in office, however could erase a lot of that. I think he is already a lot less associated with the "moral majority" crowd than he was about 5 or so years ago.
Becoming Governor would help remake his image--although I still wouldn't bet on him ever sitting in the WH.
Some people might consider me a part of some "moral majority," and I wouldn't trust ralph reed as far as I could throw him, certainly not enough to let him have a finger on the button.
We in Georgia had a strong Republican tide in '02 and '04, and we could conceivably see another one in '06.
But tides can turn. Reed shouldn't count on his ambitions being stronger than the likelihood that the Democrats could regroup and defeat him. A last gesture of defiance, maybe -- but it would still keep him from winning his election to governor, and even as lt. governor.
Furthermore, the lt.gov.-ship has been virtually stripped of power by the state Senate's Republicans, and they're not likely to hand it all back over to a new lt.gov. just because he's GOP. State senators have ambitions of their own. And the result would be that Reed could spend his four years (if he won) standing around with nothing to do but make noise.
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