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Left-wing rage over Georgia Rep. John Barrow's vote against ObamaCare has reportedly prompted the powerful MoveOn.org political action committee to target him for defeat in this year's Democratic primary.

Barrow was among those "Blue Dog" Democrats slammed last summer by MoveOn.org radio ads that said when he "recently had a chance to help fix our health care crisis . . . [he] sided with the special interests and insurance companies." Sources in Georgia tell the American Spectator that MoveOn.org's PAC has already purchased time on Savannah stations for more anti-Barrow ads.

Barrow has been under steady fire by his Democratic primary opponent, former state Sen. Regina Thomas. "We're getting lies and more lies. . . . Six years of lies is enough," Thomas told supporters last week. Other Democrats are also reported to be considering primary challenges to Barrow, whose vote against the president's health-care plan has cost him support among black voters in the 12th District.

The challenge from Thomas -- now apparently backed by MoveOn.org, rumored to be prepared to spend a six-figure sum to defeat the incumbent in the July 20 Democratic primary -- represents the left side of the political bind in which Barrow now finds himself pinched. On the right side, five Republicans are seeking the nomination to face Barrow (or Thomas) in the general election. The latest addition to the GOP primary field is Ray McKinney, a nuclear power project manager who placed second in the 2008 primary to John Stone, who isn't running this year.

Such are the pressures on Barrow that some Georgia Republicans now believe that the Democrat may be contemplating a switch to the GOP, which would set up a divisive situation much like that in Alabama's 5th District, where national Republican support for party-switcher Parker Griffith has enraged grassroots GOP activists.

topics:
MoveOn.org

View all comments (17) | Leave a comment

Pingback| 4.4.10 @ 1:48AM

MoveOn.org vs. ‘Blue Dog’ Barrow : The Other McCain links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

;One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler MoveOn.org vs. ‘Blue Dog’ Barrow Posted on | April 4, 2010 | No Comments This story could have major ramifications in Georgia: Left-wing rage over Georgia Rep. John Barrow’s vote against ObamaCare has reportedly prompted the powerful MoveOn.org political action committee to…

Eric Cartman| 4.4.10 @ 10:05AM

Where is the opposition research to these Lefty ahole organizations and the pounding of Soros as a Nazi collaborator and hedge fund criminal? You would thing the Republicans would have the brains to at least do that. Steele, Bush's RNC guys, congress leaders - are they this stupid! Can they get some people with some balls and brains about them? What a pathetic organization.

Josh Sewell| 4.4.10 @ 12:56PM

It's good to hear that Ray McKinney is running again. I phone banked for him back in 08' and can't wait to get to it again!

Bobert Dole| 4.4.10 @ 12:57PM

Ray McKinney seems to be the only viable candidate on the Republican side in this one. John Barrow seems to be stuck between a rock and hard place here. From what I can find, Thomas is really getting the Democratic grassroots fired up. Which, in this kind of district, is critical.

Yosemeti Sam| 4.4.10 @ 11:11PM

Let the Democrat party cannibalism progress.

Hence a GOP candidate will have a clear-cut rabid
Leftoid to campaign against.

Margie| 4.4.10 @ 11:18PM

-OR- The Democrats have a new disease, but really it's as old as the hills~ it's called "Progressive" cannibalism.

Yosemeti Sam| 4.4.10 @ 11:28PM

Margie,

The Democrats are such - carnivores!

Would that the LBSM PEN1 would equally practice such.

And - pass the Kerry Ketchup to them.

LOL.

SoCon| 4.4.10 @ 11:34PM

Yosemeti, did you feel the earthquake?

Yosemeti Sam| 4.4.10 @ 11:59PM

SoCon,

Nope,

I dwell on springs - like as in Cheyenne Mtn.

LOL.

SoCon| 4.5.10 @ 1:09AM

Wyoming? Brrrrrr.

Pingback| 4.6.10 @ 8:06AM

MoveOn.org Targeting John Barrow (D); Rumors of Party Switch? - Peaches in Regalia links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…John Barrow (D); Rumors of Party Switch? Conservative journalist and writer Robert Stacy McCain (no relation to former Presidential candidate and U.S. Senator John McCain (R)) wrote a piece in the American Spectator on Saturday regarding the increased pressure incumbent John Barrow (D) is facing in the 12th Congressional District Democratic Primary. Aside from facing an increasingly viable primary…

Pingback| 4.6.10 @ 9:25AM

Your morning jolt: No contemplation of switch to GOP, says John Barrow | Political In links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…pumping up Reginia Thomas, who drew less than 24 percent in a 2008 primary contest against Barrow. But the rumor itself was set off by this bit of timely disinformation from the Republican-oriented American Spectator: The challenge from Thomas — now apparently backed by MoveOn.org, rumored to be prepared to spend a six-figure sum to defeat the incumbent in the July 20 Democratic primary — represents…

Pingback| 4.9.10 @ 10:47PM

OK, Now That Stupak’s Gone, Who Wants to Beat Another Blue Dog Democrat? : The Other links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…power project manager from Emanuel County, Ga.: Peach Pundit blogged about Ray’s campaign earlier this week, and I reported that — happy! happy! joy! joy! — MoveOn.org is preparing to attack Barrow from the left, where he faces a Democratic primary challenge from former state Sen. Regina Thomas. In 2006, Barrow won by a 1% margin and the word here at the Southern Republican Leadership…

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http://spectator.org/blog/2010/04/04/moveonorg-targets-georgia-blue
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