Have You Ever Bought A TV Ad For A Progressive Challenger? $4 Is All It Takes!

July 20 is primary day in Georgia and our old friend, state Sen. Regina Thomas faces off, once again, against reactionary anti-health care Blue Dog John Barrow. Except President Obama has declined to support Barrow this year. In 2008, with Barrow swearing to support a family oriented agenda-- including health care reform-- Obama cut a radio spot for him that clearly won him the primary. Obama was sorely disappointed when Barrow's already dismal career-long ProgressivePunch score (55.10) sank to an eye-popping 35.37 for 2009-10.

Although the White House is only withholding support-- and not actively campaigning against Barrow-- Democrats in DC have signaled that they would like to see him lose his seat. Respected Majority Whip Jim Clyburn traveled to Augusta this month-- against Barrow's howls of protest-- to speak in favor of health care reform and other Democratic issues Barrow joined the GOP to oppose. Barrow boycotted Clyburn's appearance, which was attended by Regina Thomas and a bevy of Democratic lawmakers and community leaders. Yesterday the ineffective state Democratic Party chair, Jane Kidd, decried the fact that almost all the local party leaders are supporting Regina. At Barrow's behest she's been demanding they resign from their party posts if they don't, at least, shut up about Barrow's glaring shortcomings.

The Associated Press obtained a letter Democratic chairwoman Jane Kidd sent to county chairmen in Barrow's southern Georgia district, where some party leaders have said publicly the congressman's vote against President Obama's health care overhaul has angered core Democrats... Kidd's letter says criticizing Barrow while he seeks re-election violates state Democratic bylaws that require party officials to refrain from taking sides in contested primaries.

"Any of you wishing to continue this type of activity are required by our Charter and Bylaws to resign any official position with the Democratic Party of Georgia immediately," says Kidd's letter, dated June 1.

...Thomas said the Democratic chairwoman has no standing to tell other party officials to butt out of the race. She said Kidd called her in 2008 to try to discourage her from running against Barrow.

Grassroots support within GA-12 for Barrow, who fled to Savannah a couple of years ago when his own Athens-based district was gerrymandered to elect a Republican, has virtually collapsed. He's never been viewed as anything but an opportunist and interloper and many community leaders see the July 20th primary as a way of getting rid of him.

Blue America is running a TV campaign against Barrow-- with a twist. We're urging progressives who would like to replace him with Regina to buy specific cable TV ads in specific markets. Ads range from BET's Lift Every Voice in Milledgeville ($4.00) through the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC in Savannah ($35.70) and the Colbert Show on Comedy Central in Savannah ($42.50) to USA's In Plain Sight in Savannah ($85.00) and Sunday Best on BET in Augusta ($150). Donors can run one show one time or as many as a dozen times. Please take a look at all the options and please consider helping Regina win this one. And here's the 30 second spot: