Gwinnett DA Danny Porter may leave GOP to run for final term as Democrat (Atlanta: transplants, sales)
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“But the changing demographics of the county's electorate potentially may not allow Porter to be elected to the one last term that he seems to so desperately seek to the point of seriously considering changing parties from Republican to Democratic.”
If it’s because the demographic can’t seem to vote for anyone not D that’s a shame. Same goes if a place only votes Republican. What ever happened to voting for a candidate and the issues over party?
At the county level, for a role such as DA the party system doesn’t make much sense.
On the other hand, if it’s just a desperate ploy for votes to play on voter ignorance I hope it doesn’t work.
This move by Porter is very interesting and an objective piece of evidence of the purpling process for GA. I remember 20 years ago when Atlanta-area Democrats were starting to switch to Republican to be able to stay in office. That was the beginning of the end for GA Democrats statewide. First, Democrats tried to be more conservative, and then they just decided to switch altogether.
“But the changing demographics of the county's electorate potentially may not allow Porter to be elected to the one last term that he seems to so desperately seek to the point of seriously considering changing parties from Republican to Democratic.”
If it’s because the demographic can’t seem to vote for anyone not D that’s a shame. Same goes if a place only votes Republican. What ever happened to voting for a candidate and the issues over party?
At the county level, for a role such as DA the party system doesn’t make much sense.
On the other hand, if it’s just a desperate ploy for votes to play on voter ignorance I hope it doesn’t work.
I don't think that it is as cut-and-dry as a socially, racially and culturally diverse demographic just simply not voting for a candidate that does not have a "D" beside their name.
Particularly with the DA's office being a partisan position in Gwinnett and Georgia politics, Porter knows that his elected office (and election prospects) does not exist in a vacuum all alone completly unaffected by and isolated from what goes on in the outside political world.
Porter knows that his election prospects are likely to be directly affected by what is going on in the larger surrounding political world in 2020 when President Donald Trump (who is overwhelmingly and wildly popular with the conservative and Republican voters who no longer completely dominate Gwinnett County's political landscape, but whom is also extremely unpopular with the minority and moderate white female voters who are beginning to dominate Gwinnett's electoral politics) stands for re-election.
Porter also knows that Georgia state politics are likely to directly affect his chances of being re-elected to one final term as Gwinnett DA (… Porter is probably taking a look at such hot-button issues as the highly-controversial 'Heartbeat Bill" which are likely to anger many of the moderate suburban white female voters that a massive part of Gwinnett's electorate which is already leaning increasingly heavily towards Democrats).
Porter (who has generally been highly-regarded as one of the best public servants in the entire country) probably just sees the handwriting on the wall and very likely knows that he will be swimming upstream as a Republican in 2020 and seems to be extremely vulnerable to being swept up in some larger state and national political trends that will be largely beyond his control in a heavily blue-trending county like Gwinnett.
Porter knows that because of the combination of rapidly-changing demographics in the county and highly-volatile state and national political trends, that Republicans are vulnerable to being wiped out in a core metro Atlanta county like Gwinnett in 2020.
Porter knows that anyone with an "R" next to their name potentially may not survive through the election cycle in a county like Gwinnett in 2020.
It seems cynical and coldly political for a figure like Porter to want to switch parties to stay in office, but I cannot say that I really blame him for seriously considering the option given the highly-volatile (and politically extremely adverse) political conditions at the state and national levels, and given that he is not ready to retire and wants to stay in office one more term to cement his legacy as a figure that many people regard to be one of the greatest public figures in Gwinnett County history.
A big and important question for Porter is that would the voters in an increasingly activist Democratic primary let him successfully pull off such a move?
Another important question for Porter is would the conservative base and Republican primary voters forgive him for considering switching to the other side to stay in office one more term?
“Porter knows that anyone with an "R" next to their name potentially may not survive through the election cycle in a county like Gwinnett in 2020.”
But that’s the problem.
If people don’t like him as an incumbent they should vote him out.
But if he’s been doing a good job, changing party is just going to annoy anyone who supports Republicans while not necessarily getting Democratic votes.
The only ones he can count on are straight-line Democrat voters.
Gwinnett is still close to majority white, 20% Hispanic, 10% Asian and 23% African American. Who is likely going to not only vote but vote for him?
Porter (who has generally been highly-regarded as one of the best public servants in the entire country) probably just sees the handwriting on the wall and very likely knows that he will be swimming upstream as a Republican in 2020 and seems to be extremely vulnerable to being swept up in some larger state and national political trends that will be largely beyond his control in a heavily blue-trending county like Gwinnett.
For whom? I try to be very careful when seeing comments like these because they often make what's good for white people good for everyone else. I'm thinking of that article I posted on the other page. How many "leaders" have we had are said to have been good for the people and have done inhumane things such as fuel the war on drugs, further the enslavement of blacks, etc.?
I fail to see DA Danny Porter as someone who is an ideal leader reading what I read in that article. A Hispanic man was murdered and to not even pursue felony charges for someone who killed a person in cold blood like that.
For whom? I try to be very careful when seeing comments like these because they often make what's good for white people good for everyone else. I'm thinking of that article I posted on the other page. How many "leaders" have we had are said to have been good for the people and have done inhumane things such as fuel the war on drugs, further the enslavement of blacks, etc.?
I fail to see DA Danny Porter as someone who is an ideal leader reading what I read in that article. A Hispanic man was murdered and to not even pursue felony charges for someone who killed a person in cold blood like that.
I did note in a previous post in this thread that Porter has not been perfect.
But because Porter gets much credit for being one of the main principals in clearing out the previous edition of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners that was heavily compromised when it came to unethical behavior, Porter gets high marks for his time in office from observers around the country, particularly from advocates for good government.
Whether rightfully or wrongfully deserved, Porter gets much respect nationally for not just turning his head the other way while members of the previous edition of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners continued to engage in corrupt ethical behavior.
“Porter knows that anyone with an "R" next to their name potentially may not survive through the election cycle in a county like Gwinnett in 2020.”
But that’s the problem.
If people don’t like him as an incumbent they should vote him out.
But if he’s been doing a good job, changing party is just going to annoy anyone who supports Republicans while not necessarily getting Democratic votes.
The only ones he can count on are straight-line Democrat voters.
But in politics (which the DA's office is a political position in Gwinnett and Georgia, particularly because it is a partisan position), a public figure like Porter may not necessarily be identified by voters as being independent of his party, during a 2020 election cycle when a political figure like Donald Trump is likely going to be extremely unpopular with voters in a county like Gwinnett where racial and ethnic minorities now make up an increasing majority of the population.
Porter likely figures (and understandably so) that many (if not a majority of) Gwinnett voters are likely to just vote straight Democratic because they so intensely despise Donald Trump.
2020 will be a Presidential election year that likely will most assuredly be a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency... And anyone who is aligned with Trump (by way of having an "R" next to their name like Trump) in what is now a predominantly-minority county like Gwinnett potentially will be likely to struggle to attract a majority (or plurality) of votes.
Porter knows that it does not matter how much of a good job he may have done as a DA individually if he appears on the ballot with an "R" next to his name on the side of the ballot under Donald Trump in a circa-2020 Gwinnett County where racial and ethnic minorities (for many of whom a figure like Donald Trump is generally 'persona non grata') make up more than three-fifths of the population.
Porter knows that if he appears on the ballot in the Republican column under Donald Trump's name in 2020, he is likely to get swept up in the anti-Trump sentiment that will be very high amongst Gwinnett's predominantly minority population.
People in Gwinnett County generally like and respect a figure like Danny Porter... But a majority of voters in Gwinnett County appear not to like the leader of Danny Porter's current party, President Donald Trump... Something which Porter knows could be trouble for him in 2020 if he runs as a Republican in a Democratic-trending county where President Trump appears to be unpopular with a majority of the population and the electorate as a whole.
Quote:
Originally Posted by markjames68
Gwinnett is still close to majority white, 20% Hispanic, 10% Asian and 23% African American. Who is likely going to not only vote but vote for him?
As of 2017, those who are racially white or Caucasian (including many Hispanics/Latinos, Middle Eastern Asians, and North Africans) made up just over 55% of Gwinnett County's population.
But those who are ethnically white (or are known as non-Hispanic whites) only made up about 37% of Gwinnett County's population as of 2017.
Gwinnett County is still technically majority racially white/Caucasian, but is effectively predominantly/overwhelmingly racially/ethnically minority with racial and ethnic minorities (Hispanics/Latinos, Blacks, Asians and multi-racial individuals) making up about 63% of the county's population as of 2017... Which helps explain why Democrats appear to be on the rise in a county like Gwinnett that has long been completely dominated by Republicans.
I did note in a previous post in this thread that Porter has not been perfect.
But because Porter gets much credit for being one of the main principals in clearing out the previous edition of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners that was heavily compromised when it came to unethical behavior, Porter gets high marks for his time in office from observers around the country, particularly from advocates for good government.
Whether rightfully or wrongfully deserved, Porter gets much respect nationally for not just turning his head the other way while members of the previous edition of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners continued to engage in corrupt ethical behavior.
Yeah, I did see you said he wasn't perfect. I just wanted to add that and it wasn't directed towards you personally. I just think it's always important to ask the question who is benefiting. Is it really everyone (when I say this I don't mean literally everyone but I mean towards race, gender, sexuality, etc.)?
It's good that he didn't turn a blind eye to corruption. I just wish justice didn't depend on the color of your skin.
Gwinnett DA Danny Porter will remain a Republican for 2020 re-election bid
Danny Porter apparently has decided that he will remain a member of the Republican Party during his bid to be elected to an 8th consecutive term as Gwinnett District Attorney.
Porter has only had a general election opponent once, back in 1992 when he was first elected to office as Gwinnett's D.A. But Porter expects to have at least one challenger when he runs for re-election in November.
Porter's main motivation for considering a switch to the Democratic Party was a fear that he would not be able to win re-election to an 8th term in office as a Republican in a historically GOP-dominated county that now appears to be trending increasingly Democratic.
But Porter's main motivation for remaining a Republican appears to be that he will avoid having to compete in a crowded four-person field Democratic primary.
Danny Porter apparently has decided that he will remain a member of the Republican Party during his bid to be elected to an 8th consecutive term as Gwinnett District Attorney.
Porter has only had a general election opponent once, back in 1992 when he was first elected to office as Gwinnett's D.A. But Porter expects to have at least one challenger when he runs for re-election in November.
Porter's main motivation for considering a switch to the Democratic Party was a fear that he would not be able to win re-election to an 8th term in office as a Republican in a historically GOP-dominated county that now appears to be trending increasingly Democratic.
But Porter's main motivation for remaining a Republican appears to be that he will avoid having to compete in a crowded four-person field Democratic primary.
Whatever party, I'm still curious as to whether or not he hacked that judge's computer. I find it odd we haven't heard anything significant regarding this in the massive amount of time that has elapsed.
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Gwinnett DA Danny Porter will remain a Republican for 2020 re-election bid
