Atlanta Renews MOST; Obama, Gingrich Win Georgia (UPDATE 1)
(APN) ATLANTA — City of Atlanta voters overwhelmingly supported the renewal of Atlanta’s eighth penny of sales tax, during today’s Primary Election vote.
85.4 percent of Atlanta voters in Fulton County supported the MOST, with 14.6 percent opposed. [DeKalb’s Atlanta numbers were not immediately available.]
Meanwhile, Georgians participating in the Democratic Primary selected President Barack Obama as their Presidential nominee for 2012. Obama was the only candidate, however, running in the Democratic Primary in Georgia.
Georgians participating in the Republican Primary selected former US Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA) as their Presidential nominee for 2012.
(UPDATE 1) With 97 percent of Georgia precincts reporting at 11:48pm, Gingrich received 47.4 percent of the vote, Romney received 25.7 percent, Santorum received 19.6 percent, and Paul received 6.5 percent.
Gingrich served as US Congressman from Georgia’s sixth district from 1979 to 1999, and as Speaker of the US House from 1995 to 1999.
In his speech, Gingrich thanked Gov. Nathan Deal for his support.
“I hope the analysts in Washington and New York who spent June and July explaining our campaign was dead, will watch this tonight and learn something from this crowd and from this place,” Gingrich said.
Gingrich noted that other candidates had risen and fallen in support during the campaign, but that he had been slowly gaining delegates. “There are lots of bunny rabbits that run through, I’m the tortoise, I just take one step at a time.”
“I believe that I am the one candidate who has the ability to debate Barack Obama decisively this Fall,” he said.
Georgia Republicans endorsing Gingrich included US Reps. Phil Gingrey (R-GA), Jack Kingston (R-GA), Tom Price (R-GA), Austin Scott (R-GA), and Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA); Public Service Commissioners Stan Wise and Lauren “Bubba” McDonald; Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens; and DeKalb County Commissioner Elaine Boyer.
Georgia Republicans endorsing Romney include Attorney General Sam Olens, Public Service Commissioner Doug Everett, State Rep. Ed Lindsey (R-Atlanta),State Rep. Mike Jacobs (R-DeKalb), State Rep. Lynne Riley (R-Fulton), Mayor of Sandy Springs Eva Galambos, Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker, Fulton County Commissioner Liz Hausmann, and Sandy Springs Councilman Gabriel Sterling.
Romney fared better in Fulton County, where, with 100 percent reporting, he received 45.64 percent of the vote. Gingrich received 33.23 percent in Fulton; Santorum received 11.89 percent; and Paul received 8.06 percent.
(END/2012)