A seriously interesting turn of events
Lightning Rod Puts Spark in Georgia Race
Cynthia McKinney, an outspoken and liberal former congresswoman, is running for her old seat. Her reemergence stirs up strong feelings.
By Ellen Barry
Times Staff Writer
April 5, 2004
ATLANTA — The most interesting new candidate to watch in Georgia's congressional race this summer may in fact be an old candidate.
Two years ago, political observers pointed to Rep. Cynthia McKinney's defeat in the Democratic primary for Georgia's 4th Congressional District as the signal of a new moderation in Southern politics.
An outspoken liberal, McKinney built a reputation in Washington as a bull with her own portable china shop, particularly when she addressed the Arab-Israeli conflict. That tone seemed to hurt her in 2002, when the five-term incumbent was beaten by another liberal black woman — a political neophyte and former state court judge, Denise L. Majette, who promised voters, "I won't embarrass you."
But with Majette's recent announcement that she intends to seek the Senate seat of retiring Democrat Zell Miller, McKinney may be able to get her job back.
Her reemergence was met with a range of emotions: Plenty of voters in her district rejoiced, and so did Republican strategists who said her presence would be a tonic to conservative voters across Georgia. Democratic insiders fretted about the ripple effect of McKinney's return. Her old political allies celebrated, saying her critique of Bush's foreign policy — seen as radioactive two years ago — has proved to be prophetic.
"Any time, you pay a price for being a pioneer," said state Sen. Ed Harbison, chairman of the state Legislative Black Caucus. In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, "we were all poised to defend ourselves" and hesitated to criticize the president, he said. "Now, in hindsight, it looks like she was right."
