The Betting Window Is Open

The money is flowing and it's time for the gambling to begin!

Governor Roy Barnes surprise defeat in 2002 set in motion a series of dominoes which have now fallen squarely in the laps of the Georgia voters.

Barnes fall was the first defeat of a sitting governor since the inception of the two term system established in 1974. For 28 years, Georgia voters happily settled into a routine of elect a Democrat, four years later elect him again and then, four years later elect another Democrat.

The misstep by Roy means that in 2010 we will have our first governors race without an incumbent since Zell Miller left West Paces Ferry in 1998.

This strange confluence of events may lead to the wildest and closest primary and election season since 1946. In that monumental year, Mr. Gene died unexpectedly causing three different men to grab at the reins of power and the poor Secretary of State sat on the "Great Seal" for weeks to keep the madness from spreading beyond the Gold Dome.

Of course, a true horse race brings out the worst degenerate gamblers. Hunter S. Thompson may have said only a fool would bet on politics but even the good Doctor was not above laying a fin on his favorite pony.

So, the betting window is open.

The Morning Line (Democrat edition) will be posted shortly.