Obama campaign reaches out to gay Georgians

- MATT SCHAFER
Friday, August 22, 2008

Georgia's electoral votes haven't gone to a Democrat since Bill Clinton in 1992, but some believe this is the year Georgia could turn blue.

George W. Bush handily won Georgia's 13 electoral college votes in the past two presidential elections. Republicans have also won most statewide races in Georgia since Gov. Sonny Perdue defeated Roy Barnes in 2002, giving Georgia the reputation as a red state stronghold.

But some believe the historic Democratic candidacy of Sen. Barack Obama — combined with a strong Libertarian contender from Georgia, Bob Barr, and the less dynamic campaign styling of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain — could tilt the state from red to blue. And to get there, Obama is counting on a bit of pink by openly courting gay Georgia voters like no other presidential candidate has before.

“You don't want to take anyone for granted. You want to let everyone know that their vote counts, that you care about their issues and that you're listening,” said Caroline Adelman, communications director for Obama's Georgia campaign, in an interview this week at the campaign's recently opened office in Atlanta.

The office serves as headquarters for the Democratic hopeful's Georgia efforts and is one of nine Obama campaign offices around the state. Obama's Georgia plans also include hiring a gay outreach coordinator for the state, Adelman said.

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