Middle East Key Issue in McKinney U.S. Congressional Primary
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Democratic House incumbent Cynthia McKinney faces a close congressional election in Georgia due her support for Arab and Muslim causes
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ATLANTA
,
Georgia
, Aug 21 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - A conflict thousands of
miles away in the
Middle East
is at the heart of a battle for the Democratic nomination for a
U.S.
congressional seat in the
U.S.
Five-term
incumbent Cynthia McKinney is to face off Tuesday against Denise
Majette, who has seen her campaign coffers boosted to nearly $1.2
million by members of the Jewish community, most of it coming from
out-of-state pro-Israel contributors angered by McKinney's outspoken
support for Arab causes.
Arab
and Muslim Americans in turn have poured money into the 47-year-old
McKinney
's $623,000 campaign fund.
Opinion
polls ahead of the primary indicated the race between the two African
Americans for the seat representing Georgia's fourth congressional
district, about 50% black with pockets of Republicans and Jews, was
too close to call.
Some of
McKinney
's comments have infuriated Jewish leaders, U.S. President George W.
Bush and members of her own party. She has defended her stands,
calling herself "a voice for the voiceless, a defender of the
weak and poor."
One
comment in particular that has brought McKinney heavy criticism were
recent controversial remarks accusing Bush of deliberately ignoring
warnings about the September 11 attacks so his defense industry
friends could profit from a war.
McKinney
has also alienated some voters with her television ads that accuse her
rival of "selling out," implying that Majette is a pawn of
the majority white establishment.
Some of her supporters refer to Majette, a lawyer and judge in
Georgia
since 1983, as "Tomette," a play on the fictional character
Uncle Tom, an obedient and faithful slave despite egregious wrongs
done to him by his masters in the 1852 abolitionist novel "Uncle
Tom's Cabin."
Even some Republican voters have vowed to cross party lines to vote
for Majette, also 47, to ensure
McKinney
is defeated in the district, long considered a Democratic stronghold.
But among her core African American constituency,
McKinney
is a highly popular human rights champion, endorsed by civil rights
activist Reverend Jesse Jackson and
Atlanta
's former mayor Andrew Young.
McKinney
's race is too close to call, putting her at risk of becoming the
second incumbent Democrat to be booted from office in a primary race
in which
Mideast
politics played a role, reports news agencies.
Parallels have been drawn between Tuesday's race and a similar
Democratic primary in
Alabama
in June where political novice Artur Davis, whose campaign was heavily
financed by Jewish donors, beat Representative Earl Hilliard, who has
spoken in favor of a Palestinian state.
The
winner of the McKinney-Majette primary is almost assured of election
in the heavily Democratic district, reports news agencies.
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