Unsurprisingly, given Greene’s dabbling in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about the Rothschilds and her ill-chosen Holocaust analogies, Jewish groups have been early out of the gate to hear Strahan’s message. Jewish Insider published a favorable profile, and Strahan has put out a detailed statement of support for Israel. But Jewish voters are not a decisive bloc in a Republican primary in northwest Georgia.
More important will be convincing voters who simply want more work and less drama from their representative. Greene flew under the radar two years ago, and some of her supporters did not expect what they got. Strahan offers them a chance to rethink what the district needs. Republican primary voters have repeatedly proven that they were willing to reject extreme or intemperate candidates when they were given the opportunity to unite behind a single, credible alternative choice. That is how King, Kris Kobach, Roy Moore, Corey Stewart, Kelli Ward, Joe Arpaio, Chris McDaniel, and Paul Nehlen all lost high-profile primary fights.
Strahan’s main challenge is fundraising. Greene has raised $6.3 million so far; Marcus Flowers, her doomed Democratic opponent, has used Greene’s negative appeal to Democratic partisans to raise $3.3 million that Democrats could better spend elsewhere. Strahan, who entered the race in September, has raised only $56,000. Conservative donors looking to make a positive impact on the party this cycle could make a real difference by giving Strahan a foothold.
There is one force that could yet bail out Greene: the Democrats and their go-to election lawyer, Marc Elias. Elias has publicly threatened to file a lawsuit as soon as Kemp approves the new maps.
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