Gap Narrows Between Griffin and Stoner (PJW)

September 2, 1960
ATLANTA: There has only been one Republican senator in the history of Georgia to serve our state, and that was in 1873, meaning that the Democrat primaries serve as the true election for an open senate seat. For a little over two years the seat once belonging to the late Richard Russell has been vacant; in four days, the seat will be refilled once more.

One would assume that former Governor Marvin Griffin would be in a comfortable lead; the man has led the state for the past five years, and is well experienced in politics. But instead, Griffin is neck and neck, and perhaps even a little behind, a small time journal writer from the countryside.

J.B. Stoner, once writing articles for a few hundred readers of his seasonal journal The Thunderbolt, which contains numerous references to white supremacy, now speaks in front of thousands in the squares of Atlanta.

"[Marvin] Griffin is a corrupt dog that lays in the bed of his corporate masters, breaks bread with the Jews, and dines with the red-negro conspirators that poison our nation!" Stoner stated, addressing a large crowd in Grant Park. "When the negros have laid waste to our nation - to our city - what does Griffin do? He begs the president for help. His own city destroyed, fires in the background, standing on top of rubble, the man elected to lead asks the president for help, a single tear rolling down his cheek. Rather to lead our rebuilding and punish those who would do us harm, he instead begs for aid. And don't be surprised to learn the companies he's hired to rebuild Atlanta line his pockets with blood money to secure those contracts - while your paycheck bleeds dry. This - he doesn't even deserve to be called a man - this snake, straight from the Garden of Eden, cannot be allowed to lead! And with your help, we can prevent that!"

"Utter nonsense" was all Griffin had to say in response to Stoner's fiery speeches. The former governor may be keeping a cool face, but he should be sweating. His lead, once thought to be unassailable, has been steadily decreasing in our polls for the last month, beginning with Stoner's promise to build a security zone for negro's in Atlanta.

The primary will be on September 6, with the winner of that most likely running opposed in the final election in November.