No surprises: Fayette goes for GOP candidates in Nov. 2 election

Fayette County voters on Nov. 2 voted almost straight party tickets. Unfortunately for the Democrats, by about a 2-to-1 ratio, local voters chose the Republican candidate Tuesday over any Democrat challenger.

In Fayette returns, Republican Nathan Deal overwhelmed former Democrat Governor Roy Barnes 64 percent to 31 percent. But the margins didn’t shift that much down ballot.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle beat Democrat Carol Porter by about the same ratio.

In fact, from U.S. Senate to secretary of state, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, insurance commissioner, state school superintendent, labor commissioner and Public Service commissioner, the Republican candidate polled about two-thirds of the vote to the Democrats’ one-third.

Constitutional amendments were another story. Fayette voters said “No” to amendments two and three by about a 54-to-46 percentage point spread. The first would have added a $10 tag fee to pay for a statewide system of trauma care facilities, and the second would have allowed the state to enter into multi-year contracts for transportation projects.

Three other amendments and a statewide referendum passed locally.

Only in the pieces of Fayette represented by multiple legislators did the pattern shift, and in each case, no Fayette voting was instrumental in the outcome.