Georgia Congresswoman McKinney Loses Runoff

[revwardoc]

http://cbs4boston.com/national/topst...220232414.html

Cynthia McKinney, the fiery Georgia congresswoman known for her conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11 attacks and the scuffle she had earlier this year with a U.S. Capitol police officer, lost a runoff election Tuesday for her district's Democratic nomination.

Attorney Hank Johnson, a former county commissioner, soundly defeated McKinney. With 92 percent of the precincts reporting, Johnson led with 59 percent of the vote -- more than 11,000 votes over McKinney.

Johnson, a political unknown three weeks ago, strode into the ballroom of his campaign party to shouts of, "Hank! Hank! Hank!"

"What we have done today, ladies and gentlemen, is something that has been watched by the nation," Johnson told cheering supporters as he claimed victory.

Meanwhile, there was no sign of McKinney at her campaign celebration for most of the night. Her campaign manager, John Evans, blamed the loss on the so-called ABC -- Anybody But Cynthia -- movement.

"It's over," Evans said. "Folks just beat us. They got a lot of white votes, a lot of Republican votes and they took some of our votes where we have been stable."

Evans also pointed to low voter turnout and the March scuffle between McKinney and a Capitol Hill police officer as reasons for her defeat.