Changes

==General election issues==

==General election issues==

Thompson advocated [[decentralization]] of Georgia state government: He proposed the relocation of the Georgia Department of Health to Augusta to be near the state medical college and the moving of the Department of Public Safety to Macon in the center of the state. He proposed a state takeover of the City of Atlanta if the capital did not reduce the crime rate within six months of his [[inauguration]]. He favored standardized testing of school teachers to remove the incompetent. He proposed legalization of [[bingo]] and [[parimutuel betting]] by local county option.<ref>Randall Savage, "Mayor Favors Relocation of Agencies," ''Macon Telegraph'', July 25, 1974, p. C1; Rex Granum, "Thompson Says He'd Ask General Assembly Control of Atlanta,'' ''Atlanta Constitution'', September 27, 1974, p. A6; Linda Wilson, "Thompson Would Support Winning GOP Opponent," ''Macon Telegraph'', July 12, 1974, p. A3</ref>

Thompson advocated decentralization of Georgia state government: He proposed the relocation of the Georgia Department of Health to Augusta to be near the state medical college and the moving of the Department of Public Safety to Macon in the center of the state. He proposed a state takeover of the City of Atlanta if the capital did not reduce the crime rate within six months of his [[inauguration]]. He favored standardized testing of school teachers to remove the incompetent. He proposed legalization of [[bingo]] and [[parimutuel betting]] by local county option.<ref>Randall Savage, "Mayor Favors Relocation of Agencies," ''Macon Telegraph'', July 25, 1974, p. C1; Rex Granum, "Thompson Says He'd Ask General Assembly Control of Atlanta,'' ''Atlanta Constitution'', September 27, 1974, p. A6; Linda Wilson, "Thompson Would Support Winning GOP Opponent," ''Macon Telegraph'', July 12, 1974, p. A3</ref>

Thompson continued hs hard-line rhetoric against crime. He said that he would offer condemned criminals the possibility of a [[firing squad]] or [[hanging]] in lieu of the electric chair. He proposed that police use [[Teflon]]-tipped flat-headed bullets which expand once inside the body, even though such ammunition would appear to violate the [[Geneva Convention]]. It was not clear to all whether Thompson was being serious or facetious.<ref>Wilson, "Thompson Would Support"; John Grimond, "Georgia's Vote: A British View", ''The New York Times'', November 10, 1974, sect. IV, p. 3</ref>

Thompson continued hs hard-line rhetoric against crime. He said that he would offer condemned criminals the possibility of a [[firing squad]] or [[hanging]] in lieu of the electric chair. He proposed that police use [[Teflon]]-tipped flat-headed bullets which expand once inside the body, even though such ammunition would appear to violate the [[Geneva Convention]]. It was not clear to all whether Thompson was being serious or facetious.<ref>Wilson, "Thompson Would Support"; John Grimond, "Georgia's Vote: A British View", ''The New York Times,'' November 10, 1974, sect. IV, p. 3.</ref>

Thompson could make little traction in the race against Busbee, who refused the Republican's repeated call for debates. He alleged that Busbee was tied to the Georgia Power Company, [[milk]] interests, and [[International Telephone and Telegraph]] and that the bulk of Busbee's funding was from "special interests".<ref>Selby McCash, "Busbee Fears Open Debate, Thompson Charges," ''Macon Telegraph'', September 25, 1974, p. A3.; Hopkins, "Thompson Not Invited", p. 8</ref> Busbee was so far ahead in public opinion polls that he could ignore Thompson. And it was a heavily Democratic year nationally in the aftermath of Watergate.

Thompson could make little traction in the race against Busbee, who refused the Republican's repeated call for debates. He alleged that Busbee was tied to the Georgia Power Company, [[milk]] interests, and International Telephone and Telegraph and that the bulk of Busbee's funding was from "special interests".<ref>Selby McCash, "Busbee Fears Open Debate, Thompson Charges," ''Macon Telegraph,'' September 25, 1974, p. A.; Hopkins, "Thompson Not Invited", p. 8</ref> Busbee was so far ahead in public opinion polls that he could ignore Thompson. And it was a heavily Democratic year nationally in the aftermath of Watergate.

==A striking defeat==

==A striking defeat==