Miller throws support to Marshall

U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall has received a $1,000 boost from Georgia Sen. Zell Miller.

The maverick Democratic senator who enraged his own party by supporting President Bush for re-election sent Marshall a campaign contribution last week.

In a news release Wednesday Miller said, "I'm not involved in any campaign except President Bush's, but I do believe Jim Marshall is the kind of Democrat we need to keep in Washington. He supports our troops, is a tax cutter and has the guts to stand up to the party leadership when he thinks they're wrong."

Marshall, currently in a bruising re-election battle with Republican challenger Calder Clay, said the check took him by surprise.

"I had asked Zell to see if he could help me with my campaign. He said he was going to be involved only in the presidential race and wasn't going to be involved in another race," Marshall said. "All I can say is I'm pleased to have Zell's help and support."

Clay has enlisted big-name Republican supporters, from the White House on down. Miller is the only nationally known Democrat to weigh in for Marshall. The Federal Election Commission lists only one other contribution from Miller: $2,000 to the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Clay's campaign manager Rufus Montgomery said, "We respect Sen. Miller. We know that he's supporting George W. Bush and and so is Calder Clay." Montgomery called on Marshall to say whether he is supporting Bush or Sen. John Kerry for president.

Marshall repeated what he has said before: "I am not getting involved in any other races than my own."