GA-Gov, GA-09: Deal Set to Run for Governor

Yet another Republican is bailing from the House for a sunnier career in state politics. This time, it’s southern-fried wingnut Nathan Deal:

Sources close to Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) say that the nine-term Congressman will run for governor in 2010 and that an official announcement is expected to come at a Friday press conference in Georgia.

Members of the Georgia’s Republican House delegation have been in talks about which of the “G-7” would jump into the race to replace Gov. Sonny Perdue (R), who is term-limited next year. Deal informed his fellow Republican Members that he was running on Monday night and during the day on Tuesday.

Deal will join an already crowded GOP primary field, but he must be hoping that his entry will dissuade any of his fellow Republican House colleagues from taking the plunge, as well.

Open seat fans shouldn’t get too excited about this one — Deal (who began his career a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away as a Democrat) occupies a ridiculously red (R+28) district that gave McCain 75% of the vote last November. Roll Call takes a look at the potential GOP field to replace him in the House:

Among the Republicans who are being mentioned as possible replacements for Deal in the 9th district are talk radio host Martha Zoller, state Reps. Tom Graves and James Mills, state Sens. Chip Pearson and Lee Hawkins, former state Sen. Bill Stevens and former Rep. Max Burns, who recently moved to the 9th district and teaches at North Georgia College.

35 thoughts on “GA-Gov, GA-09: Deal Set to Run for Governor”

  1. This one helps us very little.  We have no shot at picking up this seat.  Not only is it ridiculously Republican, but we have NO bench at the same legislative level.  We also have no shot at picking up any of the State Senate seats that may come open.  

    Our best hope is that the state house districts based around Dalton (the 4th) and around Gainesville (26th) come open.  We may have a shot at these two increasingly Hispanic districts.

  2. House member remaining who switched from D to R in the wake of the 1994 election. With him gone, we can close the book on that nasty chapter. (Shelby’s still in the Senate of course, and we still have Ralph Hall and Rodney Alexander in the House who switched in the 2000s.)

  3. It’s very telling that this is the refrain we keep hearing with posts of this kind.

    Why on earth is the GOP so intent on puting forth all these congressmen from hard-right PVI districts as their standard bearers for statewide office?

    Foolish question, I’m sure.

  4. Members of the Georgia’s Republican House delegation have been in talks about which of the “G-7” would jump into the race to replace Gov. Sonny Perdue (R), who is term-limited next year. Deal informed his fellow Republican Members that he was running on Monday night and during the day on Tuesday

    .

    Does anyone know where this “G-7” meeting is held? A secret lair? An undisclosed location? The Count Chocula Castle?

    PS: Anyone able to pull up that clip of that Simpson’s episode where all the Springfield Republicans are meeting together at that castle to decide who was going to run against Mayor Quimby? It’s hilarious but I can’t find the link.

  5. there will come a time where the Representatives from Georgia’s most GOP districts will not be viable statewide.  Remember, McCain only took 52% last year.

  7. …I think the race is probably theirs to lose.

    If Stevens and Burns get in, I think the race is going to be very entertaining.

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