GA-10: Field Taking Shape for Special

We still don’t know the date of the special election to fill GA-10, but the field is already taking shape. From CQ Politics, the GOP side:

Republican state Sen. Jim Whitehead announced Monday that he is a candidate for the not-yet-scheduled special election in Georgia’s 10th District, ensuring that there will be competition between politically experienced candidates for the seat left vacant by the death of veteran Republican Rep. Charlie Norwood. …

Whitehead was preceded into the race by a fellow Republican state senator, Ralph T. Hudgens, who lost to Norwood in the 1994 Republican House primary. …

Republican Bob Young, a former mayor of Augusta, is considered a potential candidate. The Athens-Banner Herald reported Monday that Willie Green, a former National Football League player who was born in the district, is interested in running either as a Republican or an independent.

Former Athens-Clarke County Mayor Doc Eldridge is also considering entering the race. Eldridge, who ran for mayor as a Democrat, told local news outlets that he will run as a Republican if he does indeed enter the election.

And the Dem half:

One Democrat moved swiftly to establish a place in the special election contest: Terry Holley, a small-business owner who took 33 percent of the vote in a lopsided loss to Norwood last November. …

Former Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Tom Chasteen is rumored to be weighing a bid, as well as state Rep. Alan Powell and lawyer David Bell, who as the 1996 Democratic challenger gave Norwood the closest race of his House career, holding him to 52 percent.

It’s worth noting that Norwood was a member of the GOP class of 1994 (knocking off one-term incumbent Don Johnson, Jr.). So his relatively weak performance against Bell in 1996 came when he was at his most vulnerable. However, Norwood outspent Bell nearly 3-1 that year (scroll to bottom). On the flipside, this district was a lot more Dem back then – Bill Clinton won it both times, in fact. (It had a PVI of R+1.7 then, but it’s R+12.7 now.) So I don’t know how strongly one can rate Bell’s performance.

Anyhow, got any opinions on any of these candidates?

UPDATE (James): According to CQPolitics, June 19 is the likely date for this election.

8 thoughts on “GA-10: Field Taking Shape for Special”

  1. He came very close to beating Norwood as an incumbent.  However, that was 11 years ago and I don’t know if anybody will remember him.

  2. The Libertarian Party of Georgia is attempting to place a candidate on the ballot for the special election to select Charlie Norwood’s replacement.  If they can generate the $4000+ fee (forget exact amount, not looking it up now).  If they succeed it will be the first time since 1942 that a third party has made it onto the ballot in Georgia. Dr. James Sendelbach will carry the Libertarian label if they come up with the required fee.

    How would a Libertarian candidate impact this mid-term?  Hard to believe Sendelbach would bleed off too much of the vote but it might give anti-war Republicans a place to run and hide.  Might depend on the issues Sendelbach pushes, and the quality of the Dem & GOP nominees.  The Libertarian issue agenda covers a wide swath of issues and I am not sure which ones are dear to Sendelbach.

  3. Depending on when this is held, it will most likely have low voter turnout which can make any race unpredictable.  The right might be demoralized due to the November losses and not vote.  Conversely, the left might just decide they can’t win and stay home (it’s our job to prevent this).  Let’s just hope that when the election is held Washington democrats are doing something, anything positive and newsworthy.  Besides it would be in Georgia’s best interest to elect a democrat.  As both of their senators are republicans (though better than having Zell miller in office) and their congressional delegation is light republican, they can get more done for their state by moving it over to light democratic by electing… whoever we get on our side to run.  Considering our recent modest gains in the south, it wouldn’t be impossible for another democrat to get elected, plus maybe there will be come older conservative voters who still don’t feel comfortable voting for a republican.  Unfortunately, according to CNN.com’s coverage of the 2004 and 2006 election, democratic affiliation has dropped two percent, going straight to the republicans.  An uphill race, but that’s what we do hear in team blue, defy the odds, crush corruption, complacency, corrosive confounding conundrums  and WIN!

    Jon Stewart 08!

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