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Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Marshall opponents forming long line
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rep. Jim Marshall, a Macon Democrat and one of the most vulnerable incumbent congressmen in the country, has for years successfully warded off all Republican challengers in a district that is nearly half Democrat, half Republican.
But Marshall’s problems continue to build for the 2008 contest as challengers from his own party begin lining up against him. Check his site here.
Macon Mayor Jack Ellis announced last week that he was forming an exploratory committee to determine his chances against Marshall. “We need a real Democrat to represent this district in office,” Ellis said.
Now Robert Nowak, a schoolteacher and Democrat from Macon, has joined the primary race against Marshall. It’s a first-time run for Nowak, 58, who, among other things, cited Marshall’s vote against additional funding for Georgia’s PeachCare as a reason to replace him.
Marshall was the only Georgia Democrat to vote against the PeachCare funding and has been heavily criticized in Georgia for it. Marshall echoed Republican arguments against the bill, saying that, on a national basis, programs like PeachCare were improperly using money intended to help poor children to instead insure adults and kids from middle-class homes. PeachCare does neither.
Should Marshall survive the primary - and right now he’s got the power of incumbency, support from the national party and a conservative track record largely in line with the district - he’ll still face Republican Richard Goddard in next year’s general election.
