WASHINGTON -- Many of Johnny Isakson's Senate colleagues are contorting themselves politically in order to survive this unpredictable and anti-establishment election year, but it's a different story for Georgia's two-term senator.

A walking, talking embodiment of the Georgia GOP establishment, Isakson is operating as he has for years, even during a political season in which Donald Trump swept the state's Republican presidential primary by more than 14 percentage points.

“My father used to tell me: ‘Don’t try and be something you aren’t. You’ll screw it up,’ ” Isakson said in an interview. “I’ve always tried to be me, and regardless of what I’m doing, whether it’s the job I had in my business or whether it’s being a father or a United States senator, I try to be a predictable, reliable person so everybody knows where I am and where I stand.”

That’s been to the chagrin of Democrats and tea party-aligned groups, who were not able to field big-name challengers to the longtime GOP fixture.

About the Author

Featured

The last Michelin Guide Awards ceremony took place at the Georgia World Congress Center on Monday, Oct 28, 2024.

Credit: Jenni Girtman