WASHINGTON—The 112th Congress has been perhaps the most unpopular in the history of the institution, with an approval rating hovering near 10 percent for much of the term.
But in the U.S. House, the body closest to the passions of the people, a mass ejection of incumbents does not appear imminent.
Of Georgia's 13 incumbent members, six face primary challenges in Tuesday's vote. None of the races is likely to be close. In the general election only one incumbent -- Augusta Democrat John Barrow, in a district redrawn to favor Republicans -- is in real danger at this point.
Nationally, forecasters expect the House to remain under Republican control with a swing of just a few seats one way or the other.
"Just because congressional job approval is at an all-time low doesn't mean that all incumbents are going to be thrown out of office," said Stuart Rothenberg, a veteran congressional campaign analyst and publisher of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report.
"Voters need a credible alternative, even when they're angry. And in these races a credible alternative hasn't come to the surface."
The primary hurdle to be a credible alternative is money, and campaign finance reports show challengers in Tuesday's contests at a severe disadvantage in that department.
Atlanta Democrat John Lewis had more than $400,000 in his campaign bank account earlier this month, compared with challenger Michael Johnson's $7,000. To the northwest, Marietta Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey had $1.74 million on hand against William Llop's mostly self-loaned $69,000 and Michael Opitz's $946. The same trend played out across other Georgia races.
"These elections aren't all about money, but you have to have money to introduce yourself to voters," Rothenberg said. "You can be the best candidate in the world with the best message and the best-looking family, but if you don't have money to run ads, do direct mail and introduce yourself, you're not going to win."
Also when it comes to primary challenges, Georgia has some of the most liberal and conservative members of Congress, making it difficult to wage an ideological contest.
"We've got [Democrats] John Lewis and Hank Johnson [on the left] and at the far right -- it's hard to get to the right of [Republicans] Paul Broun and Tom Graves," said University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock. "And so one of the interpretations of serious challengers for Graves and Broun is they look at those districts and say: 'Those guys are good matches for those districts. There's not much I can do.'"
The districts were reinforced last year through decennial redistricting. The politically charged process has been credited — or blamed — for keeping incumbents entrenched and creating more ideologically uniform districts.
In Georgia Republicans controlled the process and used it to protect their sitting members, create a new Republican-heavy district based in Hall County and make Barrow's terrain significantly more difficult.
The result was a lack of high-profile challenges — or any challenge at all. Freshman Republican Rep. Austin Scott of Tifton narrowly knocked off Democratic incumbent Jim Marshall in 2010. This year in a safely Republican district Scott does not have any qualified challengers from either party.
Coweta County Rep. Lynn Westmoreland took the lead for House Republicans' campaign arm in a nationwide redistricting effort that Westmoreland said is a major factor in Republicans likely holding the House. Westmoreland said as early as late 2008 he and his allies were identifying important state house seats to give the GOP control of legislatures and, thus, redistricting.
As a result Republicans took complete control of the redisctricting process for more than 200 U.S. House seats after the 2010 election, allowing them to protect and consolidate the gains of the GOP wave. Still, Westmoreland said, there is some upheaval involved.
"I've got a primary — I've got 2 opponents," Westmoreland said. "Typically after redistricting you do have more contested races or primaries because you've got new districts."
But contested does not always mean competitive.
"There's that old saying that you can't beat somebody with nobody," Bullock said. "To the extent that there are people coming forward to challenge these incumbents, a lot of them are nobodies."
3rd District Republicans
Chip Flanegan
AGE: 54
HOME: Henry County
EDUCATION: Forest Park High School graduate, studied for two years at the Baptist University of America
OCCUPATION: owner of Jonesboro Rental Center
POL EXPERIENCE: Ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 13th district in 2010
FAMILY: married nine years to Maria, two children
WEBSITE: http://www.chipflanegan.com
Kent Kingsley
AGE: 60
HOME: Milner
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree from Fort Valley State College, master's from Mississippi State University
OCCUPATION: Broker/owner/realtor at Traditions Realty
POL EXPERIENCE: Lamar County Commission chairman, 1998-2002
FAMILY: married 41 years to Joy, two children
WEBSITE: http://kingsleyforcongress.com/
Lynn Westmoreland
AGE: 62
HOME: Coweta County
EDUCATION: attended Georgia State University but did not graduate, graduated Therrell High School
OCCUPATION: Member of Congress, former building company owner
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: U.S. House, 2005-present; Georgia state house, 1993-2005
FAMILY: married 43 years to Joan, three children
WEBSITE: http://www.lynnwestmoreland.org/
Fourth District
Democrats
Hank Johnson Jr.
AGE: 57
HOME: Lithonia
EDUCATION: Juris Doctorate, Texas Southern University; Bachelor's, Clark College
OCCUPATION: Member of Congress, former attorney
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: U.S. Congress, 2007-present; DeKalb County Commissioner, 2001-2006; DeKalb County Magistrate Court Judge, 1989-2000.
FAMILY: Married 32 years to Mereda, two children.
WEBSITE: www.hankforcongress.com
Courtney L. Dillard Sr.
AGE: 49
HOME: Conyers
EDUCATION: Bachelor's, Luther Rice University & Seminary; Master of Business Administration candidate, Liberty University
OCCUPATION: Real estate developer, small business owner
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Rockdale County Democratic Party leader, at-large post holder; unsuccessful campaign for Rockdale County Commissioner, 2010.
FAMILY: Married 24 years to Gayla, five children
WEBSITE: www.courtneydillard.com
Lincoln Nunnally
AGE: 32
HOME: Porterdale
EDUCATION: Bachelor's, Palm Beach Atlantic University.
OCCUPATION: Business Consultant
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None
FAMILY: Married to Rebekah; one child
WEBSITE: lincoln-nunnally.com
Republicans
Greg Pallen
AGE: 43
HOME: Oxford
EDUCATION: Bachelor's, University of Georgia.
OCCUPATION: President of Pallen Enterprises Inc.
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None
FAMILY: Single
WEBSITE: www.gregpallenforcongress.com
J. Chris Vaughn
AGE: 46
HOME: Conyers
EDUCATION: Attended Gaston College
OCCUPATION: Minister, public speaker
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None
FAMILY: Married 24 years to Lisa; three children
WEBSITE: www.chrisvaughnforcongress.com
Fifth District Democrats
John Robert Lewis
AGE: 72
HOME: Atlanta
EDUCATION: Bachelor's, Fisk University; Associate Degree, American Baptist Theological Seminary.
OCCUPATION: Member of Congress, longtime civil rights activist
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: U.S. House, 1987-present; Atlanta city councilman, 1982-1986
FAMILY: Married 43 years to Lillian Miles, one child
WEBSITE: www.johnlewisforcongress.com
Michael Johnson
AGE: 44
HOME: Atlanta
EDUCATION: Juris Doctorate, Syracuse University College of Law; Bachelor's, Morehouse College.
OCCUPATION: Former Fulton County Superior Court judge
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Elected Fulton County Superior Court judge, 2005-2012
FAMILY: Married 13 years to Alison, two children
WEBSITE: www.michaeljohnsonforcongress.com
Sixth District Democrats
Robert Montigel
AGE: 65
HOME: Alpharetta
EDUCATION: Master in Business Administration, Columbia University; bachelor's, Lehigh University
OCCUPATION: Owner, Biggs Building Products
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None.
FAMILY: married to Maryann for 41 years, two children
WEBSITE: http://www.montigelforcongress.com/
Jeff Kazanow
AGE: 57
HOME: Roswell
EDUCATION: Master in Business Administration and bachelor's degrees from Michigan State University
OCCUPATION: Business consultant
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None
FAMILY: widower, two children
WEBSITE: http://www.kazanowforcongress.com/
Seventh District Republicans
David Hancock
AGE: 51
HOME: Suwanee
EDUCATION: Bachelor's, Auburn University
OCCUPATION: Software engineer/business owner
POL EXPERIENCE: Unsuccessful run for state house, 2008
FAMILY: Married to Darlene, two children
WEBSITE: www.hancock2012.com
Rob Woodall
AGE: 42
HOME: Lawrenceville
EDUCATION: Juris Doctorate from University of Georgia Law School; bachelor's from Furman University
OCCUPATION: Member of Congress, former congressional staffer to Rep. John Linder
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: U.S. House, 2011-present
FAMILY: Single
WEBSITE http://robwoodall.com/
Ninth District Republicans
Doug Collins
AGE: 45
HOME: Gainesville
EDUCATION: Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School, bachelor's from North Georgia College & State University
OCCUPATION: Attorney, Air Force Reserves chaplain
POL EXPERIENCE: State House 2007-present
FAMILY: married 23 years to Lisa; three children
WEBSITE: http://collinsleads.com
Martha Zoller
AGE: 52
HOME: Gainesville
EDUCATION: Bachelor's from University of Georgia
OCCUPATION: Talk radio host
POL EXPERIENCE: None
FAMILY: Married 22 years to Linwood, three children
WEBSITE: http://marthaforcongress.com
Roger Fitzpatrick
AGE: 52
HOME: Cleveland
EDUCATION: Master's from North Georgia College, bachelor's from University of Georgia
OCCUPATION: Retired teacher and principal
POL EXPERIENCE: None
FAMILY: Married 26 years to Linda, three children
WEBSITE: http://www.fitzpatrick4congress.com/
10th District
Paul Broun
AGE: 66
HOME: Athens
EDUCATION: Medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia, bachelor's from University of Georgia
OCCUPATION: Member of Congress, general practice physician
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: U.S. House 2007-present
FAMILY: Married 27 years to Niki, three children
WEBSITE: www.paulbroun.com
Stephen Simpson
AGE: 61
HOME: Milledgeville
EDUCATION: Master's in business administration from Mercer University, bachelor's from Georgia College and State University
OCCUPATION: Banker, retired military officer
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None
FAMILY: Married 39 years to Susan, two children
WEBSITE: http://www.stephensimpson2012.com
11th District Republicans
William Llop
AGE: 53
HOME: Sandy Springs
EDUCATION: Bachelor's from Mercer University
OCCUPATION: Certified Public Accountant
POL EXPERIENCE: None
FAMILY: married 12 years to Mary Lynn; two children
WEBSITE: http://www.williamllopcpaforcongress.com/
Michael Opitz
AGE: 66
HOME: Marietta
EDUCATION: Master's degree in psychology from the University of West Georgia, bachelor's from Auburn University
OCCUPATION: retired from Lucent Technologies/AT&T, mediator and arbitrator
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Brief run for Congress in 1994, pulled out before qualifying
FAMILY: married to Becky for 33 years, three children
WEBSITE: http://www.opitzforcongress.org/
Phil Gingrey
Age: 70
HOME: Marietta
EDUCATION: Medical degree from Medical College of Georgia, bachelor's from Georgia Tech
OCCUPATION: Member of Congress, obstetrician/gynecologist
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: U.S. House 2003-present, state Senate 1999-2003
FAMILY: Married 42 years to Billie, four children
WEBSITE: www.gingrey.com
—biographical information compiled by Daniel Malloy, Jeremy Redmon and Aaron Gould Sheinin
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