The state's new congressional maps haven't even been reviewed by the Justice Department, yet multiple candidates have already launched bids for the U.S. House in 2012.
Two Republicans have said they will be candidates in the state's newest district, the redrawn 9th in northeast Georgia. As an open seat -- and one that skews heavily Republican -- it will likely garner additional candidates, but radio personality Martha Zoller and state Rep. Doug Collins, R-Gainesville, have already announced.
The pair have wasted no time in staking out positions and working to define their campaigns.
Collins, a Gainesville lawyer and chaplain in the Army Reserve, is in his third term as a member of the state House. One of Gov. Nathan Deal's floor leaders, Collins said his experience in the General Assembly has prepared him for Congress.
Zoller, also of Gainesville, is the morning talk show host for radio station WXKT (103.7FM), which is owned by Cox Media Group -- parent company to both The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Channel 2 Action News. Zoller bills herself as the outsider and tea party candidate with an ear for the people, not politicians.
Both candidates know that in a GOP primary they are more likely to agree on most issues, and both candidates stressed the need to create jobs, help the economy and fight the policies of Democratic President Barack Obama. But Collins said he's sure his differences with Zoller will be important, too.
Collins, noting that Zoller is his constituent, said "the difference we have right now is a straightforward perspective that for the last four or five years I've been working on these issues on the state level -- to take a budget and balance it and make decisions to cut back."
His national security background, having served in Iraq, allows him to "know what our troops go through."
"I have a record," he said, "and we'll discuss this record."
Zoller, meanwhile, said her years on the radio have introduced her to many of the voters in the 20-county region that stretches from Forsyth County north to Fannin County east to Rabun County and south to Elbert County.
"This is a very tea party-strong area," she said. "I'm tea party-friendly. [Republican U.S. Rep.] Jack Kingston said I was tea party before it was called tea party. I've opposed Clinton budgets, Bush budgets and Obama budgets."
But Zoller also said she considers herself an underdog against Collins, a three-term lawmaker with strong ties to the governor and state House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, both of whom live and vote in the new 9th District. Zoller said the governor promised her that he will not take sides in the race, and his spokesman, Brian Robinson, repeated that Monday.
"We're not getting involved in an open-seat Republican primary," Robinson said. "We have a lot of friends in the area, and we look forward to seeing the campaign."
Collins isn't counting on any favors from the governor, whom he's known for 30 years.
"What I've said is I had to earn his support in the past when I was running and that's what I intend to do," Collins said. "Him and the first lady carry one vote apiece, and we're going to earn their vote again."
Collins also has the backing of Zell Miller, a former governor and U.S. senator who is co-sponsoring a fundraiser for Collins this month. Ralston and other top House members will also help Collins raise money this week.
Both candidates, however, also expect to have more competition before the July 31 primary.
Qualifying for the race will be May 23-May 25. All of this, however, is subject to change as the new district -- and changes made this summer to every district in the state during the recent special legislative session on reapportionment -- must be approved by the federal government.
The state is expected to submit the plans for legislative and congressional maps by Oct 1.
Unmatched coverage
After covering the state's special legislative session on redistricting from start to finish, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is looking today at a congressional race already under way in a district created during that session.
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