Rep. Scott faces crowded field of challengers

Rep. David Scott is facing a crowded field of challengers in his bid to keep his congressional seat for a fifth term.

First, he must fend off two former Republicans in the July 20 Democratic primary for the 13th District, which includes parts of Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton and Henry counties. One of those challengers managed the campaign for a Republican who ran against Scott in the last election.

Then if Scott wins in the July 20 Democratic primary, he must face whoever emerges in a six-way race for the GOP nomination. Deborah Honeycutt, a family doctor who lost to Scott by wide margins in the 2006 and 2008 elections, is making another attempt for his seat.

Honeycutt and several of Scott’s other challengers oppose the national health care reform legislation he supported. Several also complained how Scott drew national attention for getting into a heated verbal confrontation with a critic of the bill at a town hall meeting in Douglasville on Aug. 1.

Scott said in March that he had received death threats from some opponents of the bill. The legislation is not perfect, Scott said, but he remains proud of his decision to support it.

“The vast majority of my constituents support me in that and have applauded me for it,” the former state legislator said in a recent telephone interview, “and I continue to work to perfect this bill.”

Scott is campaigning on his efforts to expand access to health care. But he is also touting his work to boost the economy and support unemployed workers and middle- and low-income home buyers.

At the same time, Scott has been busy spending on his campaign. By the end of March, he had spent more than $365,673, the most any candidate had spent in the 13th District race at that time, federal records show.

“I am going door to door and working very hard and getting good response,” Scott said. “Certainly, I am praying we win and feel good about it.”

Meanwhile, public records show that most of nine candidates in the race have faced financial issues, including Scott. In 2007, the AJC reported that since first running for Congress in 2002, Scott had paid more than $500,000 from his campaign account to four family members and his family's advertising business. The Scotts said they decided to staff the campaign themselves after spending huge amounts of money on consultants in his first campaign. There was no evidence they broke any campaign laws.

Also in 2007, the AJC reported Scott had more than 40 tax liens placed against his home and business, Dayn-Mark Advertising, some dating to the 1980s and 1990s. Scott’s wife, Alfredia, told the AJC in 2007 the tax liens sprang from honest mistakes she and the family made. Rep. Scott said his tax payments are up to date on his home and family business and said his finances are in good shape.

Scott is familiar with one of his Democratic opponents -- Mike Murphy. Murphy ran Honeycutt’s campaign against Scott in 2008 and has his own experiences running for public office. He was elected to the Massachusetts Governor’s Council. And he ran as a Republican for that state’s 9th Congressional District in 1994 and lost. Murphy is promising to be a “visible, engaged and accessible” congressman.

“I’m a free thinker. And I feel I can bridge both sides,” he said of his switch to the Democratic Party. “My agenda is for the people.”

Murphy filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2003, public records show, and he confirmed he is paying off about $70,000 in federal tax liens. He also has been the target of local and state tax liens in Massachusetts and has had a car repossessed. He attributed these problems to a divorce and the failure of a recycling business he started.

The third candidate in the Democratic primary, Michael Frisbee, was once a registered Republican and now calls himself a New Liberty Democrat. But the Web content developer has also affiliated with the tea party movement and constitutional parties in Kentucky and North Carolina. And he volunteered in Ross Perot’s 1992 presidential campaign. Frisbee said he has Native American Indian ancestry, studied under a shaman in New York and California and was given the name White Wolf. He used that name in a massage business he once ran in Idaho.

“I have had a very varied life,” said Frisbee, who wants to repeal the national health care reform legislation and abolish the federal Education Department.

Frisbee, too, has had money troubles. The federal government filed a $10,747 lien against him in January for unpaid taxes. He said the lien is a mistake because the businesses he worked for incorrectly reported his income, though he could not provide records to back up that claim. He has also been the target of civil judgments in Kentucky and North Carolina for an unpaid medical bill and rent and was evicted from a mobile home park in Conover, N.C. Frisbee said he was evicted after he lost his job at a construction company.

On the Republican side, Honeycutt is running for Scott’s seat for a third time. Scott beat her in 2006 and 2008, securing 69 percent each time. A family doctor, Honeycutt is predicting she will be able to win the GOP primary outright, without going into a runoff. Several of her Republican opponents privately say she is the candidate to beat in the GOP primary. As of March 31, she had spent more than all of her Republican opponents combined in the race at $242,823, federal records show.

Honeycutt talked about why this year's race is different compared to her past two.

“With the opening of eyes of people around the district as well as around the country -- with them seeing the country going in directions they had not anticipated -- more and more people are coming back to their conservative roots,” she said. “That is going to make a big difference.”

Honeycutt supports school vouchers. She wants to replace the federal income tax with a national sales tax. She opposes abortion and calls it a “national offense.” And she opposes the national health care reform legislation and would seek to cut off federal funding for it if elected.

Honeycutt attracted attention in 2008, when a substantial portion of the more than $5.2 million she raised for that year’s campaign went to the Washington direct mail firm that raised it, BMW Direct, and its contractors. Honeycutt and a company official said that’s not unusual. “It takes money to raise money,” she said that year. Honeycutt said the direct mail firm is not working on her campaign this year.

Also running for the GOP nomination are:

• Mike Crane, a general contractor. Like Honeycutt, Crane said he would seek to cut off funding for the national health care reform legislation. He said he supports term limits for members of Congress and opposes congressional pet-project spending, known as earmarks.
• Hank Dudek, who works for a background screening company. He said he wants to repeal the national health care reform legislation. And he supports school vouchers and charter schools. Between 2005 and 2008, Smyrna filed seven property tax liens against him, ranging from $121 to $955. He said he owned numerous properties at the time and that the liens were the result of an oversight. Records show all of those liens have been paid off.
• Chip Flanegan, who owns a rental furniture and equipment business. He wants to repeal the health care reform legislation, cap government spending and repeal all tax hikes set to begin next year.
• Dave Orr, a Hooters restaurant manager. He said he was partly inspired to run this year by Scott's confrontation with the protester at the town hall meeting in Douglasville. Orr said he wants to repeal the national health care legislation. He, too, supports eliminating the federal income tax and replacing it with a national sales tax.
• Rupert Parchment, who owns a moving company. He opposes federal stimulus spending, abortion and the death penalty and says the United States should continue to protect Israel. Parchment filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2007 and was the target of a DeKalb County tax lien that year for $2,374 and a federal tax lien for $20,187 in 2001. Records show those liens have been released. He attributed the county tax lien and the bankruptcy to a divorce. The federal tax lien, he said, resulted after the government assessed a substantial amount of capital gains taxes on his sale of some real estate.

Democrats

Michael Frisbee

• Age: 44
• Education: Studied business management and computer operations and completed a business marketing internship at Pennsylvania State University, 1985; studied accounting and business marketing at Centre Business School in Pennsylvania, 1987.
• Profession: Web content and graphic design consultant
• Political experience: Constitutional activist since 2000; co-founder and national director of member development, AmericaAgain!, 2010-present; member, National Tea Party Federation, 2010; founder, New Liberty Democrats, 2010; founder, Constitutional Elections USA, 2009; event coordinator, End the Fed, 2008; chairman, Constitution Party of Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District, 2006-2008; unsuccessful candidate for North Carolina State Senate, 2006; unsuccessful bid for Thomasville, N.C., City Council, 2005; state party secretary, North Carolina Constitution Party, 2004-2006; regional director for the North Carolina Constitution Party, 2004-2005; petition volunteer for Ross Perot's presidential campaign, 1992
• Military experience: None
• Civic experience: Has volunteered for the past 25 years helping food banks, blood drives, homeless shelters, nursing homes and charitable fund-raisers.
• Family status: Married to Deborah Oglesby-Frisbee; three children from a previous marriage, two stepchildren in present marriage, and four grandsons

Mike Murphy

• Age: 63
• Education: Bachelor of Science degree in commerce/marketing, St. Louis University, 1968
• Profession: President and owner, M3 and Associates, 1999-present; regional manager, Professional Transportation Inc., 2005-present; president, Renewal Inc., 1994-1999; purchasing manager, quality control director and consumer affairs director, Dunkin' Donuts of America, 1975-1993; product planning specialist, Ford Marketing Corp., 1972-1975
• Political experience: Chairman, Board of Health for Canton, Mass., 1985-1991; member and chaplain of the Massachusetts Governor's Council, 1990-1992; unsuccessful Republican candidate for the Massachusetts' 9th Congressional District, 1994
• Military: None
• Civic experience: Past chairman, Roxbury Community College Board of Trustees; former member, Massachusetts Judicial Conduct Commission; former member, Cobb County NAACP Board; member, Austell Community Task Force; president, Save the Family Institute; member, Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta; member, Mableton Improvement Coalition
• Family: Divorced, one grown son and granddaughter

David Scott

• Age: 64
• Education: Bachelor of Arts degree in English and speech, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, 1967; Master of Business Administration, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, 1969
• Profession: Founded Dayn-Mark Advertising, an advertising agency, in 1978. His wife and two daughters now run the company.
• Political experience: Member, U.S. House of Representatives, 2003-present; member, House Financial Services Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee and Agriculture Committee; vice chairman, Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade Subcommittee; chairman, Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Subcommittee; co-chairman, Democratic Study Group on National Security; member, NATO Parliamentary Assembly; member, Georgia Senate, 1983-2002; member, Georgia House of Representatives, 1974-1982
• Military experience: None
• Civic experience: Active in Georgia Democratic Party politics since 1972; member, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; member, 100 Black Men of America; lay pastor/guest preacher
• Family status: Married to Alfredia, two daughters and two grandchildren

Republicans

Mike Crane

• Age: 47
• Education: Bachelor of Science degree in industrial management, Georgia Tech, 1987
• Profession: General contractor
• Political experience: None
• Military experience: None
• Civic experience: Member, National Association of Home Builders; member, Gracepointe Church; supporter of numerous ministries and missions
• Family status: Married to Tracey Taylor Crane, two children

Hank Dudek

• Age:41
• Education: Bachelor of Science degree in advertising, University of Texas at Austin, 1992
• Profession: Southeast regional account manager for a background screening company
• Political experience: None
• Military experience: None
• Civic experience: Sponsor, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Smyrna soccer coach; head of Little Cougar Basketball Program at St. Joseph Catholic School
• Family status: Married to Jessica for 11 years, two children

Chip Flanegan

• Age: 52
• Education: Attended Clayton State University and Baptist University of America
• Profession: Founder and owner, Jonesboro Rental Center
• Political experience: None
• Military experience: None
• Civic experience: Divorce support teacher at a local Baptist church, participated in humanitarian aid mission trips for Campus Crusade for Christ International
• Family status: Married to Maria, one 4-year-old daughter

Deborah Honeycutt

• Age: 62
• Education: Bachelor of Science degree in dance education, 1969; Master of Arts degree in dance, 1972; Doctor of Medicine degree, 1991; all degrees are from the University of Illinois.
• Profession: A family medicine physician and medical director of Clayton State University Health Services
• Political experience: Republican candidate for 13th Congressional District, 2006 and 2008; has testified before state lawmakers and lobbied state and federal officials.
• Military experience: None
• Civic experience: Member, Clayton County Wide Homeowners Association; member, Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral; member and past president and chairman, Georgia Academy of Family Physicians; co-chairwoman, Georgia Department of Community Health's Minority Health Advisory Council; member, Care Net Pregnancy Resource Center Board; member, Medical Association of Georgia Legislative Committee; volunteer physician, Good Shepherd Clinic; former board member, Georgia Free Clinic Network and Georgia Partnership for Caring
• Family status: Married to Andrew, six adult children

Dave Orr

• Age: 40
• Education: Master of Science degree in managerial technology, 1991; bachelor's degree in food service management, 1990; associate degree in Culinary Arts, 1989. All degrees are from Johnson & Wales University.
• Profession: Working in food and beverage management, owned various businesses in the Southeast for 15 years.
• Political experience: None
• Military experience: None
• Civic experience: Participated in various Tea Party activities and Fair Tax rallies.
• Family status: Married to Lisa Weiss Orr, one child