U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, an Athens Republican, is the first out of the gate in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss.
Broun has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta to announce his campaign for next year’s election. Broun’s wife, Niki, killed the suspense by reportedly saying at a forum last week in Gwinnett County that her husband would be a candidate. Other members of Georgia’s GOP congressional delegation also could jump into the race soon — even though a primary election is still 17 months away.
First elected in a 2007 special election to replace the late Charlie Norwood, Broun is one of the most conservative members of Congress and holds a strong libertarian streak. Though he has easily defended his seat since his first upset victory, some of Broun’s more controversial statements could be liabilities in a statewide race. Broun drew attention this past fall for a speech in which he declared the big bang theory and evolution to be “lies straight from the pit of hell.”
The state’s longest-serving Republican in Congress, Rep. Jack Kingston of Savannah, also is seriously considering a run. He met Monday with Gov. Nathan Deal to discuss the possibility, and in an interview he talked up his ties beyond South Georgia — from growing up in Athens to conducting business in Atlanta. Though he is one of the top Republicans on the powerful Appropriations Committee, Kingston suggested he could have more influence across the Capitol.
“I think I can serve the conservative cause better in the Senate,” he said. “You can be more independent. In the House — where I get frustrated — there’s a lot of pressure to step in line with leadership. I’ve never been a leadership guy. I have a more independent streak, and in the Senate you can do that.”
U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, a Marietta Republican, is polling and calling friends across the state as he ponders a bid. He said Monday that he is “very, very interested” in the possibility of a Senate run.
“If three of us (in the delegation) all feel like we clearly are the person that needs to be there to do the kind of job for the country and for the state of Georgia that can be best done, then I think that you might end up seeing three of us in there,” Gingrey said.
U.S. Rep. Tom Price, a Roswell Republican, had been gauging support for a Senate run even before Chambliss announced his retirement, but he seems to have backed off his initial gung-ho approach.
“If there’s an opportunity to help move the Senate in a direction that allows it to become a productive player in a positive public policy, then that’s very attractive,” Price said. “That being said, I’ve got huge responsibilities right now in the Budget Committee in the House, and my responsibility first is to fulfill those duties.”
Democrats, meanwhile, hope they can break the party’s statewide losing streak if there is a divisive GOP primary. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said this week that he will not run. U.S. Rep. John Barrow of Augusta has said that “at this time” he is focused on holding his House seat.
State Democratic Party Chairman Mike Berlon said Tuesday that he expects the party to settle on a single candidate within the next four to six weeks.
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