Crisscrossing the Capitol one afternoon last week, Roswell Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Price was asked how his aspirations for high office — in this case House majority leader — could benefit his home state.
“Oh, it’s getting the cart way ahead of the horse,” Price replied.
He had just finished with a group highly concerned with that question: the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, which had the good fortune to schedule speeches from Price and Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana for its annual D.C. fly-in lobby day. In the post-John Boehner shakeup, Price and Scalise will face off Thursday in a secret-ballot GOP conference vote for majority leader.
Price mentioned his majority leader campaign, while Scalise did not. It made sense, as you can guess which one the Georgia Chamber is behind.
“It gives us more authority up here,” said chamber President and CEO Chris Clark, when asked about the prospect of a Price win.
“It helps us be better positioned to do things like get money for the Port (of Savannah), protect Georgia military bases. Having him, having Johnny (Isakson) in the senior role chairing two committees here in the Senate — that’s something I think we’ve lost in the last few years, where you don’t have the (Herman) Talmadges and the Sam Nunns of the world.”
U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss’ retirement and the resulting dominoes helped cost Georgia 71.5 years of service in the House and Senate, and it brought in five new faces to the delegation this year. The state also lost both of its seats on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, and it was not able to get one of its own back on after delegation Republicans could not agree on a consensus candidate.
Parochial powers have diminished in the post-earmark era, but a Majority Leader Price could work behind the scenes to get Georgians onto so-called “A committees,” which control big-ticket legislation and draw more interest and cash from campaign donors.
When Newt Gingrich became speaker in 1995, he made sure Georgia Republicans scored slots on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Appropriations.
As the man who controls the schedule, Price could also make sure a Georgia member’s bill gets moving through committee and onto the floor.
In addition, he would help reassert Georgia as a delegation to be reckoned with. Such juice could be important, for example, in "water wars" disputes. The Florida delegation severely outnumbers Georgia in the House and Alabama's senators have far more seniority, though Georgia has managed to fend off legislative salvos.
That’s why you have seen most of the Georgia delegation line up behind Price in the majority leader race, even though in years past Price has not always supported fellow Georgians when they ran for leadership.
Price, of course, is not selling his colleagues on what he will do for Georgia. He is running as the candidate of fresh thinking, as opposed to the next guy in line.
But his victory could also mean a fresh return to prominence for the Peach State.
Lewis soldiers on
Atlanta Democrats, hold your horses: John Lewis isn’t going anywhere.
The longest-serving member of the Georgia delegation said last week that he will seek a 16th term next year, despite rumors to the contrary.
“I’m doing it,” said Lewis, 75. “I know there are a few people who think: ‘Oh, maybe he’s going to give it up.’ But I’m not giving it up. Not now.”
Lewis was first elected in 1986 in a vicious intraparty battle with the late Julian Bond and has not had a tough race since. Lewis is a senior member on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, but his primary job is leveraging his status as a civil rights icon to speak out on causes such as voting rights and immigration.
Lewis’ wife, Lillian Miles Lewis, died in 2012, but Lewis has shown no signs of slowing down since then. He is a frequent traveler across the country to accept awards, give commencement speeches and commemorate civil rights era milestones.
Vote of the week
The U.S. House voted, 277-151, on Tuesday on a status quo spending bill to put off a government shutdown until Dec. 11.
Yes: Reps. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany; Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia; John Lewis, D-Atlanta; Austin Scott, R-Tifton; David Scott, D-Atlanta; and Rob Woodall, R-Lawrenceville.
No: Reps. Rick Allen, R-Evans; Buddy Carter, R-Pooler; Doug Collins, R-Gainesville; Tom Graves, R-Ranger; Jody Hice, R-Monroe; Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville; Tom Price, R-Roswell; and Lynn Westmoreland, R-Coweta County.
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