Breaking, courtesy of the AJC’s Jim Galloway:
U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss will announce this morning that he’s dropping plans to run for a third term in 2014, a decision certain to set off an avalanche of Republican candidates who will seek to replace him.
Word out of Washington is that Chambliss broke the news to his senior staff this morning.
This is among the biggest domino among dominoes. Georgia politics is now in full campaign mode. Expect not just those who have considered the race semi-publicly (Tom Price, Paul Broun, Karen Handel) to consider jumping in – and quickly, but others such as Lynn Westmoreland, Austin Scott, Phil Gingrey, …frankly anyone with a title to consider it strongly.
With several members of Congress and likely some of our statewide officials likely to take a strong look, you’ll then have a lot of folks floating their name for Congress and those other offices.
Things are, as usual, about to get interesting.
{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
Try to keep up, Charlie. *sheesh*
Hooray!
Who’s got the key to the rumor mill? We gotta start ginning up some rumors of candidates.
I cannot confirm that Bob Barr is considering a run.
It could happen, but Barr couldn’t defeat Coverdell 100 years ago, he won’t do squat this time around if he’s stupid enough to run.
Bob is fair game for ridicule, but that race against Coverdell was pretty darn close. He only lost by about 1,500 votes or less than 1%.
I hear Charlie Harper is considering a run.
Glad I wasn’t drinking coffee when I read that. Would have ruined another perfectly decent laptop.
I’ve heard Sen. John Albers is considering it. Hey – if Obama can jump from the state legislature to POTUS in 6 years, think of what is possible when your ideas are actually right for America.
Best news I’ve heard all week.
This could be fun. 2014 maybe much more interesting now.
Please, Lord – don’t let our next one have white hair.
At least not white hair without a brain under it. Saxby’s votes on bills affecting the financial mess the banks got into were the equivalent of turning the US dollar into something between a bad gambling debt and toilet paper.
I’m with you Bridget and would add a request that they also do not use Grecian Formula.
bahahahahahaha – that’s just wrong.
Reagan used Grecian Formula. I would like someone older…less time they can stay around and mess things up.
“Reagan used Grecian Formula.”
I didn’t know Grecian Formula came in orange.
HANK: Luanne, I’m thinking about just letting my hair grow.
LUANNE: Well, have you ever considered another color?
HANK: Men don’t do that.
LUANNE: Oh, sure they do. Even President Reagan did.
HANK: Hey, now, if Ron Reagan dyed his hair — and I’m not saying he did — it was only to show his strength to the Communists.
I miss King of the Hill.
Good riddance!
I read this, immediately Ozzy’s song “Crazy Train” popped into my mind.
I would like to say that I have received many phone calls and emails from supporters urging me to run.
And while I am flattered at the well wishes and encouragement I have received, I have not made a decision one way or the other at this time.
For now, I will prayerfully and dutifully consider the options and reflect on my choices.
Thank you, and God bless.
Ed,
NOT A CANDIDATE YET
Let’s hope for a candidate outside the ranks of politicians, attorneys, bankers and real estate.
http://www.peachpundit.com/2013/01/25/whoa-galloway-reports-saxby-chambliss-to-announce-retirement/#comment-347816
Salty,
I was going to run until you banned people from the banking and finance industry.
I’m reconsidering Ed – a party switch by a fish eating Panther that we can’t predict would be an improvement.
*IF* I were to run…
I can guarantee that two of my first legislative priorities would be to lift the trade embargo on Cuba so I can cheaply and easily get good cigars and to reinstate the smoking of cigars only while on official Senatorial duty.
Reasonable idea – friendly amendment for the foreign growers – pot…
I’d suggest a big tariff to protect home grown too !
Ed
Cigars – Until then – been a long time but back in the day;
http://www.royalbarbados.com/Home
Sadly, that is a stigma that is gaining intensity. Too bad folks get painted with a broad brush.
One must answer what his role was in the whole stinking mess – a mess that isn’t fixed, just feasting off of savers.
“Let’s hope for a candidate outside the ranks of politicians, attorneys, bankers and real estate.”
…Outside of those, who else is there?
Alvin Greene.
Durn
I’m still trying to figure out how to get some prayerful whachacallit… consideration and will follow the path that I deem most likely to be supported by The Lord™.
Seriously, this will be a feast of the beasts. I love how Republican’s eat their seed stock. TBH, this could cause so many envy cracks within the state foundation that the D’s may get a jump on a split GOP and knock off some incumbent’s who seem more interested in promotion than serving their district.
Let the nom begin!
Broun,Price,Gingrey let the parade of nuts begin.
I will miss you Saxby you have been a voice of reason
Amen, Snake. Apparently all it takes to be considered right (on either side of the aisle) in this age is to be the one screaming the loudest. Saxby is one of the few who puts his ego aside and works to do what he was elected to do. He will be sorely missed. Only bright side to this is that only one person can take his spot, so maybe we’ll get a few of the fringies out of there.
He had plenty of problems, but I’m going to have to agree, he will be sorely missed…maybe not in the short run.
“Saxby is one of the few who puts his ego aside…”
Problem is he also put aside fiscally conservative principles when it came time to cut a deal or get more largesse for his ag buddies.
“ag buddies” — Yes, that is pretty much my biggest problem with him. Maybe the good news is we’ll get some action on getting rid of ridiculous farm subsidies,
bingo – cha$$$ching
Got to say, because of my side project work for the bio feedstock industry, I’ve learned a lot more about the farm bill, from what it “was” to what it “is” to what it will be. I’ve avoided writing about it here because of our conflict rules, but will probably dive more into it with the usual caveat of disclosure.
Point of that is, if the House had allowed a vote on the version of the farm bill that was passed by the Senate and had a majority of bi-partisan support in the House, it would have fundamentally shifted the subsidies away from most of those conservatives object to and ended the “pay not to grow” plans entirely.
Amazingly, a small internal squabble among House leadership held that up from a vote, so instead of having a much improved (by conservative standards) farm bill for 5 years, we’re continuing to extend a very bad farm bill for small increments.
Criticize him for his past votes if you must, but he was on the right side of this battle.
That makes it worse. A Republican house could not be convinced.
And when pushed to understand, politics = no accountabilities.
No, it was a squabble between two in leadership over one sub-section. The folks I work with did their own whip count. It had a majority of Republican support, but with the fiscal cliff issue at hand (and time running out at year end) the smaller battle ended up being consumed by the much larger problem at hand.
Actually, I do not hold his recent willingness to compromise against him and really like the way he works with folks like Warner. On the whole, his actions with Medicare D, Farm bill, and especially the series of hideous banking/derivatives votes were unmitigated disasters, though.
Deal. Real.
Real No.
I would not be surprised if Tom ran that Karen could also run for his old seat. Which would be a win-win situation via the area, friendly relationship between them…………..
I can see that.
No suggestions for a politically savvy analyst that happens to work for the government sponsored GPB ? That’d be a chip off the old block.
…and my nickname regains it’s relevance.
I’ll be damned. Joel McElhannon might pick up a candidate for this next cycle after all.
1) Thank you Senator Chambliss for serving Georgia well. Your efforts to get Washington to seriously deal with our massive debt will hopefully bear fruit and should be a positive part of your legacy.
2) I expect at most 1 Congressman to run. They would not run against each other in all likelihood.
3) I wouldn’t be surprised to see a wildcard candidate jump in. Perhaps a State Senator and no I’m not going to float any names out.
Are you thinking of running? We need a guy named Buzz in the Senate.
Buzz is being coy about his intentions. I approve of such a strategy.
Coy is my middle name.
Going to have to disagree with point 2. If Tom Price runs, there will still likley be another. And Paul Broun may even make it 3.
I’m not always right but I’m never in doubt.
It’ll be throwing bloody meat in a shark tank. I’d guess Graves, Price, Broun, 2 tea party candidates, 1 rogue millionaire and a random statewide….say Mark Butler.
Graves is too afraid of losing a job he needs so he can pay off a bad bank loan. Of course I guess he could always get a job at GPB if he did run and lose
Somebody get in a time machine and bring back a 60-yr-old Bernie Marcus.
I’m fine with Tom Price, Karen Handel would be fine, but she won’t make it I don’t think. Pretty much everyone else is inadequate.
Tom Price will have pretty broad support.
Broun wants it, but he best stay put.
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