We still need your donations to put Paul Blackwell on the ballot in GA-9. Filing deadline is noon on Friday.
In today's Chattanooga Times Free Press, Sunday Edition, "Walker man seeks chance to unseat Deal". We never guessed Paul would be running against "one of the most conservative voting records in the Congress", in Nathan Deal's own words.
Paul's first published interview.
A 26-year-old Walker County Democrat said he hopes to earn his party's nomination and oppose seven-term U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., in the November general election.
Paul Blackwell, an auto mechanic for Wal-Mart, said the Republican incumbent has gone too long without serious opposition.
"I'm not happy with our representation right now, and I know a lot of people who aren't happy either," said Mr. Blackwell, a Ridgeland High School graduate making his first run for public office.
More below the fold...
Qualifying for elected office begins Monday and runs through noon on Friday. Mr. Blackwell said he realizes he faces an enormous challenge given his inexperience and the soon-to-be-renumbered 10th Congressional District's overwhelmingly Republican tendencies.
The district, after 2005 redistricting by the Georgia Legislature, has been renumbered the 9th Congressional District and stretches from Dade to Union counties along the northern state line and dips south into Forsyth County.
U.S. Rep. Deal, who had more than $350,000 in campaign cash as of April 1, last saw opposition in 2000, when he won with more than 75 percent of the vote.
"We take every campaign seriously," he said. "My constituents will find that I have one of the most conservative voting records in the Congress."
This from the man who ran and won as a Democrat his first term and switched sides at the beginning of his second term. He promised to resign if he ever did so, but of course he's still there.
The 63-year-old congressman said while it's not "impossible" for someone with Mr. Blackwell's background to jump into Congress, "it would be a serious disadvantage" for the district.
Among other things, he said Democrats have fought making President Bush's tax cuts permanent and have immigration policies at odds with North Georgians.
"It'll be my pleasure to debate those," he said.
Rep. Deal is definately aware of Paul now. I'm personally a little offended by the implication of his statement "it would be a serious disadvantage" for the district, if someone with Paul's background made it to Congress. Is that a slam against working people?
Deal hasn't had a challenger since 2000. He's been elected by default since then. He's sitting on a war chest that I'm sure is just chock full of the typical Republican money from special interests.
Deal is the perfect example of the race we should be fighting this year. The Republican incumbent, sitting pretty, comfortable, and screwing us all the way to the bank. This is what the "challenge every seat" idea is about. Make them spend their money. Make them put up a fight. I have no idea if we have an ice cube's chance in hell of winning, but isn't the fight worth it?
Mr. Blackwell said for all Rep. Deal's experience in Congress and as a state senator he's lost sight of the needs of regular people like himself.
"He's lost touch with the real people," he said. "He's forgotten what it's like to struggle to pay your bills."
The potential candidate said since recently deciding to run he's been working hard to raise the approximately $4,900 he needs for qualifying fees, and he said some local Democratic Party chairmen have taken an interest in his congressional bid.
A spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee couldn't be reached for comment Friday, but Mr. Blackwell conceded he hasn't been in touch with the group yet, though it's charged with fostering Democratic opposition to GOP representatives.
But Mr. Blackwell said that shouldn't automatically preclude him from being a viable candidate because of how a representative democracy is supposed to function: "We're supposed to be represented by the people, and I'm obviously a person."
"I've tried to be realistic about it," he said. "It kind of seems unbelievable right now that I'm even doing this."
As far as the DCCC goes, I'm a little disappointed in them myself. I contacted them to find out what they could do to help us and was pretty curtly told, "Nothing. We only support candidates who've made it onto the ballot."
I was honestly pretty pissed after that phone call. The DCCC response smacks of the typical political bullshit. It's the playground for those who have the money to play. No one else.
Anyways...
Paul's site has been massively updated over the last few days. We now have a picture on his bio, his issue positions and other information people have requested for getting a better feel for Paul.
We need your support now. In order for us to challenge Deal, we have to raise Paul's filing fee by Thursday evening. The filing deadline is noon on Friday.
So far we have raised exactly $0.00.
Please visit the site and support Paul today. Time is very limited in this important race. We're counting on your support.
Paul Blackwell for Congress
[Update] Our DFA campaign link, if anyone is a member there.
DFA Campaign for Paul Blackwell
[Update] I really don't like this one diary per day limit.
So far we have raised exactly $9.41.