So the 2014 Georgia U.S. Senate race made the news this past week:
http://www.rollcall.com/...
Conservative Rep. Paul Broun once called evolution, embryology and the big-bang theory “lies straight from the pit of Hell.”
For Republicans yearning for Senate candidates who can appeal to moderate voters and win general elections, that’s exactly where Broun has come from.
On Wednesday, the Georgian became the first member of the GOP to launch a bid to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss in 2014. His announcement kicks off what could be the longest, bloodiest, most ideological Senate primary this cycle — just as the party grapples with how to nominate candidates with broader electoral appeal. - Roll Call, 2/6/13
Yep, this guy is the first one to jump into what is sure to be a crowded GOP primary:
Don't laugh because he could have a real shot at winning the nominee but he has an uphill battle. He needs to win the majority of voters in a crowded primary and he needs to raise a lot of money. We will see if he can achieve both but one thing is for sure, Broun plans to stay on message:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
“I’ll be the only candidate in this race whose first priority is to stop the runaway spending in Washington D.C.,” he said. “I’ve sponsored more legislation to reduce spending than any other Member of Congress from this state.”
It’s not like Broun is the only conservative option for this race – which is where the “test” part comes in. A new national GOP effort was recently launched to promote electable Senate candidates and protect them in primaries from the unelectable ones. In Georgia, there’s a handful of choices from which the new group, and perhaps, Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, could find a candidate to rally behind who would be strong in the general election, and would also satisfy conservatives.
GOP Reps. Tom Price and Tom Graves, and former secretary of state Karen Handel would fit that bill. Rep. Phil Gingrey, a deeply conservative Republican who recently got into some hot water defending some of Akin’s controversial remarks, might still fare better in the general election than Broun. Another option is Rep. Jack Kingston, though he scores lower than Graves, Price and Gingrey, on the anti-tax Club For Growth’s scorecard. - Washington Post, 2/6/13
We'll wait and see who else jumps into this race but if Broun is the victor, we have a real shot at picking up this seat:
When Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) announced his intention to retire last month, he opened the door – ever so slightly – to the prospect of Democrats competing for his seat. To be clear, Republicans remain heavy favorites to hold onto it. But under the right circumstances, Democrats would have a fighting chance.
And nominating Broun could provide them with that chance. As the past two cycles have shown, nominating flawed candidates – Todd Akin, Sharron Angle, Richard Mourdock, Ken Buck, Christine O’Donnell – can cost the GOP seats, even on GOP-friendly terrain. - Washington Post, 2/6/13
Ok, you all should be familiar with my hatred for U.S. Senator Saxby "Chicken Hawk" Chambliss (R. GA):
http://www.dailykos.com/...
So you you can imagine how happy I am to see him go. Now I would've loved to see the Tea Party take him down but I think he may have cursed that seat for the Republicans. After what he did to this great man, the GOP deserves to finally lose this seat:
What I do love is Chambliss' lame excuse for deciding to not seek re-election:
http://blogs.ajc.com/...
“I have no doubt that had I decided to be a candidate, I would have won re-election. In these difficult political times, I am fortunate to have actually broadened my support around the state and the nation due to the stances I have taken.
“Instead, this is about frustration, both at a lack of leadership from the White House and at the dearth of meaningful action from Congress, especially on issues that are the foundation of our nation’s economic health. The debt-ceiling debacle of 2011 and the recent fiscal-cliff vote showed Congress at its worst and, sadly, I don’t see the legislative gridlock and partisan posturing improving anytime soon. For our nation to be strong, for our country to prosper, we cannot continue to play politics with the American economy.” - Atlanta Journal Constitution, 1/25/13
Yeah, ok Chambliss. Your bull shit fools no one. He knows he would've had his ass kicked in the GOP primary so he decided to spare himself the embarrassment, denying us seeing Chambliss pathetically try to appeal to the Tea Party. With Chambliss leaving, the race is now open to several bat shit GOP candidates to try and give it a run like Paul Broun. The Georgia GOP will have a big bench full of crazies so it will be entertaining to watch them tear each other apart. But where does that leave Georgia Democrats in the fight to reclaim Max Cleland's seat? pistolSO wrote a great diary breaking down some big name Democratic candidates for this race and I strongly suggest you give it a read:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
There's Blue Dog Atlanta based Congressman John Barrow, who nobody here wants. There's Atlanta Mayor Kassim Reed but he's set on running for a second term. Lets consider him for 2016. And of course there's President Carter's son, Jack, which I would love to see run but I don't think he will and I don't think he's ready. So who else is there? Well one name came across in the press made me raise an eyebrow:
The list of potential candidates on the Democratic side is smaller but includes Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, U.S. Rep. John Barrow of Augusta, state Sen. Jason Carter of Decatur and state Rep. Scott Holcomb of Atlanta. - Atlanta Journal Constitution, 1/25/13
So I did some research on Scott Holcomb and I remembered who he was. He's the State Senator who proposed drug testing law makers:
Holcomb has been deemed a rising star in Georgia state politics:
http://blogs.ajc.com/...
State Rep. Scott Holcomb, D-Atlanta: Talented, thoughtful, and middle-of-the road. He’s an attorney with U.S. Army experience in Iraq, and has been touted as a future face of a rejuvenated Democratic party. Even if he misses, a 2014 run for the U.S. Senate could set him up for 2016. - Atlanta Journal Constitution, 1/28/13
He has experience running for state wide office:
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Scott Holcomb, who represents a portion of Brookhaven, is no stranger to statewide campaigns, having once run for Georgia secretary of state. - Brookhaven Match - 1/25/13
Republicans have tried to swiftboat him:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Georgia State Rep. Scott Holcomb (D-Atlanta) opposed a bill to drug test welfare recipients because he's a drug addict, according to what may be one of the most mendacious political ads of all time.
Holcomb's Republican opponent, Chris Boedeker, has already pulled the ad from YouTube after receiving negative press attention.
Boedeker did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Holcomb's campaign preserved the ad and shared it with The Huffington Post, stressing that by sharing the piece, the campaign isn't waiving its right to sue the people who made it.
"Rep. Scott Holcomb brags about his military experience," the ad's narrator says. "Scott Holcomb talks about using illegal drugs while in the service, which is why he now opposes drug tests for people who receive welfare benefits."
The ad then shows a clip of Holcomb speaking against a welfare drug testing bill on the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives earlier this year. Holcomb said he knew from his own experience in the Army that drug testing could be a difficult process.
"As someone who went through that ... I would always get the call after I had -- you know," Holcomb says in the clip. Ominous music sounds, and the narrator asks, "What is Scott Holcomb smoking?" - Huffington Post, 10/18/12
Unfortunately, the drug testing bill for welfare recipients became law:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) signed a law last week that will soon require welfare applicants to pay for drug tests and pass them in order to be eligible for benefits.
In a release, Deal's office cited Florida's recent experience with the same requirement: "Florida passed similar legislation back in 2010 decreasing their welfare applicant pool by 48 percent and saving their state $1.8 million."
Deal's assertion is based on bad research by the Foundation for Government Accountability, a conservative think tank in Florida. The notion that drug testing reduced the welfare applicant pool is directly contradicted by the state government's evaluation of its own law. - Huffington Post, 4/23/12
Holcomb slammed Boedeker and called him a liar and a coward. The ad also pissed this guy off:
"Scott Holcomb is a veteran who has served this nation and state honorably as a soldier and State Representative," Cleland said. "I will not be silent when his impeccable service record is falsely attacked by someone who never served in the military. His opponent is unworthy of public office and the Georgia Republican Party should disavow him." - Huffington Post, 4/23/12
The ad even helped Holcomb win over RedState.com's Erick Erickson's endorsement:
http://blogs.ajc.com/...
As the weekend began, Holcomb received this Tweeted endorsement from Erick Erickson of Redstate.com:
“I’m proud to support Democrat Scott Holcomb for re-election in the Georgia State House. Better an honest Democrat than a lying fool.” - Atlanta Constitution Journal, 10/30/12
Boedeker’s Republican primary opponent, gynecologist Carla Roberts (who Boredeker had falsely painted her as an abortionist who’d left her family) ripped Boedeker a new one:
She didn’t actually endorse Holcomb, if you read her post carefully, but she may not have needed to. A taste:
I have not uttered a word about Mr. Boedeker after the Republican voters in our district chose him as their nominee. Respecting the choice of the voters is why this country was founded. Indeed, after my exit, I would have preferred to stay silent rather than re-hash my defeat and naivete.
But Mr. Boedeker’s deplorable attempt to smear the reputation of a man who put his life on the line to protect American citizens has made my continued silence impossible. I believe it’s my duty, as an American, and as a Republican, to call out shameful behavior when I see it –especially from members of my own political party. - Atlanta Constitution Journal, 10/30/12
Here's Holcomb's bio from his website:
http://repscottholcomb.com/...
Scott Holcomb represents District 82 in northeast DeKalb County. This district includes neighborhoods in the Tucker, Northlake, Evansdale, North Briarcliff, Embry Hills, and Pleasantdale communities.
As a freshman, Scott was named a Deputy Whip and he serves on the Public Safety and Homeland Security, Defense and Veterans Affairs, and Children and Youth Committees. He received a 2011 Environmental Leadership Award from Georgia Conservation Voters.
Scott is an experienced attorney who has practiced since 1998. He began his career as a lawyer with the U.S. Army JAG Corps, where he served as a prosecutor and international law attorney. He served with the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia, from 1998-2001 and deployed to Bosnia for Operation Joint Forge. From 2001-2003, he served with 3rd Army at Fort McPherson, Georgia, and deployed overseas for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. During those conflicts, he provided advice on the laws of war to the three-star generals who commanded ground forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Following his military service, Scott worked at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP and focused his practice on litigation. In 2006 and 2007, he was named a "Rising Star" by Georgia Super Lawyers Magazine. In 2007, Scott became the general counsel for J.P. Turner & Company, L.L.C., a local business. In 2011, he opened The Holcomb Law Firm, LLC.
Scott is a strong advocate for veterans' issues and he provides pro bono representation to veterans and their families. He serves on the Military Legal Assistance Committee of the State Bar of Georgia and he is a member of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Scott is active in the community and is an adviser to the Northlake Community Alliance and a member of the Tucker Civic Association. He has served on the boards of HOPE Atlanta, the Georgia Perimeter College Foundation, and the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network. - repscottholcomb.com
Here's one of my favorite local pundit quotes about Holcomb:
http://onlineathens.com/...
Rep. Scott Holcomb, D-Atlanta, has demonstrated his broad appeal by winning re-election to the Georgia General Assembly in a Republican-leaning district. He is seasoned, practical and truly has a heart for all of Georgia. - Online Athens, 1/29/13
Holcomb is also a Truman Fellow and they wrote an excellent piece about why Holcomb's re-election victory in 2012 was a big deal:
http://trumanproject.org/...
Truman Fellow Scott Holcomb just won reelection to his seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. Why should you care? Because his victory has scared the living hell out of Georgia Republicans.
Holcomb won against a heavily stacked deck, against the combined power of the Speaker of the House, the State GOP and a mountain of campaign cash. The victory took coordination with political allies, a disciplined and effective campaign organization and a great deal of personal integrity. Importantly, he won by projecting a set of values that come directly from his military experience. The race is a model for progressives who are trying to claw back to relevance in states like Georgia, where the Republicans hold all the levers of power.
Here’s the background. Holcomb, a former JAG officer, first ran for office in Georgia in 2006. He jumped into a crowded field competing for the office of Secretary of State. It was a bold move. He didn’t win, but he ran a spirited campaign and caught the attention of some of Georgia’s political elites, including former U.S. Senators Cleland and Fowler, and former Governor Roy Barnes. Holcomb worked that political network for the next several years. In 2010, in the sort of break that President Obama enjoyed in his early career, Scott got a walk-over victory to take a seat in the Georgia House. As an effective freshman and a media darling, both parties identified him as a rising star. In Georgia, where very few Democratic candidates pose any sort of threat to Republican hegemony, Holcomb’s appeal made him a marked man. Perhaps with the exception of U.S. Rep John Barrow, Scott was the single biggest trophy Georgia Republicans wanted to harvest on election night. He not only escaped, Holcomb emerged stronger than ever before. - Truman Project
Holcomb's name even appears on the White House website where Holcomb praised President Obama's commitment to the military and those that served:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...
Just before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, I received an email from my father. A combat veteran from Vietnam, my father was a quiet man who did not write much, but what he did write was important. It was, “Look after your fellow soldiers and you’ll be ok.”
Looking out for each other is a core value for those who serve, and the President and First Lady understand this. I had the honor of meeting with the President and First Lady during their visit with the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart and time and time again they said to the soldiers, veterans, and their families: “we’ve got your backs.”
The First Lady deserves much credit for her work looking after military families. She understands the sacrifices that families must endure, particularly when service members are deployed. Consequently, she is a staunch advocate for military families and Joining Forces, which is an initiative that she and Dr. Jill Biden are championing to help soldiers and their families.
The President has rightly made looking after soldiers and veterans a key focus of his administration. He brought the war in Iraq to a responsible end. He has boosted resources to the Veterans Administration. He has urged employment opportunities for veterans in the private sector and increased federal government hiring of veterans. And he has promoted educational opportunities, particularly through the Post 9-11 GI Bill. He believes, as I do, that education is the pathway to the middle class and that the Post 9-11 GI Bill can have as strong of an impact on our nation as the original GI Bill did. Along the way, he wants to make sure that veterans get a fair deal, and that’s why he signed an Executive Order at Fort Stewart to protect veterans by stopping misleading and deceptive practices by educational institutions that target soldiers, veterans and their families.
Soldiers, veterans and their families have each other’s backs. It’s great to know that the President and First Lady have them as well. - whitehouse.gov
Holcomb also is a down to earth kind of guy who likes to reach out to his constituents to help draft green legislation:
http://northdruidhills.patch.com/...
State Rep. Scott Holcomb, D-Atlanta, is hoping to start a discussion on 'green' initiatives and projects in his House District 81.
Entitled Green 81, Holcomb said, "I believe in sustainable practices and I want to promote them. I’d like us to have an ongoing discussion about how we can make our community more sustainable."
Holcomb is calling for tips and suggestions to be sent to Green81@repscottholcomb.com. - 1/22/13
And unlike John Barrow, Holcomb isn't a gun nut. Georgia state legislators actually proposed a law to arm teachers in schools:
http://www.newstimes.com/...
Several legislators asked about concerns that arming administrators could drive up liability insurance for schools. Others wondered whether systems would expose themselves to civil liability if they had the option to arm school officials and chose not to.
The most skeptical questions came from Atlanta Democrats who talked of the possibility that the weapons could end up in the hands of students. "If it's not going to ensure we have no more tragedies, then what are we doing?" asked Rep. Scott Holcomb. - Associated Press, 2/5/13
Holcomb's positions on the issues prove that he is populist, center-left Democrat. On taxes, he supports lowering the personal income tax rate from the current 6 percent to 4 percent by 2014 and he supports eliminate the sales tax exemption on groceries. On job creation, Holcomb believes that government can create an environment for job creation:
The key is to recognize that jobs will grow where private industry sees a path to long-term prosperity. Government's role is to set the table so that the private sector finds Georgia worth its investment.
The approach to fixing our employment problem must be multi-pronged and flexible. The most effective approach is to combine a fair and business-friendly tax system with a government that is committed to maintaining a high quality of life for Georgia families. Employers will readily invest in Georgia if they find communities where employees are already trained and work ready, where transportation systems are efficient and effective, where water and power are abundant, where the environment is clean and where adequate health resources are present.
It is with a comprehensive approach to dealing with the issue of jobs—focusing not only on providing economic incentives for businesses to locate to Georgia, but also quality of life incentives for employees—that we will retain the jobs we have and continue to grow the new jobs we need. - repscottholcomb.com
Holcomb is also big supporter of improving our public schools, especially since the 82nd district is home to the DeKalb County Board of Education. Holcomb supports the following initiatives for improving education:
- restoring state funding to eliminate teacher furloughs and return class size to previous levels
- recruiting and retaining outstanding teachers, and providing those teachers with the support they need to be effective
- re-instating compensation for National Board Certified Teachers
- allowing parents to have a strong voice in crucial aspects of their children's education
- facilitating effectiveness on the part of the DeKalb County Board of Education - repscottholcomb.com
Holcomb is also a supporter of comprehensive immigration reform and believes immigration reform should be tailored by the federal government and not by the states. You can watch his statement here:
You can read more about House Bill 87 here:
http://immigrationreformnow.org/...
Bluestate Georgia did an excellent summary of the type of Democrat we need to run in 2014:
http://bluestategeorgia.tumblr.com/...
In the primary, we should not accept a consensus blue dog, neither should we go for broke. The candidate needs to be moderately progressive. We don’t have to settle for a blue dog, and in fact it would not energize the progressives needed to build a ground game. On the other hand we have to choose a candidate who can make a good run for middle class votes. - Bluestate Georgia, 1/25/13
I think Holcomb perfectly fits that description hence why I believe he is our idea candidate.
Now I know Holcomb is young but Senator Sam Nunn (D. GA) was 35 when he ran for office. Holcomb is smart, charismatic, has experience fighting back against Republican swfitboat attacks and can energize the Georgia Democratic Party. There's certainly signs that the Georgia Democratic Party is in store for a glorious comeback and Holcomb is that fresh face the party needs. Even President Obama can sense it and Georgia Democrats are getting very excited about his upcoming visit to Atlanta:
http://atlantadailyworld.com/...
Many believe that the president's visit is part of a long-term strategy by Democrats to win the state of Georgia in the 2016 election. The visit may also be part of a strategy to make a play for the Senate seat that will be vacated in 2014 by Saxby Chambliss.
Chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, Mike Berlon said Friday that the President's appearance in Atlanta is part of a plan to help bolster the party in its quest to turn Georgia from a Red state into a Purple or Blue state in the next two election cycles.
"It's huge for us," Berlon told WXIA. :I mean, we know that in 2014 and into 2016, Georgia's going to be in play. And this is just the beginning, I think, of a lot of visits to Georgia to help turn the state Blue..... We know the next two targeted states are North Carolina and Georgia. If you win North Carolina and Georgia in 2016, that's a combined 33 electoral votes. If that happens, there's almost no chance they'll elect a Republican nationally to the presidency in my lifetime."
Berlon said that even though President Obama did not win Georgia in 2012, "The President got 45.5 percent of the vote here with very little help from the national party. And the President's people are very smart people, they understand both issues and politics, so we're really excited to have him here. They recognize the significance of the state, and I think that now that the election is over, they're on to making sure that we win in the future."
Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed recently said told a group of journalists at the Atlanta Press Club that Georgia was on "an irreversible path to a Democratic majority" largely because of the changing demographics of the state. - Atlanta Daily World, 2/11/13
I can understand why John Barrow is considered a strong candidate by the pundits because he was able to get a large African American electorate and conservative white gun owners to both vote for him. I honestly can't think of anyone other Democrat who can do what Barrow did and pull off a win. But the Republicans are still making Barrow a top target for 2014 so Barrow might be focused on securing his seat. Then again, he could always follow former Congressman and current Senator Joe Donnelly's (D. IN) lead and give up his seat in exchange for a higher office but we shall see. But Holcomb has a likeable personality and the fact that he was able to successfully fight of Republican attacks, especially after becoming a top target by the party. If Holcomb can overcome such disgusting attacks, he'll be ready for whatever shit the Republicans throw his way. Especially if he goes up against Broun.
With Holcomb as a candidate, Georgia has a chance to make history. Holcomb's candidacy would give Georgia voters a chance to redeem themselves for falling for Chambliss' swift boating propaganda by electing the first Iraq War Veteran to the United States Senate. My only concern about plucking Holcomb from the state house to run for the U.S. Senate is would we be denying Georgia a smart and honest legislator because right now, they need seriously need smart men like Holcomb. But then again, the U.S. Senate is also lacking smart men and a Holcomb and there is nothing sweeter than beating Republicans on their home turf.