Ok, I'm not going to lie. I've been thinking about just holding my noise and accept the fact that Blue Dog Congressman John Barrow (D. GA-12) is our best shot at winning the Georgia Senate Race. I know, I know, I sighed heavily about that too and there is a strong persuasive argument to suppotr Barrow:
http://www.ajc.com/...
“I think he’s seriously considering it. I think he understands that a whole lot of things would have to come together for him to do it,” said Tom Bordeaux, a former state lawmaker and Savannah attorney whose friendship with Barrow stretches back 40 years to the University of Georgia.
Bordeaux likes to think of Barrow as a Republican creation who could come back to haunt the GOP. Three times Republicans have tried to draw Barrow out of his southeast Georgia district.
“The Republicans meant it for evil, to put Barrow in three different districts,” Bordeaux said. “And guess what? He’s represented more of Georgia than anybody else but the dang governor. They put him in Savannah, they put him in Athens, and they’ve put him in Augusta now. And he’s got connections in all of those areas.”
Democratic chances will depend in part on whom Republicans nominate — and how far the GOP contest is pushed to the right by the likes of U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, R-Athens.
“Everything being timing in politics, the Democrats' chances are enhanced based on who the Republicans nominate. And the Republicans would agree with this,” said Steve Anthony, who teaches political science at Georgia State University. He dropped in on one of Barrow’s sessions last week. - Atlanta Journal Constitutional, 4/3/13
We've gone through all the other possible choices. Max Cleland doesn't want to do it. Kassim Reed is too focused on being mayor of Atlanta. Scott Holcomb and Jason Carter aren't interested. No real word from Thubert Baker and Michael Thurmond on this. Vernon Jones would be worse than Barrow. So who else is there? The Democratic Party of Georgia finally has a shot to wake up and take Cleland's old seat back from the party that swiftboated him with this ad:
As many of you know, my strong hatred for Saxby Chambliss (R. GA) made me get interested in this race:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
But then I came across a new name (at least to me) and I liked what was written about her:
The other is Michelle Nunn, Sam’s daughter. Michelle Nunn isn’t as far along in her exploration of the race, we understand. She has much in common with Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the Democrat who will now face former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford in a coastal congressional race that will end May 2.
Both women are political novices, with experience in both the business and nonprofit sectors. Both have relatives who poll well in their respective states. And now that he’s retired, Sam Nunn — when he is not warning of nuclear terrorism — can be just as funny as Stephen Colbert. - Atlanta Journal Constitutional, 4/3/13
So I decided to look up the daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn (D. GA) to see what makes her qualified to run for the vacant Senate besides her family connections. Here's what I found:
http://www.pointsoflight.org/...
Michelle Nunn is the CEO of Points of Light and co-founder of HandsOn Network. Points of Light inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. Michelle began her service journey when she helped found HandsOn Atlanta in 1989. What began as a grassroots startup of 12 individuals hoping to get more people involved in volunteer service has grown into the largest volunteer network in the country, working each day to connect 21st century volunteers with their power to create change in their communities.
At Points of Light, Michelle leads the organization in engaging millions of volunteers each year to use their time, talent, voice and money to solve the pressing issues of our time. Through Points of Light and its three divisions: Programs, Civic Incubator and Action Networks, which include HandsOn Network, the largest network of 250 local volunteer centers across the country and around the world; generationOn, the youth service movement that ignites the power of kids to make their mark on the world; AmeriCorps Alums, the national service alumni network that activates the next generation of service leaders; and Points of Light Corporate Institute, our enterprise that enables companies to engage their employees and customers in service, individuals, families, and corporate and community groups find meaningful opportunities to give back and create impact.
Michelle has been a leader in the service and nonprofit sector for two decades. She has served on the President’s Council on Service and Civic Engagement and as a co-convener of the Service Nation Coalition and Re-Imagining Service. She has received a variety of awards, including the Fast Company Social Capitalist Award and honorary degrees from Oglethorpe University and Wesleyan College. The NonProfit Times has named Michelle to its annual “Power and Influence Top 50” list of change agents from the nonprofit sector for four consecutive years.
She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Virginia with a major in history and a minor in religion. She has studied at Oxford University and in India. She was a Kellogg National Fellow and has a master’s degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Michelle lives in Atlanta with her husband, Ron Martin, and their two children, Vinson and Elizabeth. - pointsoflight.org
GA Pundit brings up some valid points about what Nunn has to bring to the table as a candidate:
http://gapundit.com/...
But it should give Republicans pause to consider what a Nunn candidacy would bring to the table for Democrats.
A recognizable name statewide
Likely connections to well-heeled Atlantans through her work with Hands On Atlanta
Likely connections to wells of DC political money through her father, former
United States Senator Sam Nunn
No real political history, a tabula rasa. - GA Pundit, 2/6/13
All good points but of course it comes down to if Nunn wants to follow in her father's foot steps. According to this Tweet, she is:
So I don't like Barrow but I am convinced that he would make a strong candidate and I am willing to hold my nose and get behind him. Michelle Nunn is a candidate I would like to get behind but I need to know how serious she is and how she would campaign. A crowded, nasty primary is bound to happen on the GOP side. I don't want a nasty primary on our side because the GOP's infighting will benefit our chances of taking this seat. But I'd like to see Nunn give it a go. Even if she doesn't win the nominee, I'd like to see her put up a fight with Barrow. Maybe she can get Barrow to at least fight for the more progressive Georgia Democratic voters. We shall have to see.