Poll Position: Who is GOP’s best choice for U.S. Senate?
There’s been a lot of speculation for some time now about who in the Georgia GOP might challenge U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss in a primary when he’s up for re-election in 2014. That speculation owes to a couple of issues on which he’s strayed from the main Republican Party line, most recently and notably with his openness to revenue increases via his work with the Gang of Six in the Senate.
Who is the GOP's best choice for U.S. Senate?
- The incumbent, Saxby Chambliss (217 Votes)
- Someone else (92 Votes)
- Tom Price (42 Votes)
- Paul Broun (25 Votes)
- Tom Graves (13 Votes)
Total Voters: 389
Loading ...The buzz grew last week after Congressman Tom Price lost his bid for a higher position in the House GOP leadership ranks (to Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington). Adding to the intrigue surrounding Price is the fact Speaker John Boehner, a friend of Chambliss’s, backed McMorris Rodgers.
In an article posted last night, Roll Call suggests another possible challenger to Chambliss is Congressman Paul Broun of Athens. Another tea-party favorite, Rep. Tom Graves, is also sometimes mentioned.
The thinking among Georgia politicos is that if one person jumps into the primary, others will follow. But who would be the best choice? Or is the best choice the man who already holds the office?
That’s this week’s Poll Position question (I realize it’s not Friday, but I will not be in the office this Friday). The question is not who will run, but who would be the best choice for the job, keeping in mind that we’re only talking about Republicans this time and will deal with potential Democratic statewide candidates another day. Answer in the nearby poll and in the comments thread below.
(Note: While voting continues apace, all comments will be going through moderation now through my return to the office on Monday. Have a happy Thanksgiving!)
– By Kyle Wingfield
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195 comments Add your comment
Hillbilly D
November 20th, 2012
7:49 pm
I know some folks in their 80’s who’ll quickly point out to you that Gene Talmadge started the school lunch program. They haven’t forgotten.
Ole skool
November 20th, 2012
7:49 pm
Cc
You are one of those brainwashed souls that reside on both sides of the political spectrum, that only speak of “reaping what one sows” when you think an issue fits your narrative..
Your pores ooozzzzze hypocrisy
Hillbilly D
November 20th, 2012
7:50 pm
Why does it always have to be a retread?
What the world needs is more treads. (IW&SH)
Ole skool
November 20th, 2012
7:54 pm
Didn’t say the Talmedge’s didn’t do anything for the state, did I?
I said their racists tendencies prevented them for doing more than they could have done. White wash it all you like but you know the truth.
They were bigots and if you excuses it because of the times, it says much about you. If you don’t excuse it then please accept my aplogy.
md
November 20th, 2012
7:56 pm
Yes, I know the election is over, but this guy explains the moral/christian side of obamacare about as well as I’ve heard it:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/rEM4NKXK-iA?feature=player_detailpage
And no, I’m not very religious, but I’ve heard that real christians are supposed to help the “poor” by default……
Dave
November 20th, 2012
7:57 pm
CC, your 7:40 comment is interesting. I’m not a Dem but for the most part vote for them because your guys that you aren’t in love with are my other choice. Like you, I have principles. I won’t vote for anyone that denigrates other people be it based on race, creed, gender or ethnicity – you know, those pesky first ten amendments. I won’t vote for people that want to strip us of our humanity – they’ve got theirs, quite probably partially at the expense of the lower economic folks and they’ll be damned if they are giving any of “theirs” to help anyone else. There’s more; but, you get the idea. I think my political principles are opposite of prostituting my soul as you put it. But, the nice thing is until the revolution, we get to say what we want to say.
@@
November 20th, 2012
7:59 pm
More treads, Hillbilly???
hisssssssssssssssss
md
November 20th, 2012
8:06 pm
“they’ve got theirs, quite probably partially at the expense of the lower economic folks and they’ll be damned if they are giving any of “theirs” to help anyone else”
Yet the morally superior stance allows one to tell those that “got theirs” what they are supposed to do with it…….
Painting with a broad brush is unhelpful on both extremes, I’d hazard to guess that many that “got theirs” did it through hard work and long hours……and of course choices.
Ole skool
November 20th, 2012
8:06 pm
Hillbilly
Would you say the Talmedge’s during the height of their power and influence were working for civil rights of minorities or working to keep the status quo?
Glenn Beck
November 20th, 2012
8:10 pm
md
Haven’t heard much lately on the St Lucie County “alleged voter fraud”.
Got any news for us?
Hillbilly D
November 20th, 2012
8:11 pm
Ole skool
They were politicians; they were doing what they thought they needed to do to stay in power, which was the status quo. You should at least spell their name correctly, though.
md
November 20th, 2012
8:13 pm
Yep, West dropped it…..but it still smells fishy considering the recount that was done produced a totally different result than when the cards were run the first time…..same cards mind you.
That should be of concern to most everyone, as voting is an ongoing process, and we get to do it all again year after year………
Dave
November 20th, 2012
8:13 pm
md, I’m one the one’s that for the most part “has his.” I’m not at all rich and I worked for what I’ve got. I don’t think I’m morally superior, or acting as if I was for lecturing people that think they can skate around more and more people in our country, not mention around the world, that are on an economic edge. Forget morality, when you lose the consent of the governed, if you are running things, you find yourself not running things. See our Revolutionary War, various Arab Spring events and a few revolutions in between.
Ole skool
November 20th, 2012
8:16 pm
Hilbilly
They were bigots and racists. They do not deserve my respect to spell their name correctly. That is inconsequential to the point.
Glenn Beck
November 20th, 2012
8:19 pm
md
I told you 5 minutes after you posted your original piece that it was crap. The numbers you posted were easily found to be twisted by the right leaning media that was pushing it.
Even on Fox, it was only the pundits who was pushing that non story, not their non editorialized news. That should have been your clue, besides Governor Scott not saying much either.
Glenn Beck
November 20th, 2012
8:27 pm
HillBilly
If their God is a “just” God, they will answer for their racism and bigotry. Telling him it was just part of the times and politics will not be a pass or an answer they will want to provide.
Hillbilly D
November 20th, 2012
8:28 pm
Glenn Beck
Everybody faces their judgement. It’s between them and God.
Ole skool
November 20th, 2012
8:29 pm
Glenn
Thanks for the comments. Sometimes the truth must be said, even when it isnlt comfortable.
Glenn Beck
November 20th, 2012
8:31 pm
Hillbilly
Well I say their God, because he isn’t my God. But if he is “just”, they will not be given a pass for putting down people because they didn’t have the same skin color.
CC
November 20th, 2012
8:34 pm
Ole skool:
I speak mostly of the south simply because I have more knowledge of it than other parts of the country. Many white people saw the hypocrisy and inequity of “the system” whereby black people were discriminated against simply because of their color. These people read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and marveled that slavery could have ever been allowed to exist. These people, for the most part, did not march, sing songs, carry signs or step in front of a television camera (after television was invented) but worked quietly and behind-the-scenes for change. They worked in their communities, in their churches, in their counties and within their own families, and they did effect change. These people did not seek attention or acclamation for their efforts, and that is a good thing because they certainly have received neither.
Ole Skool
November 20th, 2012
8:34 pm
I doubt saying that I started the “school lunch program” is going to be a “get of of jail” pass for willingly participating and benefiting off of institutional and individual racists actions.
Ole Skool
November 20th, 2012
8:38 pm
CC
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
And for the record: I was born, raised and live right here in GA.
Ole Skool
November 20th, 2012
8:43 pm
cc
MLK was speaking directly to that mindset you speak about in your 8:34 post
md
November 20th, 2012
8:43 pm
All a matter of perspective about the “crap” Beck, I’m sure when the shoe is on the other foot it will look more like something fishy…… but, 2 totally different results when running the same cards through the system may surely be a bunch of crap.
As I said, it’s something we should all be concerned with as the pendulum does swing……
CC
November 20th, 2012
8:46 pm
Ole Skool@8:38 pm:
These people I wrote of were making their “stands at times of challenge and controversy”, and these “good people” were not silent. They were going about their efforts as they had before: quietly, constantly and without fanfare.
Glenn Beck
November 20th, 2012
8:47 pm
Again, look who was pushing the story. It was crap. You are welcome to spin it and justify it all you like.
The original stories which mentioned the over voting, which I debunked in short fashion was your clue. If I could figure out in less than 5 minutes the votes and cards casts issue, why was it not mentioned in the right leaning articles that were pushing the story?
md
November 20th, 2012
8:48 pm
” Forget morality, when you lose the consent of the governed, if you are running things, you find yourself not running things. See our Revolutionary War, various Arab Spring events and a few revolutions in between.”
Our prisons have been overflowing for quite some time now with those that choose not to participate……and it hasn’t much mattered who is in office. But I contend that with the tax and spend mentality, it will get worse, not better. Once more are addicted to the freebies, they don’t give them up too easily…..a la greece.
Apparently, appeasement didn’t work to well either………
Glenn Beck
November 20th, 2012
8:49 pm
cc
if you were not standing up an speaking out against those injustices and possibly voting for politicians that were pushing those injustices…….. you were part of the problem.
Was that all people? Nope
But again
“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
md
November 20th, 2012
8:51 pm
“The original stories which mentioned the over voting, which I debunked in short fashion was your clue.”
I think you are clueless to the actual history down there by your comments…..there WAS a problem with the voting, maybe not to the extent that Tibs link was pushing, but to discount the problem as you seem to be doing is mighty dangerous……….
Ole skool
November 20th, 2012
8:52 pm
CC
Glenn beat me to it, but you are either part of the solution or part of the problem.
This gray area you seem to be comfortable in, is surely your choice, but it doesn’t change the facts.
If you and your family were part of those working for change, I tip my hat to you.
Either way, everyone have a great holiday weekend.
Ole skool
November 20th, 2012
8:56 pm
md
History in terms of the recent election? You either can show fraud as Tibs and yourself were alluding or you can’t.
West and his lawyers came up empty. Maybe you have something that can help them out.
And you damn well know that numerous right leaning articles were using the votes casts without mentioning the cards casts as a way to fuel the fire. They were looking for sheep (you) to not do their homework and take the bait. Both of you did.
If you are not able to acknowledge that you are more clueless than I thought the day I made quick work of that crap you and Tibs posted.
Dave
November 20th, 2012
8:58 pm
md, so you figure you are screwed unless you put the hammer down on those not amenable to appeasement?
md
November 20th, 2012
9:04 pm
Dave…..I think we all need to learn to live with our choices……I too have mine but not nearly as much as I’d like, but I also understand that I put myself where I am.
The classic example of the problem exists with the Bush tax cuts….we all got one, but many have no problem calling for others to give theirs back without first offering up their own as well…….THAT is the problem.
JDW
November 20th, 2012
9:35 pm
@Md….”there WAS a problem with the voting”
There was no voting problem. There was one bad summary page and one bad memory card. You, Tiberuis and the rest did nothing but manufacture COMPLETLY unsubstantiated ghost stories.
Khalid
November 20th, 2012
9:57 pm
For years Saxby has stymied the efforts of the government to round up and deport the non-traditional tourists who pick crops for his south Georgia farmer constituents. Based on that alone he does not deserve to represent us in the Senate.
Buzzy
November 20th, 2012
11:24 pm
I think Kyle has finally gone over the edge. The Republicans just take a humiliating loss in the national election, and Kyle thinks it’s a great idea go to to the Right of Saxby with an ultra-Right Wing candidate.
My hat is off to Saxby Chamblis for at least trying to act like a statesman, and look out for the overall good of your country. We need more people like him in Congress.
I certainly don’t agree with everything Saxby does. I’m a Democrat. But I have to say that Sen. Chambliss is willing to act like a statesman and reach across on some issues, and I give him credit for that.
But I’ll play along with Kyle for a minute. What about Nathan Deal? When I look at Nathan Deal and just get the feel of the man he just oozes Republican. Sort of a used car salesman meets big business; use God to make a buck type. (Use anyone to make a buck type.)
Yeah, Deal is definitely the Republican paradigm for Georgia.
ODD OWL
November 21st, 2012
12:44 am
I heard a rumor that Herr Paul “T Rex” Broun will ride on the back of a dinosaur in the Christmas parade this year… I’m not sure whether its a fake dinosaur or a real one… Georgia is turning Democrat blue fast.. Broun could very well lose his House seat in 2014…
ODD OWL
November 21st, 2012
12:49 am
Saxby Chambliss have seen the writing on the wall and he’s positioning himself in the middle in an attempt to persuade Democrat voters to vote for him in 2014…
Just Saying..
November 21st, 2012
3:12 am
After reading the comments from the regular socialist democrats homesteading on Kyle’s blog, maybe in another 100 years they’ll figure it out.
Dems have made their decision. They’ll run the US, let you have the Confederacy…
Moon Mullins
November 21st, 2012
5:12 am
Politics has been defined as the art of compromise and compromise is a situation wherein no one gets everything they want, but everybody get some of what they want. It’s a pitiful state where one gets punished for trying to do the right thing.
As far as those like Paul Broun, well, I can’t imagine him being elected to any political office with his backward, anti-science, religious rantings. He’s an embarrassment not only to the state of Georgia but to the human race.
Maybe one day, some day, political leaders will be elected based upon their rationality and not one their belief in the supernatural and superstitions! Probably won’t happen in my lifetime, but it’s certainly a pleasant thought.
marko
November 21st, 2012
5:31 am
This reminds me of the time that the folks in Indiana decided that Richard Lugar wasn’t crazy enough.
JohnnyReb
November 21st, 2012
7:53 am
I see we have at least two posters who think I am dumb enough to run for Senate. These are demostrations of Lefties who put themselves on pedestals and just know they are correct about everything. They are also often historically illiterate. But, it really comes down to the name.
Anyone with the moniker JohnnyReb has to be dumb racist bigot homophobe among other terms of endearment. It never occurs to the Statists why one choose such a handle. They are probably imports as well, or worse than that, don’t even live in Georgia. They also think that Repbulicans, like them, support every single policy ever put in place by Repbulicans. Now that is truly dumb.
Attack Dog
November 21st, 2012
7:53 am
Of all the possibilities, Paul Broun most identifies with Dixiecrats. For those who do not want to cling to their origins, make that Dixiecans.
CC
November 21st, 2012
8:13 am
“These are demostrations of Lefties who put themselves on pedestals and just know they are correct about everything”
Point out just a single example of any leftist who does not “put themselves on pedestals and just know they are correct about everything”?
St Simons
November 21st, 2012
8:21 am
The resurgent Georgia Democrats’ 2014 campaign is –
BOOTaKOOK – Vote Democrat
smile for the camera, Georgia republicans, you’re world famous
JohnnyReb
November 21st, 2012
8:28 am
BootaKook – the problem for the Left is, the majority here view them as the kooks.
Mr. Dithers
November 21st, 2012
8:29 am
Leftists who just know they are correct about everything? I thought he made a mistake and was trying to reference Lil’ Barry Baby and Ragweed and the other cons who are always right, even when they aren’t. LBB hasn’t met an idea or comment that he can’t dismiss with what I can only imagine is what he thinks is a pithy, witty comeback. Both sides have more than their fair share of ranters and ravers who are never wrong. Until we stop listening to them and start listening to the rational middle, we will continue to wade through the morass that is politics today. We should be isolated the far right and left, not idolizing them. There are way more of us in the middle than on or outside the fringes. Time to start making ourselves heard.
Mr. Dithers
November 21st, 2012
8:30 am
sorry, isolating, not isolated.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 21st, 2012
8:35 am
Yep: that free cell phones program was created by Reagan and enhanced under Clinton and Bush… do yourself a favor and get an education
———
There were cell phones and texting during the Reagan administration?
In any case, why do you think we care who started this handout program? Oh, right, you’re part of the People magazine, American Idol, party over country generation of idiot Democrat voter.
Try voting based on principles rather than personality. That way, the country won’t suck and be headed into the sewer the way it is now.
Nobody knows
November 21st, 2012
8:39 am
“Oh, right, you’re part of the People magazine, American Idol, party over country generation of idiot Democrat voter.”
Translation: I am a bitter little man and the election just heightened those feelings.