Your morning jolt: ‘I might not agree with repeal and start over’ on health care, says Phil Gingrey

At least a few Republicans have begun parsing what they mean when they call for the repeal of the new health care law.

On Tuesday, in a CNN interview, U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Marietta) admitted there were portions of the legislation he likes – including the provision that would allow parents to carry their offspring on their insurance until age 26.

Said Gingrey:

“When we say start over, we don’t mean throw everything out – throw out the baby with the bath water. We mean, take the best of this bill and combine it with our ideas like buying insurance across state lines and equalizing the tax treatment and creating high-risk pools.

“Of course, all of the language regarding electronic medical records I’m in favor of. So I might not fully agree with completely repealing and starting over.”

Here’s the clip, posted on YouTube by the liberal group ThinkProgress:

Former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich and Gov. Sonny Perdue will have a joint press conference on health care at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Expect them both to press a constitutional challenge to the new law.

Immediately after the Sunday night vote on health care, U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal resigned his seat in Congress to campaign full-time for governor.

By leaving, Deal put an end to a House ethics investigation into whether he used his office to help preserve an auto salvage business he owned.

But this morning, Roll Call newspaper reports that Deal very likely knew the results of the ethics inquiry before he left:

Although the OCE — which reviews suspected rules violations and recommends investigations to the House ethics committee — does not comment on specific complaints, it does release statistical reports on its work.

According to its most recent report, OCE investigators opened only one new inquiry in the last half of 2009. That investigation began in October — the Journal-Constitution reported in December that state records showed OCE investigators contacted a state office in October — and appears to have ended its second and final phase in late December.

Under its rules, whenever the OCE completes a second-phase review, it must issue a report to the ethics committee recommending the panel either conduct its own investigation or dismiss the allegations. The OCE must also provide a copy of the report — a one-page document detailing the focus of its investigation and its recommendation to the ethics committee — to the subject of the review.

U.S. Rep. John Barrow (D-Savannah) has some quick bridge-building to do, thanks to his vote against the health care overhaul on Sunday. This from Larry Peterson at the Savannah Morning News:

Resentment is seething among black political leaders against Democratic U.S. Rep. John Barrow after his vote against a major health care bill….

At least two black state lawmakers who backed the Savannah congressman in 2008 – or were neutral – now favor Regina Thomas, his July 20 primary election foe….

More than 60 percent of the people who will vote in the Democratic primary in his 12th Congressional District are expected to be black.

State Rep. Bob Bryant, D-Garden City, who backed Barrow two years ago, has endorsed Thomas. So has state Rep. Mickey Stephens, D-Savannah, who didn’t take sides when Thomas, who is black, ran – and lost – against Barrow in 2008.

Meanwhile, state Rep. Craig Gordon, D-Savannah – also neutral in 2008 – said he’s now less likely to support Barrow….

We thought things had become a little too quiet in the aftermath of state Sen. Don Balfour’s sudden decision to pull out of the 7th District congressional race – and politics altogether.

Rob Woodall, the former chief of staff to the retiring U.S. Rep. John Linder, will announce his GOP candidacy to replace his old boss this morning. Woodall is to discuss the race today on WSB (750AM) with Neal Boortz at 9:30 a.m.

State Sen. Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville) on Tuesday announced his resignation from the Legislature to concentrate on the April 27 election to choose a successor to U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal.

State Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ranger) resigned on Monday as he qualified for the 9th District race.

Former state Sen. Bill Stephens of Young Harris also announced he would qualify for the special election. Stephens has less money than either Graves or Hawkins, but a four-week sprint is fertile ground for an upset – especially in a fractured Republican field.

Given that Dr. Chris Cates of Blairsville issued a press release this morning, slamming Graves (or Hawkins – it’s not clear) for resigning his seat, we assume he’s in the April race, too.

The non-partisan 9th District election will include a single Democrat: Mike Freeman. The laws of unpredictability apply to him, too.

My AJC colleague Mary Lou Pickel reports that Cobb County will hold a special election on July 20 — the date of the general primary — to select a new chairman of the county commission. That is, if Sam Olens resigns, as expected, at the end of this month. The only declared candidate for Olens’ job is Tim Lee, who represents northeast Cobb.

Olens is a Republican candidate for attorney general. So far, his only primary opposition is Max Wood, the former U.S. attorney for middle Georgia. Jason Pye, the Libertarian blogger, just posted this podcast with Wood.

A new movie entitled “Selma” is in the works. This morning, on his Facebook page, former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young talks about who’ll play him:

What people don’t realize about the civil rights movement is that we really were just kids. By the time of the Selma march in 1965, I was only 32. Although I do like him, Lenny Kravitz is 46, the age I was when I was U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter.