Bob Barr contemplating a run against Tom Graves – and a return to Congress?
From the GOP grapevine: Former Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr has told friends that he’s contemplating an attempted return to Congress – and a return to the Republican fold.
Barr, a longtime resident of Cobb County, would challenge U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger – a tea party favorite. In August, the Legislature redrew Graves’ district to include heavily populated Floyd and Paulding counties – which now make up 38 percent of the electorate.
Barr has told acquaintances that he would move to Paulding. We put a call into his office this morning, but have not heard back. However, Barr has a Saturday, Oct. 22 appearance before a Paulding County tea party group called “We The People.”
Barr has been out of Congress for nearly a decade. After his district was injected with a substantial number of Democrats in 2001, the four-term Barr decided to challenge U.S. Rep. John Linder, R-Duluth, in an August 2002 primary. Barr lost.
Phil Gingrey, R-Marietta, stepped into Barr’s district and has held it ever since.
As a Republican, Barr was a fervent barn-burner – and helped lead the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. But after leaving Congress, he joined the Libertarian party, becoming its presidential nominee in 2008.
In the process, Barr campaigned against what he saw were excesses of the Patriot Act, and has argued for an end to the Defense of Marriage Act – which he once sponsored, and which allows states to ignore the marriages of gay couples permitted elsewhere.
From a 2009 op-ed piece:
In effect, DOMA’s language reflects one-way federalism: It protects only those states that don’t want to accept a same-sex marriage granted by another state. Moreover, the heterosexual definition of marriage for purposes of federal laws – including, immigration, Social Security survivor rights and veteran’s benefits – has become a de facto club used to limit, if not thwart, the ability of a state to choose to recognize same-sex unions.
Even more so now than in 1996, I believe we need to reduce federal power over the lives of the citizenry and over the prerogatives of the states. It truly is time to get the federal government out of the marriage business. In law and policy, such decisions should be left to the people themselves.
Two Republicans already have expressed interest in challenging Graves: Steve Tarvin of Chickamauga, who ran against Graves last year, and Jerry Shearin, the former Paulding County commission chairman.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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63 comments Add your comment
CobbGOPer
October 14th, 2011
11:53 am
Please, please, please do it! I agree with where Bob’s politics have evolved in his time away from DC. Even if he runs as a Republican, he will be a common-sense, libertarian-oriented Republican.
Do it, Bob! I’ll volunteer for you in Paulding! It’s two minutes down the road from me!
Retired Solider
October 14th, 2011
12:03 pm
Not from that district, but, Barr teaming up with the ACLU. That would make it impossible to win a republican primary. Barr left the reservation a long time ago.
Use Your Head
October 14th, 2011
12:08 pm
Retired Solider:
If you actually looked into what the ACLU does you be pleasantly surprised that it is not the far left, destroy America organization that the radio commentators tell you it is. Barr’s affiliation with the ACLU has made sense given Barr’s strong libertarian leanings. Think independently and critically for a change
Tom "they knew I couldn't pay it back" Graves
October 14th, 2011
12:08 pm
Yeah bring it on – Bob isn’t real smart he let me borrow money one time.
CobbGOPer
October 14th, 2011
12:11 pm
Go for it, Tom. Bob Barr is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and he’ll eat your lunch if he can raise the money to compete.
Tom
October 14th, 2011
12:15 pm
I like the idea, given the increasing sense of libertarian (small “L”) thinking within the GOP….a good thing, btw.
M. D. Johnson
October 14th, 2011
12:19 pm
Well, Mr. Graves has been pretty embarassing so far so I am sure a real challenge woudl be welcomed by many in the district. Especially in Floyd County.
Buddy Darden
October 14th, 2011
12:25 pm
Maybe I’ll decide to throw my hat back in the ring!
Tom
October 14th, 2011
12:25 pm
Re: ACLU…
Just last week, the ACLU of Nebraska sided with a 12-year-old girl who was told she couldn’t wear a rosary-like necklace to school.
Senator Gravley
October 14th, 2011
12:25 pm
Please do it Bob, we need more of your politics!
Ringgold Rickey
October 14th, 2011
12:26 pm
You got my vote Bobby!
Jose
October 14th, 2011
12:27 pm
Bob chose to leave the Republicans at the very time we were building a foundation to assume political majorities. Now that we have assumed a position of political strength, Bob wants to come back. Where were you when we needed you, Bob?
Pancho Via
October 14th, 2011
12:28 pm
The Republican party left him, their ideals were not the same as when Bob got into office!
Jose
October 14th, 2011
12:30 pm
Pancho: Than why on earth would he want to come back?
Pancho Villa
October 14th, 2011
12:32 pm
He’ll bring some class back to the party, something it’s desperately lacking. Maybe he’ll run as a Libertarian!
Barr Supporter in Rome
October 14th, 2011
12:35 pm
GO BOB!!! You got my vote!
Tom
October 14th, 2011
12:36 pm
José, maybe he’s considering a return because of the point I noted above…..the über-right and social-obsessed factions within the GOP are (thankfully!) dwindling. Each new generation within the GOP mainstream is more libertarian than the one before.
Jose
October 14th, 2011
12:37 pm
It is more likely that he is bored and misses the limelight and policy platform that is provided to Members of Congress. I know more than my share and I only know of one…Nathan Deal… who wouldn’t jump at the chance to go back
Obama's mama
October 14th, 2011
12:39 pm
Don’t run, don’t want you in DC with me.
Sgt. Drake Savage
October 14th, 2011
12:42 pm
You are a true American, Bob Barr! Go for it!
Mark
October 14th, 2011
12:44 pm
Wasn’t he voted out of office once?
td
October 14th, 2011
12:48 pm
Maybe it is not a bad idea. We need another good attorney to impeach Obama, just in case he gets re elected, and Barr did a excellent job on Clinton.
redneckbluedog
October 14th, 2011
12:56 pm
As fantastic as it would be to say buh-bye to Tom Graves, the memory of Rep. Barr’s behavior during the Clinton impeachment hearings still disgust me….!!!! Maybe if he and Bill McCollum focused that energy on al Queda, we’d be in a different place right now…
OJ Simpson
October 14th, 2011
12:56 pm
Run Bob, everyone knows I did!
Jeremy North
October 14th, 2011
12:57 pm
Please, we need some true conservatives up in DC.
Ogelsby
October 14th, 2011
12:58 pm
Does anyone know where I can find a good hotel to buy? Possibly just a hotel room for a day or so?
Conga
October 14th, 2011
1:03 pm
What goes around, comes around–and Bob is back for more and ready to make a difference and continue the cause!
Kurtis
October 14th, 2011
1:04 pm
You can put a sign up in my yard!
Barr V Graves? — Peach Pundit
October 14th, 2011
2:16 pm
[...] Galloway has been kind enough to kick off an otherwise slow glide into the weekend with this nugget: From the GOP grapevine: Former Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr has told friends that [...]
Preacherskid
October 14th, 2011
2:57 pm
This would be great. We could use another libertarien/republican like Ron Paul in the congress.
Charles Sineath
October 14th, 2011
3:44 pm
Good news, good news, good news….brother Bob we need you back!
Doug Coughlin
October 14th, 2011
3:51 pm
Coughlin’s Law? Everything ends badly, otherwise it wouldn’t end.
Barr Fan Club
October 14th, 2011
4:01 pm
Barr 2012! Boogity, boogity, boogity, Amen!
honested
October 14th, 2011
4:03 pm
Oglesby,
Wasn’t the idea to turn it into some sort of unregulated nursing home with a cemetery to be built next door?
as for bobbbar the elephant man, apparently nothing is too embarrassing for republiclowns.
War Room Staff
October 14th, 2011
4:03 pm
Whatever it takes, just win baby! Go Bob Go!
Honested Hater
October 14th, 2011
4:05 pm
You’re a clown honested. Bob Barr is just what this country needs now.
Jim Thrasher
October 14th, 2011
4:10 pm
Crack the bubbly, common sense has returned!
Steak Shapiro
October 14th, 2011
4:12 pm
Hey, cha-cha…sounds like a good idea to me! Bring on the general election!
Chuckles
October 14th, 2011
4:14 pm
Kiss those babies, I remember Bob from those July 4th parades over in Marietta! Good man with even better ideas–problem is there are not enough Bob Barr’s!
Jeffro Tull
October 14th, 2011
4:15 pm
Who is Tom Graves anyway?
Birdpoop
October 14th, 2011
4:18 pm
After a 10 year hiatus–welcome back!
Liberty Insider
October 14th, 2011
4:18 pm
Bob was a force to be reckoned with as U.S. Attorney, he was a leader as a Congressman from the old 7th, he doesn’t back down from nobody or nothing. He will fight for what’s right. Not many politicans are like that.
Chuck Clay
October 14th, 2011
4:20 pm
Wow! I never thought I see the day where Bob Barr would come back to politics, and lead this country out of the disaster the democrats and repbulicans have made it.
Ted Nugent
October 14th, 2011
4:23 pm
Bob Barr is my hero! I will his back any day of the week! God bless you Brother Bob!
The Neighbor's
October 14th, 2011
4:24 pm
You have our support! From your softball team.
RangersTwo
October 14th, 2011
4:28 pm
Someone needs to tell Tom Gravy that his gravy train has ended. Bob Barr is back!
Wayne A. Root
October 14th, 2011
4:29 pm
Since I’m a betting man, I would put money on Bob running. He is a true professional and consumate conservative!
Carpets of Dalton
October 14th, 2011
4:32 pm
Bob, we are rolling out the red carpet for you…we’d love to have you represent us!
Katzo
October 14th, 2011
4:34 pm
Why not run?
Axel
October 14th, 2011
4:37 pm
I live here in the 5th district and wish I could get some new leadership? A change of scenary is a good thing.
Hagan B.
October 14th, 2011
4:41 pm
I’m a former Georgia resident, but I wish I lived in the new 14th now. Mr. Barr is just what this country needs.
sho'nuff
October 14th, 2011
5:00 pm
Hey that is a great idea. A Republican Candidate that has morals, Tries to do the right thing. And not an idiot. You go Mr. Bob Barr. Graves could not carry you socks! Good Luck. Or, you might consider A Senatorial job. I hear there is going to be a couple of VACANCIES real soon! Hey, the Senate would in fact be Better! Go for It! How can you JUSTIFY voting against 50,000 JOBS coming to job? Man there will be a vacancy Really Soon!
Chigger Ridge
October 14th, 2011
5:01 pm
I’m here in the new 14th and would welcome Bob with a 21 gun salute! Bob you’ll be a nice change of pace from what we have had up in Washington.
Sanis
October 14th, 2011
5:02 pm
Do it, come on do it…I think his mind is already made up!
Jack
October 14th, 2011
5:06 pm
Barr has a HUGE ego. That’s why he wants to run.
Bob Barr Considers Returning to Congress…As a Republican | Independent Political Report
October 14th, 2011
5:14 pm
[...] nominee, is rumored to be considering a run for the U.S. Congress in Georgia as a Republican. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports: Former Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr has told friends that he’s [...]
Barr V Graves?
October 14th, 2011
6:09 pm
[...] Galloway has been kind enough to kick off an otherwise slow glide into the weekend with this nugget: From the GOP grapevine: Former Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr has told friends that [...]
Tondalaya
October 14th, 2011
7:20 pm
“…decided to challenge U.S. Rep. John Linder, R-Duluth, in an August 2002 primary. Barr lost.”
I still don’t know what the voters over here were thinking. Linder was a do-nothing Congressman who held on for years by hyping his ‘fair tax’ gimmick. Now we’ve elected his nitwit protege who seems even more useless.
Drooly
October 15th, 2011
9:48 am
Barr for open borders! Barr for amnesty for ilegals! Barr for…no thanks
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