Paul Rish to take on Jim Marshall for 8th District Seat. My Question for Mr. Rish & to other potentital candidates: For What???

Travis Fain at the Macon Telegeraph is reporting that Former Bibb County Republican Party Chairman Paul Rish had filed paperwork to take on Incumbent Jim Marshall for the 8th congressional district in 2010.

He is president and CEO of his own voice and data network business, Rish Telecommunications, and was head of the local GOP until resigning Sept. 30 to make this congressional run.

The current Democratic Congress has gotten more conservatives interested in politics, Rish said, and “they’re looking for somebody who can give them a game plan of how we can get out of what we’re in now.”

“The game plan is to create new jobs, secure agricultural prosperity for the 8th District ... to give people their own choice in health care, to make sure the Congress doesn’t completely shed the Constitution,” Rish said.

Rish also said he’ll run on a tax cut “across the board for everybody” with an equivalent cut in federal spending and a balanced budget. He added that if he’s elected, he will turn down taxpayer-funded retirement and health benefits offered to members of Congress.

Here are other tidbots from the story: State Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, moved quickly up the GOP ranks at the statehouse after getting elected in 2006, and he has been bandied about as a potential candidate.

“Marshall has been very good at playing it down the middle,” Peake said. “And so maybe that’s kept some people at bay at the moment. But you can rest assured, people are going to watch how he votes the next few months. ... You never know who may jump in.”

Rish said that despite Marshall’s reputation as a moderate, he typically votes with the Democratic Party, and “that doesn’t seem exactly conservative to me.”

Macon Attorney Dillard called Marshall a “shrewd, savvy politician” who is “deeply entrenched” and has a lot of “crossover appeal” with Republicans.

That’s likely to hold true even in a political environment where people are increasingly displeased with Democrats, Dillard said.

“I guess the question is going to be ... has Jim Marshall created enough goodwill among his constituents many of whom are Republicans, to remain in office?” Dillard said. “I hear from too many Republicans that they like Marshall.”

The Bottom line here is no matter who jumps in the race to take on Jim Marshall he will be re-elected next year. I get tired of republican challengers makes excuses on why marshall should not be re-elected or find something that justifies their reason for running against a very popular congressman. I remember when he represented the old 3rd district before being gerrymandered which included my home county Macon County, that had a strong democratic tilt to it & Marshall voted the same way back then as he does now. The NRSCC are going to waste another $1-1.5 million dollars in this race & still going to come out on the losing end. Steve Dillard calls him a savvy politician, well Marshall is a independent minded politican who does not need to follow his party on every vote like the GOP does. As for State Rep. Allen Peake of Macon, he doesn't stand a chance. He's a nice man & very likable, but he doesn't stand a chance of defeating Marshall either if he were to change his mind & run against him. Marshall will be re-elected back to congress, you can count on that.