Back in 2010, Austin Scott switched from running for governor to challenging Conservative Democrat Jim Marshall for the 8th CD. That turned out to be a wise move on Scott's part as he rode the anti-Pelosi, anti-Government Tea Party wave election of 2010 in unseating Marshall to become the new congressman of the 8th Congressional District. And as a result the 8th was redrawn to re-assure his re-election by removing democratic Bibb County and placing it into the 2nd CD, currently represented by Sanford Bishop, thus the 8th has become strictly a rural-dominated congressional district with Houston County being the population center of the district.
So since then, what has Congressman Scott done since being elected. Well he's sponsored, or co-sponsored a few bills such as H.R. 972 to protect individual privacy against unwarranted governmental intrusion through the use of drones to introducing a bill to end furloughs and ensure civilian workers are paid. Those are nice gestures, but since arriving in congress, Scott has been a reliable party line soldier for the GOP. The National Journal back in February named Scott the second most conservative lawmaker in the House in 2012. He was named Class President for the 112th Congress after arriving.
Someone asked me without the Tea Party wave of 2010, do I think he could have still managed to unseat Marshall? My answer was no! Without it, he probably would have come close, but not enough to unseat the Bluedog Democrat.
Scott ran unopposed in 2012, will he go unopposed next year? Who knows. I doubt it will come from the GOP side, if it comes from the Democratic side, it will have to be from someone who's background fits the rural congressional district and someone who is not afraid to show their differences with the National Democrats and President Obama.
Showing posts with label 8th CD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 8th CD. Show all posts
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Monday, May 23, 2011
(GA-8) DuBose in 2012: Should or will he challenge Austin Scott?
With the 2012 elections on the horizon, its time to address the elephant in the room, the $100,000 question: Should DuBose Porter challenge Austin Scott for the 8th Congressional District?
There's no doubt in my mind that Porter will run for governor again in 2014. I'll be surprised if he doesn't, but what about congress?
I remember Porter stating awhile back that he had no interest in going to Washington.
You wonder what his answer would be if asked that question again?
Porter would be the ideal candidate to run for that Middle Georgia based seat formerly occupied by then Rep Jim Marshall. I think he'd run one of the best congressional campaigns in the country if he were to challenge Scott.
Porter has some experience dealing with Washington Politics, having interned for Iconic Georgia Senator, democrat Sam Nunn in the late 70s. He served as one of Zell Miller's floor lieutenants when Miller was governor of the state, & has the leading advocates for education here in the state.
He is a small business owner, operating the Courier Herald,as well as the Soperton News, the Montgomery Monitor, and the Wheeler County Eagle, the Johnson Journal, the Twiggs Times New Era and the Cochran Journal, the Wilkinson County Post and in 2006 they purchased The Baldwin Bulletin.
Although some will say he didn't perform that well in the primary for governor, Porter ran a very aggressive grassroots campaign for governor, visiting more that 100 counties in the state. If he were to implement that same strategy in a race for the 8th, he'll have a good chance against Scott, (that is if he were to run). Porter's crossover appeal would be a added bonus in his arsenal. Something Marshall had when he controlled that seat for 9 years. Farmers love him, educators adore him, lower class status blacks & whites are drawn to his populistic approach & veterans appreciate him.
With the future of Macon-Bibb County up in the air, that should discourage Porter from running. I mean, let's face it, Laurens County is no liberal bastion with its mix of social & christian conservatism, so Porter wouldn't have any problem running in a much more rural district.
Porter's populism would go over well & let's not forget about Scott's vote for Paul Ryan's Medicare Reform that would cut $4.4 trillion from the federal budget over 10 years, eliminate the health care law passed last year, slash domestic spending and completely overhaul some of the nation’s entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid by issuing vouchers among other things. Under Ryan’s Medicare plan, the federal government would issue vouchers to seniors to purchase their own health care insurance in a private market. It would only apply to those ages 55 and younger & it even has many democrats saying that it would end medicare. That vote may or may not come back to haunt Scott, but that remains to be seen. If seniors start to become worried about their medicare, medicaid & social security, that voting bloc will up for grabs for Porter or any potential democratic challenger.
On the other hand, Porter may still be eyeing another run for governor in 2014 (without the shadow of Roy Barnes to fight thru). A run & loss for congress would put his political career on the ropes so he may not want to take that chance. A 2012 win would open the door for his wife Carol Porter to run for governor (which she would be the odds on favorite to win the democratic nomination).
I'm sure many democrats would love to see Porter take a swing at the 8th District seat. Its just a question of does Porter wants to?
There's no doubt in my mind that Porter will run for governor again in 2014. I'll be surprised if he doesn't, but what about congress?
I remember Porter stating awhile back that he had no interest in going to Washington.
You wonder what his answer would be if asked that question again?
Porter would be the ideal candidate to run for that Middle Georgia based seat formerly occupied by then Rep Jim Marshall. I think he'd run one of the best congressional campaigns in the country if he were to challenge Scott.
Porter has some experience dealing with Washington Politics, having interned for Iconic Georgia Senator, democrat Sam Nunn in the late 70s. He served as one of Zell Miller's floor lieutenants when Miller was governor of the state, & has the leading advocates for education here in the state.
He is a small business owner, operating the Courier Herald,as well as the Soperton News, the Montgomery Monitor, and the Wheeler County Eagle, the Johnson Journal, the Twiggs Times New Era and the Cochran Journal, the Wilkinson County Post and in 2006 they purchased The Baldwin Bulletin.
Although some will say he didn't perform that well in the primary for governor, Porter ran a very aggressive grassroots campaign for governor, visiting more that 100 counties in the state. If he were to implement that same strategy in a race for the 8th, he'll have a good chance against Scott, (that is if he were to run). Porter's crossover appeal would be a added bonus in his arsenal. Something Marshall had when he controlled that seat for 9 years. Farmers love him, educators adore him, lower class status blacks & whites are drawn to his populistic approach & veterans appreciate him.
With the future of Macon-Bibb County up in the air, that should discourage Porter from running. I mean, let's face it, Laurens County is no liberal bastion with its mix of social & christian conservatism, so Porter wouldn't have any problem running in a much more rural district.
Porter's populism would go over well & let's not forget about Scott's vote for Paul Ryan's Medicare Reform that would cut $4.4 trillion from the federal budget over 10 years, eliminate the health care law passed last year, slash domestic spending and completely overhaul some of the nation’s entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid by issuing vouchers among other things. Under Ryan’s Medicare plan, the federal government would issue vouchers to seniors to purchase their own health care insurance in a private market. It would only apply to those ages 55 and younger & it even has many democrats saying that it would end medicare. That vote may or may not come back to haunt Scott, but that remains to be seen. If seniors start to become worried about their medicare, medicaid & social security, that voting bloc will up for grabs for Porter or any potential democratic challenger.
On the other hand, Porter may still be eyeing another run for governor in 2014 (without the shadow of Roy Barnes to fight thru). A run & loss for congress would put his political career on the ropes so he may not want to take that chance. A 2012 win would open the door for his wife Carol Porter to run for governor (which she would be the odds on favorite to win the democratic nomination).
I'm sure many democrats would love to see Porter take a swing at the 8th District seat. Its just a question of does Porter wants to?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Ross Tolleson, Sanford Bishop, Austin Scott & the outlook in 2012
Don't rule it out. With a special session on the horizon to re-draw the congressional districts its not out of the realm of possibility that republicans could put Austin Scott into the 2nd Congressional District to go up against Sanford Bishop i 2012.
Here's why I think it may happen
I remember back in 2009 when republicans were trying to find a challenger to Jim Marshall for 2010. Early on it was thought that State Senator Ross Tolleson would make a run at Marshall, but he decided against it at the time, because he wanted to wait until his twin daughters finish high school. This was back in 2009 when he said this. He has made no secret that he wants to run for congress & 2012 seems like the best time since the GOP now have control of the House.
Wait..........
The one obstacle standing in his way is Austin Scott & he just defeated Bluedog Democrat Jim Marshall in the wave election that helped him in that quest.
So what a man to do?
Well this where redistricting comes in play
Scott by some accounts is not well liked by some in the GOP up there in the state house. If Tolleson still has aspirations for a run for higher office, then they'll do what it takes to make the path for Tolleson as easy as they can & that means lumping Scott into the second against Sanford Bishop who narrowly escaped defeat by Mike Keown.
The Georgia GOP can say 'hey if can knock off one democratic incumbent, why not another" Its something to think about here. No way Tolleson runs if Scott is still in the 8th. No way, No how!
A open 8th Congressional District would be much more appealing to Tolleson that one occupied by another GOPer in Scott. Making that move will have consequences for the Georgia GOP. Despite Scott defeating Marshall, he won't defeat Bishop in '12. With those divorce records now unsealed with all sorts of unsavory accusations hurled by his wife against him & vice-versa, the luster, the shine of Austin Scott will be long gone. Plus you can expect the district to become more democratic with the state still being under the VRA of 1965 & in a presidential year, democratic voters will turn out at a higher level that in 2010
If this happens, not only you will have not only a open 8th District seat, but a open State Senate seat in Central Georgia, which will be a prime opportunity. Nelson Carswell who ran for HD 143 last year would be the ideal candidate democrats could recruit to run for that Senate Seat in the 20th district. DuBose Porter, if he have the urges to go back to Atlanta could be another potential candidate, but I doubt it. Governor is in his future if he decides to make another in 3 years. He's only in his mid 50s.
An Austin Scott-Sanford Bishop matchup may well happen next year. But all hinges on Ross Tolleson & his apirations for higher office
Here's why I think it may happen
I remember back in 2009 when republicans were trying to find a challenger to Jim Marshall for 2010. Early on it was thought that State Senator Ross Tolleson would make a run at Marshall, but he decided against it at the time, because he wanted to wait until his twin daughters finish high school. This was back in 2009 when he said this. He has made no secret that he wants to run for congress & 2012 seems like the best time since the GOP now have control of the House.
Wait..........
The one obstacle standing in his way is Austin Scott & he just defeated Bluedog Democrat Jim Marshall in the wave election that helped him in that quest.
So what a man to do?
Well this where redistricting comes in play
Scott by some accounts is not well liked by some in the GOP up there in the state house. If Tolleson still has aspirations for a run for higher office, then they'll do what it takes to make the path for Tolleson as easy as they can & that means lumping Scott into the second against Sanford Bishop who narrowly escaped defeat by Mike Keown.
The Georgia GOP can say 'hey if can knock off one democratic incumbent, why not another" Its something to think about here. No way Tolleson runs if Scott is still in the 8th. No way, No how!
A open 8th Congressional District would be much more appealing to Tolleson that one occupied by another GOPer in Scott. Making that move will have consequences for the Georgia GOP. Despite Scott defeating Marshall, he won't defeat Bishop in '12. With those divorce records now unsealed with all sorts of unsavory accusations hurled by his wife against him & vice-versa, the luster, the shine of Austin Scott will be long gone. Plus you can expect the district to become more democratic with the state still being under the VRA of 1965 & in a presidential year, democratic voters will turn out at a higher level that in 2010
If this happens, not only you will have not only a open 8th District seat, but a open State Senate seat in Central Georgia, which will be a prime opportunity. Nelson Carswell who ran for HD 143 last year would be the ideal candidate democrats could recruit to run for that Senate Seat in the 20th district. DuBose Porter, if he have the urges to go back to Atlanta could be another potential candidate, but I doubt it. Governor is in his future if he decides to make another in 3 years. He's only in his mid 50s.
An Austin Scott-Sanford Bishop matchup may well happen next year. But all hinges on Ross Tolleson & his apirations for higher office
Monday, January 4, 2010
2010 Endorsements - 8th Congressional District
Last Updated: 01/04/10
If you know of an endorsement not listed or any errors on the page, please email me at ruraldem@gmail.com.
Note: This page will only focus on the GOP Primary for now as Marshall has no known opposition.
Republicans
Ken DeLoach
Congress
Statewide
State Senate
State House
Municipal/County
Other
Organizations
Angela Hicks
Congress:
Statewide
State Senate
State House
Municipal/County
Other
Organizations
Valerie Myers
Congress
Statewide:
State Senate:
State House:
Municipal/County:
Other
Organizations
RightMarch.com PAC
Paul Rish
Congress
Statewide
State Senate
State House
Municipal/County
Other
Organizations
If you know of an endorsement not listed or any errors on the page, please email me at ruraldem@gmail.com.
Note: This page will only focus on the GOP Primary for now as Marshall has no known opposition.
Republicans
Ken DeLoach
Congress
Statewide
State Senate
State House
Municipal/County
Other
Organizations
Angela Hicks
Congress:
Statewide
State Senate
State House
Municipal/County
Other
Organizations
Valerie Myers
Congress
Statewide:
State Senate:
State House:
Municipal/County:
Other
Organizations
RightMarch.com PAC
Paul Rish
Congress
Statewide
State Senate
State House
Municipal/County
Other
Organizations
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