ATLANTA (AP) – An up-and-coming GOP congressman is angling for a Senate appointment. A former congressman has hinted he’s interested, too. The list of Democrats quietly mulling over a bid include a congresswoman and members of the state legislature. Then there’s the Democratic mayor, former mayor, former congressional candidate and former candidate for lieutenant governor who’ve declared they’re running for another Senate seat.
If you’re interested, Georgia’s governor is now taking applications online.
A Senate retirement has set off a frenzy in Georgia politics, where two U.S. Senate seats will be up for grabs in 2020. Democrats are hungry for a big win and nearly every major political player in the state is thinking about his or her next move.
The scramble underscores Georgia’s new high-profile place on the political map.
In this Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, file photo, Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp addresses the media at a news conference at his Atlanta headquarters. Kemp will soon get to appoint a replacement for three-term U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, who announced that he’s stepping down in December 2019 due to health issues. (Bob Andres/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)Democrats believe the state is their best hope for breaking the GOP’s hold on the Deep South in 2020. National groups were already plotting to spend big with the hopes of pulling off a coup and unseating Sen. David Perdue, who’s up for re-election. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s retirement , opening a second Senate race, ensured the state’s status as a must-watch battleground. The candidates nominated by both parties are likely to become national figures and could determine the direction of the state for years to come.