Sixth Congressional District

A few weeks back we reported the rumor that Bob Barr would be removing himself from the 6th District race and this was confirmed by Barr's own press release a few days after our report.

However, based on the fundraising letter received in Republican primary voters' mailboxes last Friday, May 2, Barr's fundraising machine appears not to have quit. The letter contained an 8x10 glossy photo of President George W. Bush sitting at his cabinet table with Mac Collins on one side and Bob Barr on the other. In the fundraising letter, Barr spends a lot of ink talking about President Bush and a much smaller amount of time talking about himself (causing most letter recipients to wonder who gave Barr mellow-out pills?).

In any case, to let those folks know (like, his fundraiser in Virginia) who didn't get his departure memo, Bob Barr is out of the 6th District race and no money should be sent to his race for any reason. For him to continue to fundraise after leaving the race a full week-and-a-half prior to the fundraising letter being sent, shows gall that Barr has yet to lose. But, enough about Bob Barr.

Last week, State Senate Majority Leader Tom Price made it official: he has announced his candidacy for the 6th, joining Senator Robert LaMutt, State Rep. Roger Hines, and Husband of the Former Miss America, John McCallum who have all previously announced.

One other state senator who has not made up his mind yet for the 6th is Senator Chuck Clay. Negotiations with his wife are still reportedly going on there and we calculate that Chuck has a 50-50 chance of being allowed to run.

Senator Price has stated that he will immediately resign from his majority leader position, thus setting-up another domino race for his position in the senate leadership. Senator Bill Stephens is the odds-on favorite to take that position.

As to who will run for Price's seat, one name immediately comes to our mind as a viable candidate: Rusty Paul.

Longtime Cobb County political activist and attorney Craig Dowdy has announced his intention to run for LaMutt's seat. Former State Rep. John Wiles has announced his intention to run for Hines' seat, thus funding a much needed jobs program for his erstwhile political consultant, Robert Trim.

No one has reportedly claimed they will run to replace John McCallum for the position he's leaving...probably because no one knows exactly what McCallum has been employed as for the last 4 years...or even the 2 years before that...or...well, nevermind.

Georgia State House

With the possibility of State Rep. Lynn Westmoreland leaving the House to run for U.S. Senate, this sets-up a double-domino question: Who will replace Westmoreland as Minority Leader and who will run for Westmoreland's seat?

Rumors have it that State Rep. Sharon Cooper is eyeing the Minority Leader position. As far as who might run for Lynn's seat, we haven't heard any speculation from Sharpsburg. We suppose the folks down there will wait a bit to hear if Lynn will definitely give-up his political career to run for the Senate or stay in a solid position of power as Minority Leader for a few years.