Race for the House filling up (GA-12)

Athens Banner-Herald ^ | 4/26/03 | Janis Reid

[LdSentinal]

An increasing number of Democratic hopefuls say they intend to run against Republican freshman U.S. Rep. Max Burns who has only been in his congressional post for four months.

Burns, R-Sylvania, is currently serving a two-year term in Congress representing the 12th District, which runs from Athens to Augusta to Savannah.

Though qualifying for the 12th District race doesn't start until next April, with the general primary election July 20 and the general election Nov. 2, at least one candidate is getting started well ahead of the game.

Athens-Clarke County Commissioner John Barrow, who stated his intention to run this month, has reported raising $205,000 in the first three months of this year.

Barrow, a Democrat, is the only 12th District candidate to report campaign donations this year with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) besides Burns, who also reported approximately $205,000.

''I'm starting so early because I have to,'' Barrow said in a recent news release. ''This will be an expensive, hard fought race that will require a lot of travel and a lot of hard work.''

Potential candidates running for federal offices who raise money for a campaign must file a report of those funds with the FEC quarterly in order to be able to use those funds during their campaign.

The first quarter ended March 31 and the reports were due by April 15.

Other potential candidates include state Rep. Keith Heard, also a Democrat, who stated his intention to run and to form an election committee in February.

Heard could not be reached for additional comment this week.

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, an Athens native and Democrat who said he is also looking at running for U.S. Senate, said Friday that he will consider running for the 12th District if Heard opts not to enter the race.

Former Democratic state senator and Athens attorney Doug Haines also stated his intention to run this month, although he said that it is ''too early'' too begin campaigning or raising money.

Local real-estate businessman and Democrat Shannon Mayfield said Friday he believes he will run as well, adding that he is not discouraged by the growing number of Democratic candidates in the 12th District race.

Tony Center, a local businessman who ran for the 12th District in 2002 but was defeated in the Democratic primary, stated his intention to run this week. He added that he doesn't believe that Barrow's early fund-raising efforts will discourage anyone from entering the race.

''John's fund raising has pushed the line forward, but I don't think he's frightened anyone out of the race,'' Center said.

Charles ''Champ'' Walker, an Augusta businessman and son of former state Senate Majority Leader Charles Walker, said Friday that he is considering running but has not yet made a decision.

Walker won the 2002 Democratic nomination for the 12th District but lost to Burns in November.

If all these Democratic challengers qualify to run for the 12th District in the 2004 elections, it will mirror the 2002 elections when seven candidates ran in the primary for the Democratic bid.

[fieldmarshaldj]

This is going to be a tough seat to hold. We won it because of the weakness of the "heir apparent", Champ Walker. Do you have any numbers as to how well Dubya performed within the boundaries of the 12th ?

[LdSentinal]

Georgia's 12th Congressional District:

Gore: 54.9%
Bush: 44.1%
Nader: 1.0%

Barnes and Cleland won this district handily in 2002. It will be the most difficult seat the Republicans will have to defend, unless the congressional lines are redrawn.

Georgia: New Congressional Districts for 2002

[fieldmarshaldj]

Wow, thanks. Yes, that's going to be very tough (it would be easier for us to hold Sanford Bishop's seat !). I'll presume that might go 50-50 for Dubya next year if he does as well as we expect at the moment, and that might help Burns. If Walker gets the nod again, that should also help us hold it, so let's hope he does.