Politics 2010: Dems, GOP eye equally covetous of each other's seats

The Georgia primary Tuesday could be setting up a free-for-all in November, with both parties working in overdrive to best each other in several tilts.

Sonny Perdue, Georgia's first Republican governor, is retiring and each party is fielding seven candidates voters must winnow down to one.

While former Gov. Roy Barnes appears to be ready to grab the Democratic nomination for his old job, the Republican governor's race seems to be headed for a runoff, a recent Mason-Dixon survey indicated.

Results indicate Barnes had 54 percent of voter support, indicating he'll get the majority he needs if nothing else changes.

Attorney General Thurbert Baker was a distant second in the seven-candidate Democratic field with 20 percent.

"If this holds up, he's home free," said University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock of Barnes in the latest polling conducted in early July for the Georgia Newspaper Partnership.

Among the GOP candidates, state Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine led the seven-candidate GOP field with 31 percent, the poll indicated.

If a runoff is necessary, Oxendine likely will face former Secretary of State Karen Handel, who had 23 percent, or former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, who had 18 percent. Former state Sen. Eric Johnson of Savannah was fourth with 6 percent.

Handel, Deal and Baker each garnered an endorsement from big-name headliner in national politics, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Former President Bill Clinton endorsed Baker while Sarah Palin, the ex-governor of Alaska and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, said Handel "is ready to serve" as Georgia's next commander in chief. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is backing Deal.

Freshman Republican Johnny Isakson has no opposition in his re-election bid to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate. Democrats R.J. Hadley and Michael Thurmond will battle in the Democratic primary to square off against Isakson and his multimillion-dollar war chest.

In congressional races, Republicans are eying several Democratic seats as ones they think they can claim in November, Atlanta Political Buzz Examiner reported.

One is Democrat Jim Marshall's 8th District seat. Serving on the House Committee on Financial Services won't be doing Marshall any favors in the midst of the national economic malaise, and his votes with the Obama administration will be called out for all voters in the district to read and hear.

Three candidates are vying to be the Republican candidate to challenge Marshall in the fall. Austin Scott is a 14-year member of the Georgia House abandoned a run for governor to focus on this race. Ken Deloach is a political neophyte, minister and middle school teacher. Also running for office for the first time is Diane Vann a nursing lab coordinator at Macon State College and Tea Party movement supporter.

Incumbent Democrat John Barrow faces Regina Thomas in his re-election bid in the 12th Congressional District, another seat targeted by Republicans in November. On the Republican ballot are financial adviser Michael Horner, project manager Raymond McKinney, activist and aviation executive Jeanne Seaver, and fire chief Carl Smith -- all first-time office-seekers.

Occupying the 2nd Congressional District seat is Sanford Bishop, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary, but has been targeted by activists who see red when they see the seat, the Examiner said.

Hoping to unseat him in November are small-business owner Rick Allen in his first foray into politics, state House member Mike Keown and medical illustration and printing worker Lee Ferrell.

Crowded primaries welcome voters in the 4th Congressional District. Vernon Jones and Connie Stokes are trying to unseat incumbent Hank Johnson for the Democratic nomination while Lisbeth Carter, Cory Ruth, Victor Armendariz and Larry Gause are battling for the GOP nod.

Six Republicans are hoping to upend incumbent Democrat David Scott in the 13th Congressional district: Deborah Honeycutt, Mike Crane, Hank Dudek, Chip Flanegan, Dave Orr and Rupert Parchment. Scott is being challenged by Michael Frisbee and Mike Murphy.

In the 5th Congressional District, Republicans Fen Little and Kelly Nguyen are fighting for the Republican nomination to stand against incumbent Democrat John Lewis who is running unopposed.

A host of Republicans are vying to be the 9th Congressional District standard-bearer, including incumbent Tom Graves, who was elected to replace Deal when he resigned his seat in his aborted run for governor. Challenging Deal are Chris Cates, Bert Loftman, Bobby Reese, Steve Tarvin and Lee Hawkins, who lost to Graves in a runoff.

The Democratic candidate is -- no one.

Three congressional races are previews of November matchups. Republican Rep. Jack Kingston and Democratic challenger Oscar Harris are in a cakewalk in Georgia's 1st Congressional District, a sprawling, 26-county district. In the 3rd Congressional District, incumbent Republican Lynn Westmoreland and Democrat Frank Saunders are unopposed in their primaries. Incumbent Paul Brown and Democrat Russell Edwards are looking ahead in the 10th Congressional District.

In two races, Democrats didn't put up any candidates -- the 6th Congressional District occupied by Republican Tom Price and the 11th Congressional District represented by Republican Phil Gringrey.