The announcement by U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., that he will resign on Dec. 31st has thrown Georgia into the national political spotlight. A special election to fill the seat — a “jungle election” where Republicans, Democrats and any other candidate can battle it out on 2020 November Election Day– will be on the same ballot with the other U.S. Senate seat held by David Perdue, R-Ga. Perdue is running for re-election and will face the Democrat nominee.
Gov. Brian Kemp gets to appoint Isakson’s temporary replacement. But be assured that Senator Perdue, as well as former Gov. and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and President Donald Trump will be speaking with the governor about who could be the most electable post-Isakson senatorial candidate.
Several potential Democrat names are already being bandied about. Jon Ossoff and Michelle Nunn, both of whom have experience running statewide races, come to mind. So do DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, as well as state Sen. Jen Jordan, D-Sandy Springs. But former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has already said she will not run for the seat.
As for the Republicans, the name Attorney General Chris Carr could be a potential Kemp replacement (since the governor could then appoint “his own” attorney general.) At least two sitting Georgia GOP congressmen— Reps. Doug Collins and Tom Graves— could also be considered. Ambassador Randy Evans, longtime friend and advisor to former Georgia House Speaker Newt Gingrich, could be a potential candidate, as well as former chief of staff to the vice president Nick Ayers. The latter is close to the Perdue’s as well as the president.
While there currently is uncertainty as to who would be candidates for the Isakson seat in November 2020, one thing is certain: Both parties will pour in big money to get their choices elected. (Currently the U.S. Senate has 45 Democrats and 53 Republicans with two left-wing independents. The GOP obviously seeks to retain control of the chamber and to do so it must retain Georgia’s two seats.)
Kemp, by the way, at this point is not signaling who he might appoint. (One question: Why didn’t the health-challenged Isakson resign right away?)
And a final note. Many compliments about the long and distinguished public service of the senator from Cobb County continue to pour in from both sides of the political divide. One of them comes from InsiderAdvantage Georgia Chairman Matt Towery, a close Isakson friend who issued this statement:
“The obvious fact is that Johnny was always brilliant when it came to working in any legislative body. He was always able to work with all sides to try to reach the best public policy. But what makes Johnny Isakson stand out above virtually every public official and public figure I have ever known, with a few other exceptions, was his phenomenal loyalty to his friends. Most political leaders, as they advance towards high office give lip service to the ones who helped them get there. That is true for most famous and successful people in general. But not Johnny. He never, and I mean never, forgets a friend. He stands with them in good and bad times alike. It is his personal devotion and his other magnificent personal qualities that define Johnny Isakson, even beyond his countless accomplishments in the Georgia legislature, in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Those who know him best know just what I’m saying.”
