State Sen. Brandon Beach
State Sen. Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta, is seriously thinking of an early entrance into the 2020 congressional campaign to unseat newly-elected Democrat U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath. The Democrat narrowly defeated incumbent GOP Congresswoman Karen Handel last Nov. 6 but it is unclear if Handel wants to run again in 2020.
Should Beach decide in coming days to set up a campaign structure, his committee could immediately begin to solicit donations even though he serves in the state Senate. Federal candidates can fundraise anytime, while incumbent state lawmakers are prohibited from raising money for their campaigns during the 40-day legislative session.
Should Beach declare and if Handel later announces she’s in the running, that would trigger a Republican congressional primary whereby the winner would take on McBath in November 2020.
Beach represents Senate District 21 which includes portions of Cherokee and north Fulton counties where he has easily been re-elected since 2013. The chairman of the influential Senate Transportation Committee, he has proven in the past to be a prolific fundraiser.
Currently the executive director of the North Fulton Community Improvement District (CID), Beach was previously the president of that CID as well as president and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. (Under Beach’s leadership, the North Fulton CID has already invested more than $20 million to facilitate more than $100 million in new infrastructure coming into the district.)
Beach is also well-known for his service as chairman of the Public Private Partnership Committee (P3 Committee) that acquired several huge transportation projects for the 6th U.S. Congressional District. He also serves on various business, civic and charitable boards.
