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BY AMY DOMINELLO
Media General News Service
WASHINGTON – After fighting in Iraq for a year, Bobby Saxon spent a lot of time thinking about the leaders in Washington who started the war.
He thinks they screwed up, and he thinks he can do better.
“I’m just so daggone sick and tired of politics as usual,” said Saxon, a member of the Georgia Army National Guard who won a bronze star for his 2005 service in the Middle East.
Saxon is one of a small army of veterans that Democrats have put up to unseat a group of Republicans in Georgia this year. In five of the seven districts with Republican incumbents, the Democratic challengers served in the military, including three fresh off tours in Iraq.
The veteran-heavy slate is part of a nationwide effort by Democrats to correct the perception that the party is weak on national security issues.
Several Democrats who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan were elected to Congress in 2006. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week that the new lawmakers and current candidates were helping Democrats speak with greater strength on military issues.
“We (now) have messengers who…speak with the authority of having served in the military as recently as these young people did,” she said.
Some of the Democratic veterans in Georgia are running because they want to end the war in Iraq. But they say that’s not the only motivation for running for office.
“I’ve been to Iraq and I have some ideas about getting out,” said Bill Gillespie, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who earned a Bronze Star in Iraq and is challenging Rep. Jack Kingston. “… But we have some hard issues that Republicans have been kicking the can down the road on and we have to make some compromises,” in order to reduce gas prices and improve the economy.
Political observers say all five Republican incumbents appear safe.
“It would really take a huge earthquake for any of them to be unseated,” said Merle Black, a political scientist at Emory University.
Their service may give them credibility with voters in Georgia, home to several military bases, said Charles S. Bullock, a political scientist at the University of Georgia.
But, “these are all pretty secure Republican districts,” he said. “… You have a bunch of veterans, but they are all political novices. They’re not raising much money and they’re not getting much attention.”
In three cases, the Republican incumbents have raised at least 10 times as much money as their Democratic challenger, according to the most recent campaign financial disclosures available.
In District 1, Gillespie has raised $59,000 to Kingston’s $552,000.
In District 6, Democrat Bill Jones, a 21-year Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam, has raised nothing, compared to $843,000 for Rep. Tom Price.
In District 7, Democrat Doug Heckman, who won Bronze Stars for his Army service in Iraq and Afghanistan, has raised $77,000 to Rep. John Linder’s $338,000.
In District 10, Saxon has raised $71,000 to Rep. Paul Broun’s $888,000, though Broun faces a costly primary challenge.
In District 11, Democrat Bud Gammon, an Air Force pilot in the 1970s, has raised nothing, compared to $1.1 million for Rep. Phil Gingrey.
Saxon admits fundraising is a major hurdle. “If we can get over a few humps financially, we’ve got a good chance,” he said.
Although Georgia holds primaries July 15, none of the five Democrats faces a primary challenge.
Bullock said that Saxon is the only one with any shot at winning. But that’s only if Broun, who himself was a mechanic in the Marine Corps Reserves and later commissioned as a Navy medical officer, loses to a challenger in the Republican primary.
Julie Shutley, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said she expects the party to hold on to all five seats.
The five incumbents are strong candidates who are well-respected and well-versed on issues that matter to their constituents, she said, and have strong records on veterans’ issues.
“It’s a difficult election environment for Republicans but I do believe these members have been doing the right things for their districts,” Shutley said.
Jane Kidd, the chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, said the veterans can appeal to a large group of voters and help put down the argument that Democrats are soft on matters of security.
“This is a great demonstration that conservative Democrats want to serve their country,” she said.
As military decisions are made in Washington, it’s important for members of Congress to have battlefield experience, said Saxon, who served in the Army in the 1980s. He rejoined the Georgia Army National Guard after Sept. 11, 2001, and was deployed to Iraq.
“I think my military background has helped in this campaign,” he said.
But even voters are sometimes surprised by his party affiliation. Gillespie said he often has to explain why he is running as a Democrat.
“People ask, ‘Are you a Democrat?’” he said. “And I say, ‘I’m a Democrat because I want to help the middle-class.”
Pelosi would not say which House races Democrats were focusing their energy and money on.
“I’m not going to tell you today which of the races we’re focusing on because some of those we are and some we may be,” she said. “And they are certainly races to watch for us,” she said of the Georgia races.
The Republican incumbents said they are taking their Democratic veteran challengers seriously.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to highlight the issues,” said Chris Crawford, a campaign spokesman for Kingston. “Jack has got an excellent record on standing behind the military.”
Contact Amy Dominello at 202-662-7671 or adominello@mediageneral.com
On the Web: Georgia Primary Election Ballot and Candidate Information
Media General News Service
WASHINGTON – After fighting in Iraq for a year, Bobby Saxon spent a lot of time thinking about the leaders in Washington who started the war.
He thinks they screwed up, and he thinks he can do better.
“I’m just so daggone sick and tired of politics as usual,” said Saxon, a member of the Georgia Army National Guard who won a bronze star for his 2005 service in the Middle East.
Saxon is one of a small army of veterans that Democrats have put up to unseat a group of Republicans in Georgia this year. In five of the seven districts with Republican incumbents, the Democratic challengers served in the military, including three fresh off tours in Iraq.
The veteran-heavy slate is part of a nationwide effort by Democrats to correct the perception that the party is weak on national security issues.
Several Democrats who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan were elected to Congress in 2006. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week that the new lawmakers and current candidates were helping Democrats speak with greater strength on military issues.
“We (now) have messengers who…speak with the authority of having served in the military as recently as these young people did,” she said.
Some of the Democratic veterans in Georgia are running because they want to end the war in Iraq. But they say that’s not the only motivation for running for office.
“I’ve been to Iraq and I have some ideas about getting out,” said Bill Gillespie, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who earned a Bronze Star in Iraq and is challenging Rep. Jack Kingston. “… But we have some hard issues that Republicans have been kicking the can down the road on and we have to make some compromises,” in order to reduce gas prices and improve the economy.
Political observers say all five Republican incumbents appear safe.
“It would really take a huge earthquake for any of them to be unseated,” said Merle Black, a political scientist at Emory University.
Their service may give them credibility with voters in Georgia, home to several military bases, said Charles S. Bullock, a political scientist at the University of Georgia.
But, “these are all pretty secure Republican districts,” he said. “… You have a bunch of veterans, but they are all political novices. They’re not raising much money and they’re not getting much attention.”
In three cases, the Republican incumbents have raised at least 10 times as much money as their Democratic challenger, according to the most recent campaign financial disclosures available.
In District 1, Gillespie has raised $59,000 to Kingston’s $552,000.
In District 6, Democrat Bill Jones, a 21-year Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam, has raised nothing, compared to $843,000 for Rep. Tom Price.
In District 7, Democrat Doug Heckman, who won Bronze Stars for his Army service in Iraq and Afghanistan, has raised $77,000 to Rep. John Linder’s $338,000.
In District 10, Saxon has raised $71,000 to Rep. Paul Broun’s $888,000, though Broun faces a costly primary challenge.
In District 11, Democrat Bud Gammon, an Air Force pilot in the 1970s, has raised nothing, compared to $1.1 million for Rep. Phil Gingrey.
Saxon admits fundraising is a major hurdle. “If we can get over a few humps financially, we’ve got a good chance,” he said.
Although Georgia holds primaries July 15, none of the five Democrats faces a primary challenge.
Bullock said that Saxon is the only one with any shot at winning. But that’s only if Broun, who himself was a mechanic in the Marine Corps Reserves and later commissioned as a Navy medical officer, loses to a challenger in the Republican primary.
Julie Shutley, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said she expects the party to hold on to all five seats.
The five incumbents are strong candidates who are well-respected and well-versed on issues that matter to their constituents, she said, and have strong records on veterans’ issues.
“It’s a difficult election environment for Republicans but I do believe these members have been doing the right things for their districts,” Shutley said.
Jane Kidd, the chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, said the veterans can appeal to a large group of voters and help put down the argument that Democrats are soft on matters of security.
“This is a great demonstration that conservative Democrats want to serve their country,” she said.
As military decisions are made in Washington, it’s important for members of Congress to have battlefield experience, said Saxon, who served in the Army in the 1980s. He rejoined the Georgia Army National Guard after Sept. 11, 2001, and was deployed to Iraq.
“I think my military background has helped in this campaign,” he said.
But even voters are sometimes surprised by his party affiliation. Gillespie said he often has to explain why he is running as a Democrat.
“People ask, ‘Are you a Democrat?’” he said. “And I say, ‘I’m a Democrat because I want to help the middle-class.”
Pelosi would not say which House races Democrats were focusing their energy and money on.
“I’m not going to tell you today which of the races we’re focusing on because some of those we are and some we may be,” she said. “And they are certainly races to watch for us,” she said of the Georgia races.
The Republican incumbents said they are taking their Democratic veteran challengers seriously.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to highlight the issues,” said Chris Crawford, a campaign spokesman for Kingston. “Jack has got an excellent record on standing behind the military.”
Contact Amy Dominello at 202-662-7671 or adominello@mediageneral.com
On the Web: Georgia Primary Election Ballot and Candidate Information