No Isakson opponents in line

There’s at least one high-paying —- $169,000 a year —- job in Georgia that’s not getting a lot of resumes, even in these economically challenging times.

By Jim Tharpe, Atlanta Journal-Constitution — Feb 17, 2009

State Democrats are scrambling to field a candidate against incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, who today will announce his run for a second term in 2010.

Isakson, backed by fellow Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and GOP Gov. Sonny Perdue, will announce his re-election bid today at noon at the state Capitol where he served 17 years in the Legislature.

The news, however, is not that Isakson is seeking re-election and bypassing the governor’s race. That has been known for months. The surprise —- at least this far out —- is the dearth of Democrats who want to take a shot at the high-profile job.

“Nobody has even called me up and said, ‘I’m thinking about running for the U.S. Senate,’ ” said former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, who flatly dispelled any idea he might challenge Isakson. Barnes has been mentioned as a gubernatorial candidate in 2010.

Isakson, who already has amassed a campaign war chest of $2.3 million for the race, said he fully expects to have a strong Democratic contender. But he hasn’t heard any names of potential opponents.

“The most important thing to do in public life is never take anything for granted,” Isakson said. “I want to get started early and do the things I have to do.”

The Democrats have two problems with the race. The first is that a lot of top-level Democrats are lining up to run for governor next year. Until that race is a little less cloudy, the Senate slate is likely to remain thin.

And Democrats are coming off a bruising loss late last year to Chambliss, who beat Democratic challenger Jim Martin by double digits, even though Democrats did force Chambliss into an expensive month-long runoff.

“Republicans are losing support every time they open their mouths right now,” said Martin Matheny, a spokesman for the state Democratic Party. “I think we can win statewide in Georgia.”

Matheny, however, was at a loss when asked to name names for the Senate race.

“There are a lot of people looking at it,” Matheny said. “I don’t want to make anyone’s campaign announcement for them.”

Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz said one thing Democrats are looking at is how much money they can raise from the national party after Martin’s defeat.

“There’s not a lot of optimism about knocking off Isakson, who if anything is seen as tougher to be beat than Chambliss,” Abramowitz said.

Rand Knight, who ran in last year’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, said many political veterans want no part of the race.

“I would not dip my toes in that water,” he said.

Knight said he believes his party is in a “quandary” in the Senate contest. Most of the young Democrats have their eyes on other races. Others, he said, think it will be difficult to defeat a Republican incumbent in a still-Republican state.

“You narrow your pool down to a dozen or so 60-year-old Democrats who don’t want to end their career with a loss,” he said.

State Rep. Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna) said much of the political energy in the Peach State is now being consumed by talk of the governor’s race. The Senate battle, for now at least, is not on many Democrats’ radars.

“I haven’t heard a single name,” said Teilhet, an up-and-coming Democrat often mentioned for higher office. The father of two young children quickly dispelled any thoughts of a Senate run himself.

“Washington, D.C., and 11-month-old twins are not compatible,” he said.