Westmoreland is latest rumored replacement for Sonny
May 22, 2007 at 10:52 am by Scott Henry in NewsIs it a reflection of Sonny Perdue’s so-far lackluster second term that rumors are already flying in Republican circles about potential candidates for the next governor’s race? To be fair, speculation was kick-started during the recent General Assembly by the game of budgetary one-upmanship undertaken by newly minted rivals House Speaker Glenn Richardson and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. Both men are widely assumed to be on a collision course to the Governor’s Mansion.
Even before the calamitous legislative session ground to a thankful close, however, there was talk that GOP strategists were hoping to coax U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson into returning to Georgia to take over the helm of the ship of state. The logic is that Isakson, a longtime state lawmaker and former gubernatorial candidate, would prefer being governor to a junior senator in the minority party. Again, after the mess of the session, was this more wishful thinking?
The latest rumor out of the GOP ranks, and one that circulated freely at last weekend’s state Republican convention in Gwinnett, is that that U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland from west Georgia’s 3rd District is likely to throw his hat into the ring. That speculation, however, is contingent on whether Isakson runs, as the well-liked senator would be expected to scare most other GOP candidates out of the race.
While the next governor’s race is nearly three years away, it’s safe to say Westmoreland would be a blogger’s delight. Even YouTubers who had never heard of the Georgia congressman delighted in the clip of his fumbling interview with Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert, in which Westmoreland couldn’t seem to name more than three of the Ten Commandments he claims to revere. Although the clip has been pulled from the Internet and has even been edited from Colbert’s own site, does anyone really imagine it wouldn’t reappear in time for the 2010 general election?
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:07 pm
If he runs for governor, the democratic candidate ( I presume Dubose Porter (D) will clean his clock.
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Considering how poorly the last Democratic candidate did in the gubernatorial race, why should the Democrats be that much more excited next time around in vying for an open seat? Do the Republicans really need to pluck a U.S. Senator to send against the Democrats? Or a Congressman, for that matter? Seems like they could retain the governor’s mansion using a state legislator.
Is Porter really that much a threat? Who else is out there?
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:16 pm
As a proponent of the Three Commandments, I support Westmoreland unreservedly.