Fresh Loaf

Don’t count on Georgia’s candidates for Congressional and state offices to tell you what they think on the issues.

That’s what Project Vote Smart, a national research organization founded by Newt Gingrich, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and numerous other political leaders of all parties, concluded in its regular survey of the bunch.

According to the organization, only 30 percent of Georgia’s Congressional candidates and 13 percent of state legislative candidates were willing to give their views on such issues as budget, taxes, environment and energy, health care, immigration and foreign policy. (Keep reading to find out who’s among them.)

A 10-year study conducted by the organization shows candidates and incumbents have been less likely to respond to the test.  Why are those who want to remain in office or get there so apprehensive? Says Project Vote Smart:

Since 2000, Project Vote Smart has found that party leaders and consultants from both major parties are advising candidates not to respond to the Test for two primary reasons: it will limit the candidates’ ability to control their campaign messages, and it will expose them to opposition research.

Richard Kimball, president of Project Vote Smart responds to this cynical attitude. “While Project Vote Smart doesn’t need the candidates’ cooperation to get the goods on them, the public is always interested in finding out which of their candidates have enough courage to expose themselves to their opponents in order to help voters. One campaign consultant told us, ‘Our campaign only answers issue questions if they come with a campaign contribution or endorsement.’”

After the jump, view the names of and download the attachments to see where your elected official stands.

View Project Vote Smart’s background info and data about Georgia here.

Download the list of Congressional candidates here.

Download the list of state legislative candidates here.

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES

CANDIDATES WILLING TO PROVIDE VOTERS WITH INFORMATION DURING TEST
Lee Ferrell Republican GA U.S. House 2
Doug Heckman Democratic GA U.S. House 7
Jeff Scott Democratic GA U.S. House 9
Bobby Saxon Democratic GA U.S. House 10
Hugh Gammon Democratic GA U.S. House 11
John Stone Republican GA U.S. House 12
Deborah Honeycutt Republican GA U.S. House 13
Allen Buckley Libertarian GA U.S. Senate

Count : 8

CANDIDATES REFUSING TO PROVIDE VOTERS WITH INFORMATION DURING TEST
Bill Gillespie Democratic GA U.S. House 1
Jack Kingston Republican GA U.S. House 1
Sanford Bishop Democratic GA U.S. House 2
Stephen Camp Democratic GA U.S. House 3
Lynn Westmoreland Republican GA U.S. House 3
Henry Johnson Democratic GA U.S. House 4
John Lewis Democratic GA U.S. House 5
Bill Jones Democratic GA U.S. House 6
Thomas Price Republican GA U.S. House 6
John Linder Republican GA U.S. House 7
Rick Goddard Republican GA U.S. House 8
James Marshall Democratic GA U.S. House 8
Nathan Deal Republican GA U.S. House 9
Paul Broun Republican GA U.S. House 10
Phil Gingrey Republican GA U.S. House 11
John Barrow Democratic GA U.S. House 12
David Scott Democratic GA U.S. House 13
C. Saxby Chambliss Republican GA U.S. Senate
James Martin Democratic GA U.S. Senate

Count : 19

STATE LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES

CANDIDATES WILLING TO PROVIDE VOTERS WITH INFORMATION DURING TEST

Sadie Morgan Democratic GA State House 2
John Meadows Republican GA State House 5
Stephen Allison Republican GA State House 8
Charles Jenkins Democratic GA State House 8
Betty Brady Republican GA State House 11
Richard D’Arezzo Democratic GA State House 14
William Brown Democratic GA State House 22
Jason Adams Democratic GA State House 35
Alisha Morgan Democratic GA State House 39
Steve Hedden Republican GA State House 44
Ruth Levy Democratic GA State House 45
Tony Patel Democratic GA State House 47
Robbin Shipp Democratic GA State House 58
Margaret Kaiser Democratic GA State House 59
Jill Chambers Republican GA State House 81
Stephanie Benfield Democratic GA State House 85
Erick Hunt Republican GA State House 95
Clay Cox Republican GA State House 102
Allan Burns Democratic GA State House 103
David Casas Republican GA State House 103
Lee Thompson Democratic GA State House 104
Tony Lentini Democratic GA State House 106
Terry England Republican GA State House 108
Scott Nutial Republican GA State House 124
Bill Mauldin Democratic GA State House 126
James Epps Democratic GA State House 140
Allen Freeman Republican GA State House 140
James Austin Scott Republican GA State House 153
John Tibbetts Democratic GA State House 153
Hunter Hill Republican GA State Senate 6
Jerry Brillant Democratic GA State Senate 16
Carlos Lopez Democratic GA State Senate 21
Patricia Rhudy Democratic GA State Senate 30
Chris Cameron Democratic GA State Senate 32
Nancy Orrock Democratic GA State Senate 36
Altaf Galeyev Republican GA State Senate 42
Tim Riley Democratic GA State Senate 47
Bruce Coker Democratic GA State Senate 53

Count : 38

CANDIDATES REFUSING TO PROVIDE VOTERS WITH INFORMATION DURING TEST

Jay Neal Republican GA State House 1
Martin Scott Republican GA State House 2
Ralph Noble Democratic GA State House 3
Tom Weldon Republican GA State House 3
Roger Williams Republican GA State House 4
Tom Dickson Republican GA State House 6
David Ralston Republican GA State House 7
Amos Amerson Republican GA State House 9
Rick Austin Republican GA State House 10
Barbara Massey Reece Democratic GA State House 11
Tom Graves Republican GA State House 12
Katie Dempsey Republican GA State House 13
Bob Puckett Democratic GA State House 13
Barry Loudermilk Republican GA State House 14
Paul Battles Republican GA State House 15
Rick Crawford Democratic GA State House 16
Bob Culver Republican GA State House 16
Howard Maxwell Republican GA State House 17
Mark Butler Republican GA State House 18
Glenn Richardson Republican GA State House 19
Charlice Byrd Republican GA State House 20
Calvin Hill Republican GA State House 21
Sean Jerguson Republican GA State House 22
Mark Hamilton Republican GA State House 23
Tom Knox Republican GA State House 24
James Mills Republican GA State House 25
Christopher Strickland Democratic GA State House 25
Carl Rogers Republican GA State House 26
Doug Collins Republican GA State House 27
Michael Harden Republican GA State House 28
Jeanette Jamieson Democratic GA State House 28
Alan Powell Democratic GA State House 29
Tom McCall Republican GA State House 30
Thomas Benton Republican GA State House 31
Judy Manning Republican GA State House 32
Don Wix Democratic GA State House 33
Earl Giddins Democratic GA State House 34
Richard Golick Republican GA State House 34
Ed Setzler Republican GA State House 35
Earl Ehrhart Republican GA State House 36
Cindye Coates Republican GA State House 37
Terry Johnson Democratic GA State House 37
Pat Dooley Democratic GA State House 38
Steve Tumlin Republican GA State House 38
Chris Cooper Republican GA State House 39
Rob Teilhet Democratic GA State House 40
Sharon Cooper Republican GA State House 41
Don Parsons Republican GA State House 42
Bobby Franklin Republican GA State House 43
Sheila Jones Democratic GA State House 44
Matt Dollar Republican GA State House 45
Jan Jones Republican GA State House 46
Charles Martin Republican GA State House 47
Harry Geisinger Republican GA State House 48
Wendell Willard Republican GA State House 49
Mark Burkhalter Republican GA State House 50
Tom Rice Republican GA State House 51
Joe Wilkinson Republican GA State House 52
Elly Dobbs Democratic GA State House 53
Edward Lindsey Republican GA State House 54
Rashad Taylor Democratic GA State House 55
Kathy Ashe Democratic GA State House 56
Pat Gardner Democratic GA State House 57
Georganna Sinkfield Democratic GA State House 60
Ralph Long Democratic GA State House 61
Joe Heckstall Democratic GA State House 62
Tyrone Brooks Democratic GA State House 63
Roger Bruce Democratic GA State House 64
Sharon Beasley-Teague Democratic GA State House 65
Virgil Fludd Democratic GA State House 66
Bill Hembree Republican GA State House 67
Timothy Bearden Republican GA State House 68
Randy Nix Republican GA State House 69
Lynn Smith Republican GA State House 70
Billy Horne Republican GA State House 71
Jason Smith Democratic GA State House 71
Matthew Ramsey Republican GA State House 72
John Yates Republican GA State House 73
Roberta Abdul-Salaam Democratic GA State House 74
Celeste Johnson Democratic GA State House 75
Mike Glanton Democratic GA State House 76
Darryl Jordan Democratic GA State House 77
Glenn Baker Democratic GA State House 78
Keith Kaylor Democratic GA State House 79
Fran Millar Republican GA State House 79
Mike Jacobs Republican GA State House 80
Chris Huttman Democratic GA State House 81
Kevin Levitas Democratic GA State House 82
Mary Margaret Oliver Democratic GA State House 83
Stacey Abrams Democratic GA State House 84
Kenneth Brett Quarterman Republican GA State House 85
Karla Drenner Democratic GA State House 86
Michele Henson Democratic GA State House 87
Billy Mitchell Democratic GA State House 88
Earnest Williams Democratic GA State House 89
Howard Mosby Democratic GA State House 90
Rahn Mayo Democratic GA State House 91
Pam Stephenson Democratic GA State House 92
Dee Dawkins-Haigler Democratic GA State House 93
Randal Mangham Democratic GA State House 94
Toney Collins Democratic GA State House 95
Pedro Marin Democratic GA State House 96
Keith Shewbert Republican GA State House 96
Brooks Coleman Republican GA State House 97
Bobby Reese Republican GA State House 98
Hugh Floyd Democratic GA State House 99
Brian Thomas Democratic GA State House 100
Michael Coan Republican GA State House 101
John Heard Republican GA State House 104
Donna Sheldon Republican GA State House 105
Melvin Everson Republican GA State House 106
Len Walker Republican GA State House 107
Steve Davis Republican GA State House 109
John Lunsford Republican GA State House 110
Jeff May Republican GA State House 111
Doug Holt Republican GA State House 112
Bob Smith Republican GA State House 113
Keith Heard Democratic GA State House 114
Doug McKillip Democratic GA State House 115
R.M. Channell Republican GA State House 116
Lee Anderson Republican GA State House 117
Ben Harbin Republican GA State House 118
Barbara Sims Republican GA State House 119
Quincy Murphy Democratic GA State House 120
Henry Howard Democratic GA State House 121
Hardie Davis Democratic GA State House 122
Gloria Frazier Democratic GA State House 123
Helen Hudson Democratic GA State House 124
Jim Cole Republican GA State House 125
David Knight Republican GA State House 126
Billy Maddox Republican GA State House 127
Gene King Republican GA State House 128
Carl Von Epps Democratic GA State House 128
Vance Smith Republican GA State House 129
Debbie Buckner Democratic GA State House 130
Richard Smith Republican GA State House 131
Calvin Smyre Democratic GA State House 132
Carolyn Hugley Democratic GA State House 133
Mike Cheokas Democratic GA State House 134
Lynmore James Democratic GA State House 135
Tony Sellier Republican GA State House 136
Allen Peake Republican GA State House 137
Nikki Randall Democratic GA State House 138
David Lucas Democratic GA State House 139
Bobby Eugene Parham Democratic GA State House 141
Mack Jackson Democratic GA State House 142
James Veal Republican GA State House 142
DuBose Porter Democratic GA State House 143
Jimmy Pruett Republican GA State House 144
Willie Talton Republican GA State House 145
Larry O’Neal Republican GA State House 146
Roy Gibbs Democratic GA State House 147
Buddy Harden Republican GA State House 147
Bob Hanner Democratic GA State House 148
Gerald Greene Democratic GA State House 149
Winfred Dukes Democratic GA State House 150
Carol Fullerton Democratic GA State House 151
Ed Rynders Republican GA State House 152
Jay Roberts Republican GA State House 154
Greg Morris Republican GA State House 155
Jonathan McCollar Democratic GA State House 156
Butch Parrish Republican GA State House 156
Jon Burns Republican GA State House 157
Bob Lane Republican GA State House 158
Earl Carter Republican GA State House 159
Bob Bryant Democratic GA State House 160
Edward Stephens Democratic GA State House 161
J. Craig Gordon Democratic GA State House 162
Burke Day Republican GA State House 163
Ron Stephens Republican GA State House 164
Al Williams Democratic GA State House 165
Terry Barnard Republican GA State House 166
Roger Lane Republican GA State House 167
Tommy Smith Republican GA State House 168
Chuck Sims Republican GA State House 169
Penny Houston Republican GA State House 170
Jay Powell Republican GA State House 171
Gene Maddox Republican GA State House 172
Mike Keown Republican GA State House 173
Ellis Black Democratic GA State House 174
Amy Carter Democratic GA State House 175
Jay Shaw Democratic GA State House 176
Mark Hatfield Republican GA State House 177
Jaki Johnson Democratic GA State House 177
Mark Williams Republican GA State House 178
Leroy Dumas Democratic GA State House 179
Jerry Keen Republican GA State House 179
Cecily Hill Republican GA State House 180
Eric Johnson Republican GA State Senate 1
Lester Jackson Democratic GA State Senate 2
Jeff Chapman Republican GA State Senate 3
Jack Hill Republican GA State Senate 4
Curt Blackburn Thompson Democratic GA State Senate 5
Doug Stoner Democratic GA State Senate 6
Greg Goggans Republican GA State Senate 7
Tim Golden Democratic GA State Senate 8
Don Balfour Republican GA State Senate 9
Emanuel Jones Democratic GA State Senate 10
John Bulloch Republican GA State Senate 11
Freddie Powell Sims Democratic GA State Senate 12
John Crosby Republican GA State Senate 13
George Hooks Democratic GA State Senate 14
Ed Harbison Democratic GA State Senate 15
Ronnie Chance Republican GA State Senate 16
Rudy Cox Democratic GA State Senate 17
John Douglas Republican GA State Senate 17
Cecil Staton Republican GA State Senate 18
Tommie Williams Republican GA State Senate 19
Thorborn Tolleson Republican GA State Senate 20
Chip Rogers Republican GA State Senate 21
John Butler Republican GA State Senate 22
Ed Tarver Democratic GA State Senate 22
Napoleon Jenkins Republican GA State Senate 23
J.B. Powell Democratic GA State Senate 23
William Jackson Republican GA State Senate 24
Johnny Grant Republican GA State Senate 25
Robert Brown Democratic GA State Senate 26
Jack Murphy Republican GA State Senate 27
Betty Aaron Democratic GA State Senate 28
Mitchell Seabaugh Republican GA State Senate 28
Evelyn Thompson Anderson Democratic GA State Senate 29
Seth Harp Republican GA State Senate 29
William Hamrick Republican GA State Senate 30
Tracy Bennett Democratic GA State Senate 31
Bill Heath Republican GA State Senate 31
Judson Hill Republican GA State Senate 32
Steve Thompson Democratic GA State Senate 33
Valencia Seay Democratic GA State Senate 34
Kasim Reed Democratic GA State Senate 35
John Wiles Republican GA State Senate 37
Horacena Tate Democratic GA State Senate 38
Vincent Fort Democratic GA State Senate 39
Martin McConaughy Democratic GA State Senate 40
Dan Weber Republican GA State Senate 40
Steve Henson Democratic GA State Senate 41
David Adelman Democratic GA State Senate 42
Willie Hinton Republican GA State Senate 43
Ronald Ramsey Democratic GA State Senate 43
Gail Buckner Democratic GA State Senate 44
Renee Unterman Republican GA State Senate 45
Bill Cowsert Republican GA State Senate 46
Sherry Jackson Democratic GA State Senate 46
Ralph Hudgens Republican GA State Senate 47
David Shafer Republican GA State Senate 48
Lee Hawkins Republican GA State Senate 49
Jim Butterworth Republican GA State Senate 50
Chip Pearson Republican GA State Senate 51
Preston Smith Republican GA State Senate 52
Jeff Mullis Republican GA State Senate 53
Don Thomas Republican GA State Senate 54
Gloria Butler Democratic GA State Senate 55
Dan Moody Republican GA State Senate 56
Akhtar Sadiq Democratic GA State Senate 56

Count : 253

EXCEPTION CANDIDATES
Michelle Conlon Independent GA State House 80
Zephaniah Baker Independent GA State House 132

Count : 2

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Tags: 2008 election, georgia-congressional-districts, project vote smart, State Politics, U.S.-Congress.