The Georgia Democrats have been searching tirelessly for someone to run against U.S. Republican Senator Johnny Isakson in 2016, but so far, the pickings are slim.
Dems have vetted Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Rev. Raphael Warnock, State representative Stacey Evans, State representative Margaret Kaiser, and even House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams only to come up dry.
“To even have a chance to unseat him, they would need to run someone that’s a quality challenger,” said M.V. Hood, a political science professor at the University of Georgia. “Someone that’s got political experience, elected office-holding experience – and it doesn’t look like they have anyone who wants to jump into the fray.”
The Democrats are still suffering the blow of the loss of the 2014 election where who seemed to be the perfect candidate, Michelle Nunn, lost to now-Senator David Perdue. Many question if any democrat can be an Republican if Nunn could not.
The rumor mill is now circulating the name of Michael T. Sterling, the man who oversees Atlanta’s Workforce Development Agency, but not confirmation has been made by the Democratic Party or Sterling.
Another problem Democrats face is the campaign coffir Isakson has. The longer the Democrats take to find an opponent, the steeper the hill to come close to matching the several million Isakson has on hand. The clock is ticking.
The primary qualification date for 2016 is March 11. The primary election is scheduled for May 24, 2016.
24 Republican Senate seats and 10 Democrat Senate seats will be up for re-election in 2016. Democrats would need 5 seats to regain the majority in the Senate.