Is the Price Right? Price Eyes U.S. Senate Run in 2010
By John Fredericks / STAFF
Washington, D.C.
 Congressman Tom Price (left) reviews the day’s legislative agenda with senior legislative assistant Travis Johnson. |
Legendary author and political theorist Ayn Rand opened her best selling classic novel, “Atlas Shrugged,” with the question, “Who is John Galt?”
As it turned out, Galt, her lead character, was an unyielding capitalist who wanted to impact the nation in a sweeping and permanent way.
In the not so distant future Georgians outside of North Fulton County may be asking the question, “Who is Tom Price?”
The answer may very well be: the next U.S. Senator from Georgia.
Packs a Punch
Price (R-GA), serving only his second term in Georgia’s heavily Republican 6th District is a rising star in Washington GOP circles. He garnered over 72 percent of the vote in his 2006 re-election bid in a down year for the GOP that saw the Democrats take over the House and Senate.
The graybeards of the Republican Party, seeking more vibrant leadership after their 2006 debacle, promptly promoted Price to Deputy Whip, leapfrogging him over a plethora of more senior Republican House members.
An orthopedic surgeon from Roswell, Price’s calm and likeable bedside manner is seen by political insiders as a potent complement to his rock solid conservative philosophy. He represents the second most Republican U.S House District in the U.S. in terms of plurality, trailing only Orange County, Cal.
His American Conservative Union Rating (the litmus barometer for national conservatives) is 92 percent, second only to Rep. John Linder’s (R-GA / 7th) 96 percent rating.
Known as a tireless worker and policy wonk by his staff, Price is not likely to be out-hustled by opponents nor out-prepared by foes. He is fast becoming a formidable force legislatively. His political instincts, although novice, are sound.
He sensed the folly of the immigration bill last summer and immediately railed against it, abandoning both his President and his two U.S. Senators. So far this year, he has sanctioned and mailed two taxpayer funded “Frank Mail” pieces, both focused on immigration, although he has little sway on the matter from where he currently sits.
Born and raised in the midwest, Price earned an M.D. from the University of Michigan and completed his residency at Emory University in Atlanta. He ran a successful medical practice in Roswell for two decades before becoming a full-time politician.
He was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1996 and served as minority whip from 1999 to 2003. He became the first Republican majority leader in the state senate since Reconstruction in 2003.
He has never lost a campaign. He entered two primary contests as a decided underdog and won both.
Although Price faces token opposition in this year’s July Republican primary in the form of protest candidate Mike Boyce, he is expected to win re-nomination handily and is heavily favored to defeat Democrat challenger Bill Jones in the fall.
The Catalyst
Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson is said to be strongly considering a bid for Governor next year. That would leave his U.S. Senate seat open, as his term ends in 2010.
According to well-placed GOP officials, Price could win that seat.
One Hill veteran who works closely with the Congressman was confident of victory if Price ran for Senate. “He built a solo orthopedic practice into a $50 million medical machine. He became the first Republican Georgia Senate majority leader since the Civil War. He overcame a seven-man jungle primary as an underdog to win his Congressional seat. The guy is a proven winner.”
Isakson is the First Domino
With the U.S. House and Senate now firmly in the hands of the Democrats, the GOP prospects for winning back control of either chamber in 2008 appear dim, at best. Most pundits predict further losses for Republicans. The prospect of another six years in the minority does not have Georgia’s senior Senator, Johnny Isakson, particularly excited about returning for another round in 2010.
Several key sources very close to the Senator confirmed he is going to run for Governor in 2010, as he yearns to return home and is tiring of both the general Washington grind and his party’s minority status. One high-ranking GOP official that preferred anonymity said, “It’s basically a done deal. He is going to run for Georgia Governor.”
Shawn Hanley, Fulton County Republican Chairman and a former Deputy Secretary of the Veterans Administration in the Bush Administration said, “Having served in Washington myself I can attest to the fact that being in the minority can be frustrating at times, especially when you compare that to the impact and authority one can have as Governor of a major state like Georgia.”
Brandon Beach, Chairman and CEO of the powerful North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, a de facto arm of the local GOP, added, “A lot of people are encouraging Johnny to come back and run for Governor. The state needs his leadership and his vision. It would certainly put the cap on a brilliant career. As Governor he is one of 50, not one of 100.”
Fulton County Commissioner Lynne Riley, frustrated with the shenanigans that have bedeviled the State House of late, described the Isakson for Governor boomlet as, “fabulous news.”
Pressure for Price Senate Bid Will Mount
Assuming Price is re-elected in 2008, pressure on him to run for the Republican nomination for Senate in 2010 if Isakson runs for Governor will be enormous. North Fulton County officials will want to have the same clout and access they now have with Isakson, an area resident, with any new Georgia Senator.
Price, a longtime Roswell resident, fits the bill.
The Sixth Congressional District now encompasses Sandy Springs, Roswell, Mountain Park, Alpharetta, Milton, John’s Creek, South Cherokee and East Cobb Counties. The voters are overwhelmingly Republican, highly conservative and their numbers grow by the month. By all accounts, Price has done a stellar job in cultivating his base support.
“He’s ubiquitous,” said Hanley.
When quizzed about a Senate run, his closest aides say he will most likely get in the race. One senior Price operative said, “We are looking at it. We are evaluating it. I will say this: If we get in, we’ll win.”
Price himself was diplomatic when asked about the 2010 race, saying only, “I would certainly review all of our options if that scenario played out.” He did not deny interest.
North Fulton, GOP Godzilla
Regardless of the scenario, the numbers play out for a Price bid. North Fulton County has replaced Gwinnett and Cobb Counties as the state’s Republican power base.
Just ask Roswell dweller and Secretary of State Karen Handel. She carried North Fulton by nearly 20,000 votes in the July 2006 GOP primary and cruised to victory.
Handel received 160,500 votes, or 43.6 percent, then trounced her opponent in the August run-off.
Fast forward to the election of 2010 and it is very conceivable that North Fulton County’s favorite son Price could carry his district by a 50,000-vote plurality over several rivals.
If the race were to be between, say, Price, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, Savannah Representative Jack Kingston (R-GA / 1) and Gwinnett Representative John Linder (R-GA / 7), Price would merely have to garner about 30 percent of the remaining state-wide Republican votes to make an August run off. The math simply favors a Price victory.
Atlanta media costs about $250,000 per day. He has the capacity to raise several million dollars for a primary run and he has the conservative credentials to wage a decent state-wide campaign.
But his juggernaut is North Fulton County. It’s got both the votes and the donors to put him over the top.
Musical Seats
If Price makes it official and jumps into the Senate fray, his Sixth District seat opens up. This will cause some local GOP politicos to make their move. Here is the early take on what could be a crowded field to replace Price.
Fulton County Commissioner Lynne Riley – She is interested in the seat and will most likely run. As potentially the lone female in the race and one of the only elected officials to have faced voters in much of the district, she will be a force to be reckoned with. She has grown in stature and political savvy, and has honed her speaking and campaign skills as the most voiceferous Republican Fulton County Commissioner. Riley is tough, determined and has a solid base of support to draw on, especially in North Fulton. She will raise enough money to be competitive. She becomes the favorite the day she gets in.
State Senators Judson Hill and Dan Moody – Both men are capable politicians with impressive track records and political bases of support. They will, however, be vying for essentially the same votes and neither has the outreach Riley has. The chances are only one of them will run, and if so, their candidacy will be formidable. Either one can win. Their best hope will be to get in a runoff with Riley.
House Representative Mark Burkhalter – He wants to be Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives and although a proven vote-getter and a fundraising powerhouse, he is expected to sit this one out.
Secretary of State Karen Handel - She will run for Lt. Governor in 2010 with Isakson and win in a landslide.
Cobb County Commissioner Sam Olens – Ten years ago he would have been the odds-on favorite to win this seat. Not now. East Cobb just doesn’t have the votes in the district. He may very well squeak into the run-off, and then is likely to get pasted by the North Fulton representative, whomever it is.
Alpharetta Councilman Doug DeRito – The dark horse in the race, DeRito has the best shot of any unknown to pull an upset. He has a plethora of campaign experience from his New Jersey days, and is a very attractive and able candidate who comes in the race with no apparent political baggage.
He has access to cash, and could very well outspend his opponents by a wide margin, buying him much needed name recognition quickly. He’s Riley’s biggest threat.
John Galt
At the end of Rand’s novel, John Galt becomes the icon of personal liberty and economic freedom and leads the nation.
As for Tom Price, he may just want to be a U.S. Senator. For now.