By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
FEB. 15, 2019 | It was surprising to read that U.S. Congressman Rob Woodall, representing the Seventh District which includes much of Gwinnett, will not seek another term in Congress. After all, he had just won re-election to another term. But what was even more surprising was that this announcement came a little more than a month after Rep. Woodall was into his fifth term serving in Washington.
It makes you wonder:
- Did the Congressman realize during the recent election period that he would not run again in 2020?
- Was there some new element that caused him to announce he would not run again barely after he was seated in the new Congress?
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Woodall
Was the closeness of his recent race the element that caused him to change his intention? After all, he only defeated Democratic Challenger Carolyn Bourdeaux by 433 votes.
- Or was it the Congressman’s recognition that the Seventh District is rapidly changing toward a more Democratic and liberal base of voters that made him realize that he might not elected in this district again?
- Or still further, did he recognize that by the 2022 election, the 7th District would be so changed to a Democratic base that it would be impossible for a Republican to win even in a newly gerrymandered district?
- Or somehow did a lucrative lobbying job loom in the horizon for the Congressman, and he elected to take the high road and announce his intentions so that others would have plenty of time to make a campaign strategy?
Whatever the reason, Georgia’s Seventh District for the next two years will be represented by a lame-duck, and maybe disinterested Congressman.
When Rob Woodall was first elected to Congress in 2010, he followed his previous employer, Seventh District Congressman John Linder, in the job. He had been the chief of staff for Linder, and among other considerations, became a champion of the Fair Tax that Rep. Linder had long fought for, in what continued to be a losing battle for the Congressman.
Rep. Woodall first easily won election to the Seventh District slot. While meeting with constituents regularly, he did not author any significant legislation. However, he continued the Linder manner of talking repeatedly in a boring appraisal of the wonders of the Fair Tax. It was as if the Congressman had no other agenda, but droned on about a major change in the way our nation charged its citizens their taxes, which essentially was doomed.
Bourdeaux
Now with Woodall bowing out of Congress mighty early, have you noticed how several Republicans have been contacted about their interest in seeking the 7th District Congress seat, and few, if any, have jumped into the fray? Some of those asked currently hold elected office, and would have to give up one post….to run in a district that is trending Democratic. We expect to see few Republicans who currently hold an elected post choose to run.
And the person who came so close to defeating Rep. Woodall in 2018? Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux jumped in feet-first, and looks to be the most electable of the Democrats at this point.
That surprise Woodall announcement may have signaled what will be the eventual takeover of several more elective offices by Gwinnett Democrats in 2020.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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