Now, Renee, please do not run for Congress; Stay in the Georgia Senate
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
FEB. 22, 2019 — Now, Renee. Don’t run for the Seventh District seat in Congress.
Gwinnett County, Buford, and the state need you in the Georgia Senate, where you will remain much more effective than you would as a freshman representative in the House of Representatives in Washington.
Yes, we understand that you are miffed because of the current Kemp Administration, and in particular Lt. Gov. Jeff Duncan, who stripped you of your Senate committee chairmanship. That was probably inevitable, since you ended up on the losing side (as a Casey Cagle supporter) in the recent election year.
You may feel you are wandering around aimlessly now. But you are not. You have a wide range of people who can help you get things done throughout the state. You know the issues that our state faces, particularly in health care. Stick around and see that these improvements are made, even though you may not chair a committee making them.
Unterman
You have always been strong, since your basketball playing days at Berkmar High School. You can take a beating, but then turn back around and give your all and continue to fight. You showed good work as mayor of Loganville, and in your time in the Senate. You should not slink away from the Senate obligations that the people of the 45th District elected you for.
But mainly, there’s a major reason you should not undertake a race for Congress. And you, in your funk of being embarrassed by losing the Senate chairmanship, may not be able to see it now. Though you say you are getting encouragement and favorable comments about running for Congress, there’s a major roadblock you are failing to recognize.
Judging from the last two election cycles, Gwinnett County is turning Democratic pretty quickly. Just look at the recent 7th District vote, where Rep. Rob Woodall won his seat by just 433 votes! Carolyn Bourdeaux scared Ralph Woodall into not running. We suspect a Democrat will win in 2020, and Ms. Bourdeaux has already announced and formed a strong committee for that.
Two years from now, we have little doubt that the Democratic Party will retake the Seventh District seat. Other Democrats may get into the race, but for now, we see Ms. Bourdeaux as the winner.
We say that it’s no matter who is the Republican Party nominee is for this seat. Even you. Far as that goes, it may be in 2020 that any Republican candidate in Gwinnett County will have at best an uphill battle for election.
Yes, yes, we understand. In politics, you may have had a life ambition to serve in Washington wanting to make serving there the capstone of many years of service to Georgia. But you must consider the reality, and just as Gwinnett had a serious change in who could get elected in 1984 when the Republicans took over, we see the upcoming 2020 race as a major turning point in local politics. It’s also a presidential year, when the most voters turn out.
While we would wish that it was not true, Renee, 2020 doesn’t seem to be your year for winning a seat in Congress. However, even if Gwinnett mainly voted Democratic in 2020, we think your solid political experience makes you the best Republican to have a chance of winning in 2020, but not for Congress.
Stay put in the 45th District, which in 2020 we think you have a far better chance of winning than you would for the 7th District in Congress.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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