With Senator Saxby Chambliss' (R-GA) announcement that he will retire at the end of his term, some currently serving House members have voiced their interest in the soon-to-be open Senate seat. Some news outlets have reported what each of the six Representatives say how seriously they were considering a run but not what agenda they might support as Georgia's freshman Senator in 2014. Now, by utilizing the data available through NTUF’s BillTally project, Georgians can get a preview of some of the proposals that will likely be trumpeted in the coming campaign season.
So far, the Atlanta Journal Constitution identified seven Republican and three Democratic potential candidates, seven of which are currently serving in the House of Representative.
Below, I highlight their proposed spending agendas from the 112th First Session:
Proposed Spending Agendas of Possible Georgia Senatorial Candidates (in millions of dollars) | |||||
Member | Party | Increase | Decrease | Net | |
D | $18,868 | ($5,015) | $13,853 | ||
R | $3,807 | ($14,128) | ($10,321) | ||
R | $4,903 | ($378,056) | ($373,153) | ||
R | $27 | ($347,867) | ($347,840) | ||
R | $82 | ($342,296) | ($342,214) | ||
R | $68 | ($214,354) | ($214,286) | ||
R | $11,844 | ($407,214) | ($395,370) | ||
| Source: NTUF BillTally System | |||||
Common Republican Proposals:
- Varying types of spending caps (usually discretionary limits)
- Repealing the Affordable Care Act
- Fundamental tax system changes in the form of the Fair Tax
- Concurrent Benefits for Veterans or Retirees
- Immigration reform measures
- Repealing Davis-Bacon labor requirements
- Instituting Medical Liability limitations
Highlights of Congressman John Barrow (D-GA):
- Largest spending proposals: Concurrent Benefits for Veterans and Retirees
- Largest cut proposal: Auctioning of radio spectrum frequencies
Other potential candidates include: Former DeKalb County Chief Executive Vernon Jones, Former Governor Sonny Perdue, and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.
Note: For interested reporters or taxpayers, I have a full spreadsheet of each Members' proposed spending agenda for each of the terms they have been in federal office. I also have a breakdown of their most impactful supported legislation.