U.S. Senate
Johnny Isakson
Party: Republican
Age: 65
Residence: Marietta
Experience: U.S. Senator since 2004, served three teams in U.S. House, 17 years in state legislature; former Realtor, Air National Guard veteran.
What he'll do if elected: Ensure we head in the right direction on the key issues facing our state and nation: job growth and economic recovery, the national debt and federal spending, health care, energy taxes and national security. Continue to fight for private-sector job growth and economic recovery through conservative, free-market principles, which include lower spending, fairer taxation, less regulation and more empowerment of the private-sector. Believes it is essential that we reign in government spending and return to fiscal conservatism, repeal and replace health care law, ensure current tax rates are not increased and prevent a national energy tax. Continue to protect national security by supporting troops and securing U.S. borders.
Mike Thurmond
Party: Democrat
Age: 57
Residence: Athens
Experience: State labor commissioner since 1998; served three terms in state legislature; owns a radio station
What he'll do if elected: Wants to create new jobs and spur economic growth, with a fairer tax system that rewards achievement and entrepreneurship. Proposes investing in infrastructure and new private sector jobs. Focus education and training on worker preparation for occupations that are in demand. Put an end to fiscal irresponsibility, reducing and eliminating the federal deficit and returning our country to the fiscal discipline that generated record budget surpluses and a rising standard of living. Will stand up for families hit hard by unemployment and home foreclosures, small business owners who are struggling because bank credit has dried up, families who want to provide a good education for their children.
Chuck Donovan
Party: Libertarian
Age: 53
Residence: Mableton
Experience: Professional pilot for Delta Air Lines; ex-Marine Corps officer.
What he'll do if elected: Believes national debt poses a risk to liberty, prosperity and peace. Wants to substantially reduce federal spending, balance budget. Supports substantial changes to tax system. Opposes government control of health care. In foreign policy, believes U.S. should end longstanding "entangling alliances", focus on achieving set goals in the conflicts we currently fight, quickly and safely bring home troops defending the nation. On immigration, proposes plan to allow honest people to reasonably enter U.S, patrol borders with federal police assets, not military troops, and allow guest worker passes. On energy, believes federal government needs to get out of the way of energy exploration, experimentation, and expansion; opposes cap-and-trade program.
As Washington incumbents who are up for re-election across the country quake before voter insurrections, Republican U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson is sitting pretty — if you believe the pundits and the polls.
Spoiler alert: Democrat Michael Thurmond and Libertarian Chuck Donovan, who are after that Senate seat, say they don't.
Isakson isn't taking anything for granted. One thing he agrees on with his challengers: Polls don't vote, voters do. "There's only one poll that matters," Isakson said, "and it's on Nov. 2."
To those who do put stock in polls, the story is stark in the race between Isakson, whose experience includes work as a real estate executive, Georgia legislator and member of the U.S. House; Thurmond, the state's labor commissioner and also a former legislator; and Donovan, an airline pilot and former Marine fighter pilot.
With less than two weeks before the election, Isakson's position is an indicator of his own personal popularity as well as the Republican Party's standing in Georgia.
"This year the Georgia Republicans look like they're in a position to do the best in statewide elections than in years, with the one exception of the governor's race," said Merle Black, an Emory professor and expert on politics and Republicans.
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