Karen Handel Enters Georgia Senate Race

Former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel announced her campaign for Senate on Friday morning, as the state’s Republican convention was set to kick off in Athens.

“States, especially those with Republican governors, are doing a good job — they are balancing budgets with targeted spending cuts, creating jobs, and tackling tax reform,” Handel said in a statement. “The biggest problems we face today are in Washington, and that’s where we so desperately need fresh thinking, bold solutions, and real leadership.”

Handel is the fourth Republican to enter the race for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss. Notably, she is also the first woman and first candidate who is not a member of Congress. GOP Reps. Paul Broun, Phil Gingrey and Jack Kingston are running. David Perdue, the cousin of former Gov. Sonny Perdue, announced an exploratory committee this week.

In the party’s top pickup opportunity of the 2014 midterms, Democrats are awaiting word from Michelle Nunn, a philanthropist and daughter of former Sen. Sam Nunn. Full story

Another Georgia Republican Closes In on Senate Race #GASEN

David Perdue, a wealthy businessman and the cousin of former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, has formed an exploratory committee to run for the Peach State’s open Senate seat.

Should he run, Perdue would be the fourth Republican to enter the Senate race for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss.

“I am truly concerned about the direction of our country, and I don’t think we can solve our nation’s problems by electing another career politician looking for a promotion,” Perdue said in a statement. “That is why I am strongly considering a run for U.S. Senate.” Full story

Karen Handel Senate Run Likely in Georgia

Handel is likely to run for Senate. (Photo By Bill Clark/Roll Call)

Georgia Republicans expect Secretary of State Karen Handel to jump into the open-seat Senate race now that Rep. Tom Price announced he won’t run.

“I think it’s virtually guaranteed that Karen Handel is going to be announcing in the near future,” Georgia-based GOP consultant Joel McElhannon said.

A spokesman for Handel said it was unlikely she would announce her intentions at or before the state Republican convention on the weekend of May 18. In a statement released after Price’s announcement, Handel remained coy about her intentions.

“I am honored that so many people from across Georgia continue to urge me to run for US Senate, and I will let everyone know my decision in the very near future,” Handel said. Full story

Tom Price Declines Georgia Senate Bid #GASEN

Price announced Friday that won't run for Senate. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Georgia Rep. Tom Price said Friday that he will not run for the state’s open Senate seat.

The five-term Republican becomes the second congressman this week to opt against the race, joining Democratic Rep. John Barrow.

Full story

Super PACs Fuel GOP Civil War

Republicans who have long pushed for campaign finance deregulation are now paying for one of its consequences: the rise of influential conservative super PACs vying for the soul of a fractured GOP.

That Republicans crushed by the 2012 election results are feuding over what went wrong and what comes next is nothing new. Less noticed has been the big money bankrolling GOP factions and the influential new super PACs and outside groups that hold the party’s future in their hands.

More than a dozen such groups have sprung up since Election Day, CQ Weekly reports this week — some promoting centrists, minorities or liberalized immigration rules, others championing conservatives at odds with “establishment” party leaders. As the story notes: Full story

Remainders: Georgia on the Mind

Polls close at 7 p.m. EDT today for South Carolina’s 1st District special election between former Gov. Mark Sanford and Democratic nominee Elizabeth Colbert Busch. Keep an eye on Roll Call tonight to see if Sanford pulled off his comeback bid.

But in the mean time, here’s what you may have missed “At the Races” on Tuesday …

• #GASEN: Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga., will not run for the state’s open Senate seat, and now Democrats must continue their search for a Peach State recruit. All eyes are on Democrat Michelle Nunn, daughter of former Sen. Sam Nunn and the CEO of Points of Light, a volunteer organization.
• #HISEN: EMILY’s List endorsed Hawaii Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in the Aloha State’s Democratic primary for Senate in 2014. Hanabusa will face Sen. Brian Schatz, who was appointed to fill the vacancy after Sen. Daniel K. Inouye died last year.
• #IASEN: Former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker became the first Republican to announce that he will run for Iowa’s open Senate seat on Tuesday.
• #FL18: Republican Juno Beach Vice Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Andel announced she is challenging freshman Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy in 2014.

What we’re mulling on Tuesday … Full story

John Barrow Not Running for Senate #GASEN

Barrow will not run for Senate. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Georgia Rep. John Barrow announced Tuesday that he will not seek the state’s open Senate seat, leaving Democrats without a top candidate for now in the party’s best pickup opportunity in 2014.

“I’m grateful for the encouragement I’ve received from folks all across the State of Georgia, but I’ve decided that I will not be a candidate for the Senate in 2014,” Barrow said in a statement. “I enjoy my work on behalf of the folks in the 12th District, and I look forward to continuing to serve them in the House of Representatives.” Full story

Remainders: A Very Special, Special Election

Keep an eye on Roll Call and this blog for ongoing coverage of former Gov. Mark Sanford’s bid to come back to Congress via the 1st District special election. It could really happen on Tuesday.

Until then, here’s what you might have missed “At the Races” on Monday …

• #GASEN: GOP Rep. Jack Kingston raised more than a quarter-million dollars at a fundraiser for his Senate campaign to replace retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.
• #IASEN: Since Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, declined to run for Senate, Republicans are on the prowl for a new  candidate.
• #CA31:  Two of former Rep. Joe Baca’s, D-Calif., Democratic House colleagues are not backing his congressional comeback bid. The blood feud continues!
• #SC01: Polls close at 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday for the special election between Sanford and the Democratic nominee, Elizabeth Colbert Busch.

What we’re mulling on Monday …

Full story

Jack Kingston Raised $270K at Senate Fundraiser #GASEN

Kingston is running for Senate. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., announced he raised $270,000 at a fundraiser on May 3 — one day after he formally entered an already crowded primary for Senate.

The Kingston campaign boasted it set a fundraising record for an event in Savannah, surpassing the mark previously set by GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney last year. Full story

Remainders: Larry Flynt Backs Mark Sanford

Polls close for the special primary for Senate in Massachusetts at 8 p.m. EDT. Check Roll Call tonight for results.

In the meantime, here’s what you might have missed “At the Races” on Tuesday …

#SC01: Larry Flynt — the publisher of Hustler — endorsed former Gov. Mark Sanford’s special election bid. He’s said he’ll donate the maximum to the struggling Republican’s campaign.

And in what will likely come as more welcome support, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and FreedomWorks PAC backed Sanford over the Democratic nominee, Elizabeth Colbert Busch. Meanwhile, House Majority PAC, a Democratic super PAC, targeted female Republicans in its final ad before Election Day.

#PAgov: GOP Gov. Tom Corbett’s terrible polling makes Republicans nervous about four suburban Philadelphia seats.

#GAsen: Republican Rep. Jack Kingston will hold two news conferences on Thursday — and all signs point to him announcing a bid for Senate.

#2016: Libertarian Gary Johnson sounded like “he’s up for another run” in a speech at George Washington University on Monday night.

What we’re mulling on Tuesday… Full story

Jack Kingston Plans Announcement Tour for Thursday #GAsen

Kingston will likely run for Senate. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., has scheduled two news conferences for Thursday — yet another indication he will become the third member of the state’s delegation to enter the Senate race.

The 11-term Republican congressman will make an announcement during double events in his coastal 1st District in Savannah and Brunswick. Kingston’s team would not describe the substance of his planned remarks.

“You’ll have to listen in to find out,” Kingston spokesman Chris Crawford told CQ Roll Call. Full story

Remainders: 867-5309/Jenny, Don’t Change Your Number

• #FLgov: Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla, is mulling a gubernatorial run in 2014.
• #PA13: This blog premiered a new series, “The Candidate,” that questions the scores of congressional hopefuls who visit the CQ Roll Call offices each cycle. The first victim? State Sen. Daylin Leach, a Democrat running in a crowded primary for Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz’s seat.
• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel touted his recruits in a memo to his caucus. Notably missing? Former Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., who is trying to come back to Congress via the 31st District.
• #GAsen: Former Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, endorsed Rep. Paul Broun in the GOP primary to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss.
• #HIsen: Tensions from the 2008 Democratic presidential primary continue through the 2014 Senate primary. Several years ago, appointed Sen. Brian Schatz backed now-President Barack Obama and Rep. Colleen Hanabusa supported Hillary Rodham Clinton. Could Bubba or Obama campaign in the Aloha State first?

What we’re mulling on Thursday …

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Ron Paul Backs Paul Broun #GAsen

Paul, above, is backing Broun in the Georgia Senate race. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, endorsed Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., in what is shaping up to be Republicans’ widest and most unpredictable Senate primary.

“If we’re going to restore our Constitution and put our nation back on the path to prosperity, we must elect principled conservatives who will fight in Washington,” Paul, a former presidential candidate with deep tea party support, said in an email Thursday. “Paul Broun will continue fighting, and that’s why I endorsed his candidacy for U.S. Senate in Georgia.” Full story

Remainders: Big-Sky Dreams

What you might have missed “At the Races” on Tuesday …

• #MTsen: All eyes are on former Gov. Brian Schweitzer to see if he runs for the Democratic nod in Montana. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., suddenly announced his retirement Tuesday morning, and soon after a top Democratic official confirmed that Schweitzer was already considering the race.
• #HIsen: Rep. Colleen Hanabusa will likely challenge appointed Sen. Brian Schatz for the Democratic nomination in 2014. Notable timing here: Hours earlier, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee indicated it would support Schatz.
• #SDsen: Democrats remain divided over who should run for the open Senate seat: U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson or former Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. Neither has announced a campaign yet. Meanwhile, former Sen. James Abourezk joined the “Draft Brendan Johnson” movement.
• Shop Talk: A top GOP ad-maker, Nick Everhart, was fired from Rex Elsass’ firm via an email late on April 20.
• Shop Talk: A former campaign manager for Sen. Joe Manchin III has joined the new Democratic consulting firm Mack-Sumner. That firm sound familiar? Earlier this year, conflicting interests split Kevin Mack’s longtime partnership with Jim Crounse and the direct-mail firm Mack|Crounse Group.

Full story

Georgia: Gingrey Enters Senate Race

Gingrey is the second member to enter the Georgia Senate race. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

On Wednesday morning, Georgia Rep. Phil Gingrey entered what’s expected to be a crowded and spirited Republican primary for the Peach State’s open Senate seat.

Speaking in his hometown of Augusta, Ga., Gingrey joined Rep. Paul Broun as the first two major candidates to announce bids for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss. The news was not a surprise, as Gingrey has been putting together a campaign team for a statewide bid. Full story