Good article in Augusta paper about Holley-Norwood race
Men bring out big ideas
By Rob Pavey| Staff Writer
Sunday, October 22, 2006
The dominant issues in the race for Georgia's 10th Congressional District are far more predictable than the candidates.
Iraq, Medicare and immigration reform all rank high, but both incumbent Republican Charlie Norwood and Democratic challenger Terry Holley say they have plenty of new ideas to share with voters.
"One of my proposals is to create an elevated train system in medians above interstate highways," said Mr. Holley, a 52-year-old jeweler and former teacher who is challenging Mr. Norwood's re-election bid.
"We already own the land," Mr. Holley said. "We could go from Augusta to Atlanta to Macon, create tens of thousands of jobs in the process, reduce fossil fuel consumption and also provide reasonably priced transportation."
Mr. Norwood, 65, has some interesting ideas, too, including a desire to make Americans aware that Iran is a more serious threat to the nation's future than North Korea or the turmoil in Iraq.
"In the bigger picture of the 21st century, we should have a big base in that region and be able to strike in between Iran and Syria," he said. "I'm not worried about North Korea. If they get too far out of line, China and Japan will punch their lights out. But Iran is the regime to worry about."
Closer to home, both candidates are hitting the campaign trail with vigor.
"The campaign is the fun part to me," said Mr. Norwood, who was re-elected two years ago despite being unable to campaign while recovering from a lung transplant.
Mr. Holley acknowledges his campaign war chest falls short of the more than $1 million raised by his opponent, but he thinks his grass-roots campaign will succeed in reaching voters in a broad district he says has plenty of Democrats.
"We did about 50 meetings and events in September," he said. "We're meeting with pastors, Realtor groups, home builders. You name it, I'm going."
As far as Iraq is concerned, Mr. Holley favors withdrawal; Mr. Norwood doesn't.
Mr. Holley said he supports troop withdrawals and believes an exit strategy - without a specific date - should be devised and presented to the people.
Mr. Norwood disagrees.
"We did the right thing going there, we did the right thing being there, and we've made lots of mistakes, too," he said. "But the mistakes are no more than we made in Korea and World War II." The United States, he said, needs to alter its tactics to stop the violence and place more burden and pressure on the Iraqi people to work for peace.
To those who say the U.S. should not be there, he responds: "We don't know what the world would look like had we not gone into Iraq. It may be a much worse place than we have now."
Mr. Holley believes some Republican congressional seats are vulnerable this election. Mr. Norwood agrees but thinks voters in the 10th District will return him to office.
"This is not going to be a good Republican year and we're going to lose some seats, particularly some of these open seats," Mr. Norwood said. "But they aren't going to win the majority back in Congress."
Reach Rob Pavey at 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
TERRY HOLLEY
Party: Democrat
Residence: Grovetown
Age: 52
Political experience: ran for Georgia House of Representatives in 2000 and 2002
Profession: teacher and jeweler
Education: Augusta State University, Bachelor of Arts degree
Family: wife, Becky; two sons; two daughters.
CHARLIE NORWOOD
Party: Republican
Residence: Evans
Age: 65
Political experience: member of Congress since January 1995
Profession: former dentist
Education: Bachelor's degree, Georgia Southern University; Doctorate in Dental Surgery, Georgetown University Dental School.
Family: wife, Gloria; two sons and two grandchildren.
By Rob Pavey| Staff Writer
Sunday, October 22, 2006
The dominant issues in the race for Georgia's 10th Congressional District are far more predictable than the candidates.
Iraq, Medicare and immigration reform all rank high, but both incumbent Republican Charlie Norwood and Democratic challenger Terry Holley say they have plenty of new ideas to share with voters.
"One of my proposals is to create an elevated train system in medians above interstate highways," said Mr. Holley, a 52-year-old jeweler and former teacher who is challenging Mr. Norwood's re-election bid.
"We already own the land," Mr. Holley said. "We could go from Augusta to Atlanta to Macon, create tens of thousands of jobs in the process, reduce fossil fuel consumption and also provide reasonably priced transportation."
Mr. Norwood, 65, has some interesting ideas, too, including a desire to make Americans aware that Iran is a more serious threat to the nation's future than North Korea or the turmoil in Iraq.
"In the bigger picture of the 21st century, we should have a big base in that region and be able to strike in between Iran and Syria," he said. "I'm not worried about North Korea. If they get too far out of line, China and Japan will punch their lights out. But Iran is the regime to worry about."
Closer to home, both candidates are hitting the campaign trail with vigor.
"The campaign is the fun part to me," said Mr. Norwood, who was re-elected two years ago despite being unable to campaign while recovering from a lung transplant.
Mr. Holley acknowledges his campaign war chest falls short of the more than $1 million raised by his opponent, but he thinks his grass-roots campaign will succeed in reaching voters in a broad district he says has plenty of Democrats.
"We did about 50 meetings and events in September," he said. "We're meeting with pastors, Realtor groups, home builders. You name it, I'm going."
As far as Iraq is concerned, Mr. Holley favors withdrawal; Mr. Norwood doesn't.
Mr. Holley said he supports troop withdrawals and believes an exit strategy - without a specific date - should be devised and presented to the people.
Mr. Norwood disagrees.
"We did the right thing going there, we did the right thing being there, and we've made lots of mistakes, too," he said. "But the mistakes are no more than we made in Korea and World War II." The United States, he said, needs to alter its tactics to stop the violence and place more burden and pressure on the Iraqi people to work for peace.
To those who say the U.S. should not be there, he responds: "We don't know what the world would look like had we not gone into Iraq. It may be a much worse place than we have now."
Mr. Holley believes some Republican congressional seats are vulnerable this election. Mr. Norwood agrees but thinks voters in the 10th District will return him to office.
"This is not going to be a good Republican year and we're going to lose some seats, particularly some of these open seats," Mr. Norwood said. "But they aren't going to win the majority back in Congress."
Reach Rob Pavey at 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
TERRY HOLLEY
Party: Democrat
Residence: Grovetown
Age: 52
Political experience: ran for Georgia House of Representatives in 2000 and 2002
Profession: teacher and jeweler
Education: Augusta State University, Bachelor of Arts degree
Family: wife, Becky; two sons; two daughters.
CHARLIE NORWOOD
Party: Republican
Residence: Evans
Age: 65
Political experience: member of Congress since January 1995
Profession: former dentist
Education: Bachelor's degree, Georgia Southern University; Doctorate in Dental Surgery, Georgetown University Dental School.
Family: wife, Gloria; two sons and two grandchildren.
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