From the Politico website (some new names to the fire)
Norwood's death opens up a vacancy in the solidly Republican Northeast Georgia seat, creating a scramble among potential candidates.
Gov. Sonny Perdue, a Republican, is required to ask the secretary of state within 10 days for a special election date. The election would then be held at least 30 days later. Traditionally, special elections in Georgia have been held within about two months of a vacancy.
The special election would be nonpartisan, with both Republicans and Democrats running on the same ballot. There would be a runoff if no one gets 50 percent of the vote. The district has been reliably Republican in recent years, giving President Bush 72 percent of the vote in 2004. A 2005 redistricting added the Democratic-leaning college town of Athens into the district.
State Sen. Ralph Hudgens told The Politico he's definitely running. Hudgens ran against Norwood in the 1994 Republican primary and narrowly lost to him in a runoff. "I'm for less government, lower taxes and more personal responsibility," Hudgens said. Other potential candidates include two Republicans, state House Majority Whip Barry Fleming and state Sen. Nancy Schaefer.
Gov. Sonny Perdue, a Republican, is required to ask the secretary of state within 10 days for a special election date. The election would then be held at least 30 days later. Traditionally, special elections in Georgia have been held within about two months of a vacancy.
The special election would be nonpartisan, with both Republicans and Democrats running on the same ballot. There would be a runoff if no one gets 50 percent of the vote. The district has been reliably Republican in recent years, giving President Bush 72 percent of the vote in 2004. A 2005 redistricting added the Democratic-leaning college town of Athens into the district.
State Sen. Ralph Hudgens told The Politico he's definitely running. Hudgens ran against Norwood in the 1994 Republican primary and narrowly lost to him in a runoff. "I'm for less government, lower taxes and more personal responsibility," Hudgens said. Other potential candidates include two Republicans, state House Majority Whip Barry Fleming and state Sen. Nancy Schaefer.
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