Well at least he would probably breach the 40% ceiling.

So Saxby is announcing in Moultrie? Might we expect some juicy live blogging?

I don't see Martin being able to win in Nov. I doubt if he'll be able to stop Vernon and that's what this is really about, isn't it?

I'm sticking with RJL.

I think Jim can woop-ass in the primary. Primary voters only need his quotes on voting/supporting George Bush and Jones is toast.

Martin, hopefully buoyed by a good presidential race, could make this competitive. I don't see any of the others making it competitive.

He would definitely help most of our targeted races for state house, county comm, others.

I was considering it Mel but a lovely bartender asked me last night if I was stopping by to see her on St Patricks Day. Life is such a dilemma.

I LOVE the idea!!!

Primary voters only need his quotes on voting/supporting George Bush and Jones is toast.

yea and thats the problem there are three months to raise the money necessary to broadcast that info and i don't know if there is enough time.

I like RJL too. What worries me is his campaign finance ideas. I commend his commitment to reform, but we need to get folks elected before we can make those changes.

Catherine - I think leading by example is needed.

I believe Josh will come up with some very creative ways to raise the needed funds - all within the spirit of the Fair Elections Now Act.

So if others want to jump onboard with another insider candidate brought to us by the big money donors and the establishment, go for it.

sndeak, has Josh declared yet? Do you really think he will?

As if voting for Bush TWICE wasn't bad enough, according to OpenSecrets.org Vernon Jones contributed to the Georgia Republican Party in 2001

JONES, VERNON
DECATUR,GA 30030
DEKALB COUNTY/CEO
1/12/2001
$1,232
Georgia Republican Party

Snuggles is a total embarrassment.

i heard a rumor that RJL would step aside if jim martin got into it.

PaulaG - Was there any reason given why he would step aside?

Anybody want to start a little wager on whether RJL will step aside. I've got $50 saying Josh welcomes Jim to the race but will not step aside for him.

I like RJL and would for him if Jim wasn't on the ticket, but he hasn't declared yet, right? He's been running it very flat and so it gives an impression he's not really into it....Which makes me worried...

plange - nobody has been paying attention to this race so far. The Presidential Primary has sucked the wind out of everything else.

Now if Josh hasen't done anything by the middle of April, it's another story.

sndeak - my understanding was that RJL would step aside out of respect, etc. like i said, just a rumor, so take it fwiw.

Well, I tried to reach him earlier, but he was out hosting a dinner for some local Drs. Apparently some kind of feedback session on universal health care proposals. I'm thinking the rumors of him stepping aside may tell you more about others than about Josh.

Martin an insider?...I'll just say i strongly disagree and leave it at that.

The people that seem to be pushing this are insiders. I'll leave it at that.

Do you honestly think Lanier would do better than Martin against Saxby?

Martin is the complete opposite of a politician, and that's a good thing. He truly cares about what he talks about.

Anyway, I don't see how any of the other candidates could compare to him if he steps in. None of them can fund raise, none of them have name id, the list goes on.

Lanier is nice, but he's got no name id, and his entire fund raising plan is better suited in another race.

Besides, out of all of the candidates in now, I'd say either Knight or Jones would come out on top, and that's scary. Lanier would probably finish ahead of Martinez.

I think that's exactly what Jim is looking at Rural.

Nothing against Lanier, but I think it'd be great.

In Chatham County, we would love to have Jim Martin run. AJC rumors that he has already talked to DSCC, etc.

Rural - Before you get all spun out again, we should be concerned about the recent comments by party leaders and such who, as reported in AJC, are urging Martin to get "down and dirty" in the primary and the general. My feeling is that if the worst we can do is have two distinguished nice guy Veterans willing to take on Shameless, there should be high fives all around.

Thinking outside of the political junkie realm, I believe Lanier is a better fit for Georgia and a better matchup against Shameless.

I, too, think that, all things being equal, Mr Lanier would be a better fit. Unfortunately, with his self-imposed fund raising limitations, all things are decidedly NOT equal.

I'd say either Knight or Jones would come out on top, and that's scary

Dude, Vernon is always on top...OH SNAP!

CatherineATL - What's to worry about Josh's finance ideas? That he's showcasing the Fair Elections Now Act in the primary? He's taking that risk.

So, if the those with money beat him in the primary, what's the worry for Dems in the general? If he wins on his 5 cent budget in the primary, then you've got a candidate with real MO who has pledged to follow the FENA formulas for the general which allow more money than could probably be raised, including DSCC and GA Victory Fund.

So, what's the worry? If he's willing to take that risk on principle in the primary, I'm standing with him.

i hope he does run. i worked on his campaign the first time and would be thrilled to do it again. as for the vet thing, if Saxby was able to do what he did to Max i don't know if anyone is safe.

How about Rand Knight? He seems to have it all going on to me!

Freak alert.

Jim is the typical politician. He can find the problems and says we need to fix them but never says how to do that, duh. Why vote for him over anyone else? Will have to see how he matches up with others in the race. It may just be the typical choice of the lesser of evils rather than a positive vote for a good candidate. What ever happened to those who serve for the sake of service rather than finding a cushy job with high pay and little effort required?