Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss To Retire

Senator Chambliss told his senior staff this morning he won’t run for a third term.

At least two GOP House members from Georgia, Paul Broun of Athens and Tom Price of Roswell, have been contemplating primary challenges to Chambliss, who has been criticized for leading the bipartisan “Gang of Six” effort to broker a deal to address a $16 trillion federal deficit…

Both Chambliss and U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson had voted this month for the Senate-negotiated deal that avoided the “fiscal cliff” imposed by a 2011 fight over the federal debt ceiling. All Republican House members from Georgia voted against it.

More members of Congress – including Phil Gingrey of Roswell and Tom Graves of Ranger – are certain to consider the race now that it lacks an incumbent. In the state Capitol, one name has already popped up — that of state Sen. Ross Tolleson, a Republican who hails from former U.S. senator Sam Nunn’s home town of Perry.

On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. John Barrow of Augusta has said he wasn’t interested in challenging Chambliss. Whether or not that disinterest applies to an open seat may be another matter.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.