With John Linder's surprise announcement to retire from the House of Representatives a few weeks ago, Sen. Don Balfour was in and then out, Rep. Clay Cox is in and there was talk of Col. Michael Steele, a newcomer, getting in.  This week, Rob Woodall, Linder's chief of staff through his hat in the ring.  I immediately reached out to him and go a quick response in return.  He'll be on the program on Monday morning and we'll get to know him better.

Woodall called this morning to introduce himself as the newest candidate in the Republican contest to replace his now former boss.

He announced Wednesday, in a conversation with Neal Boortz on WSB (750AM). Boortz and Linder have paired on a couple books on the Fair Tax - a proposed sales-tax substitute for the income tax.

What you probably didn't know is that Woodall was involved in the writing of both. Said the former staffer:

"I think of myself more as a ghost on the first book. They put my name on the second time around.

"When they got ready to do that second book, they said, 'Rob do you have the time to help us out with it?' So I took some unpaid leave from work and really threw myself into it. I really appreciate them giving me that opportunity. The Fair Tax is one of my passions."

Woodall said Linder was "just thrilled" by his decision to enter the race, made after the abrupt withdrawal of state Sen. Don Balfour (R-Snellville). "I appreciate his support on that," the former chief of staff said.

The second thing you need to know about Woodall is that he does not live in the 7th District. "I do not. As of Friday I will. They're cleaning out and finishing the floors on a place out in Lawrenceville. So I will soon be a Lawrenceville resident," Woodall said.

Woodall is a Georgia native - born in Athens, raised in Avondale and DeKalb County. A graduate of Furman University and the University of Georgia law school.

Very likely, Woodall's longtime residency abroad will become an issue in the race."

( http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/)

This is not the first time a staffer has run, and there have been mixed results.  The one thing I can tell you is, there needs to be competition in the 7th district primary and Rob Woodall is giving Clay Cox some competition. 

SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE 9TH DISTRICT

This has been the most interesting election campaign I've seen in years.  First, a sitting Congressman decides to run for Governor. An entire field of folks consider the run.  Even I get my name thrown around and I consider it. A few weeks ago, Cong. Deal announces he will resign from the House effective March 8. Then when the timing of the Health Care vote gets pushed up, he decides to stay in until the vote and resigns effective 11:45 pm on the night of the vote.  

Now comes the interesting part, the Governor calls for an April 27 Special election, the candidates react. Then the Secretary of State says, we can't get all the ballots out and back by then to overseas voters and that especially effects military personnel, so they change it to May 11.  Thank goodness, everything is digital these days, or we'd be in a mess.  The Associated Press reported it this way:

Gov. Sonny Perdue is pushing back the date for a special election in North Georgia to May 11.

Voters in the 9th congressional district must select a replacement for Nathan Deal in the U.S. House and fill the legislative seats held by state Sen. Lee Hawkins and Rep. Tom Graves.

All three elections had been set for April 27.

But Perdue spokesman Bert Brantley said Wednesday that the secretary of state's office was concerned there was not enough time to get ballots returned from military members stationed overseas.

The qualifying period for candidates wishing to run will remain March 29-31.

Deal left Congress to pursue the Republican nomination for governor. Hawkins and Graves resigned to run for Deal's seat."

(http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/)