Brian Blake Congressman

New US House seat quick to draw interest

And many more could follow. In a state where incumbents leave office about as often as the Bulldogs win a national title, an open seat is a rare reward for politicians.

Population center is the city's new Hall County, and state Rep. Doug Collins, R-Gainesville, was first out the door to win. He announced his candidacy Thursday morning, at least one day after the governor signed Nathan the map of the new Congress, which has yet to move together with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Collins, in his third term, is a lawyer, a father of three children and an Air Force Reserve chaplain who served five months in Iraq.

As befits what's perhaps the most conservative district in the state, Collins is focused on federal spending.

"I believe right now Washington has a problem," he said. "It's broke. Spending is out of control."

Another Gainesville resident, conservative talk-radio host Martha Zoller, is mulling a run as well.

"I'll be making a decision very soon," she said. "I'm certainly seriously considering it."

The rumor mill is churning full-speed, but several potential candidates took their names out of the running, including Secretary of State Brian Kemp, an Athens resident, and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, a Gainesville native.

Cagle, who was widely believed to be headed for Washington a year or two ago, has "absolutely no interest in running for Congress," spokesman Ben Fry said.

State Sen. Jim Butterworth, R-Cornelia, was another frequently-mentioned candidate, but he is resigning his seat to take a job with the National Guard, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Friday.

State Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, told the Gainesville Times he'll "probably take a look at" running, even though he lives just outside the new district. Hall County Sheriff Steve Cronic is another possibility, the newspaper reported.

Even with all the names flying around, some candidates will come out of the woodwork. When U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood died in 2007, 10 candidates ran for his seat. Nine vied for another open seat when U.S. Rep. John Linder retired last year. Most of them were political newcomers.

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