Republican Senator Retiring After Primary Threats From The Right

Saxby Chambliss of GA to leave after two terms

Sen. Saxby Chambliss, once loathed by Democrats but with whom they since found common cause on budget issues, is retiring. The GA Republican is dropping plans to run for a third term in 2014, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Chambliss was elected to the Senate in 2002 after eight years in the House. Early on he voted a solidly conservative line on social and domestic issues, but in recent years negotiated with Senate Democrats and fellow Republicans over deficit reduction proposals as part of the "Gang of Eight". While the group never quite produced a consensus plan, Chambliss's public openness to at least some tax hikes left him vulnerable on the right.

And at least two GOP House members from GA, Paul Broun Tom Price, have been contemplating primary challenges to Chambliss, whom they criticized for having participating in the bipartisan effort to broker a deal to address a $16 trillion federal deficit.

Chambliss's role as a bipartisan statesman would have been a surprise early in his Senate tenure. He got to the Senate in the first place by defeating Democratic incumbent Max Cleland in 2002. Chambliss focused on national defense and homeland security during his campaign, emotionally raw issues a year after 9/11. Chambliss's ad included images of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, highlighting Cleland's record on the issues of war and terrorism.

Chambliss received criticism from Democrats and Republicans for this ad, pointing out that he, who hadn't served in the Vietnam War due to receiving military deferments, had attacked a Vietnam War veteran who lost three limbs during his service for not being tough enough on issues of war and homeland security. Republican Senator John McCain of AZ said of one ad, "It's worse than disgraceful, it's reprehensible." Senator Chuck Hagel of NE said the ads were "beyond offensive to me."

Chambliss supporters said the ad did not question Cleland's patriotism, but rather his judgment. Whatever the motive, the ad served as a template for national security-infused themes of President George W. Bush's successful 2004 reelection bid.

Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Politix reporting.

What’s your reaction to Chambliss’s retirement?

[woodtick57]

time to move to the big leagues....lobbying!

[kathyparsell]

Sounds like an ass, but personality doesn't seem as important as a politician who reaches across the isle.

[lawnmowrman]

sad to see one of the few Senators that's willing to do his job leave office

[FollowTheMoney]

Leaving is what makes him a good American. Politicians working to make a career out of their service is the main problem.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

The purge is working. YES!!!

[dances-weebles]

you were finally able to go poop? congratulations. maybe now you aren't so full of it.

[woodtick57]

@dances-weebles

Bazinga!

[PNWest]

@woodtick57 Or if you are a conservative.....BENGHAZI!

[woodtick57]

yes, keep purging those willing to think for themselves and get the job done and you will soon have the far-right little cadre you want, in lockstep unison towards obscurity...

What will you call this new, short-lived party?

[woodtick57]

@PNWest

But I am a conservative...(a real one) for many, it was attempted to use Benghazi as a gotcha!, but there was no gotcha there, just media and hyperpartisan hype...

[ACTSmom]

All of them should leave after 2 terms...maybe we'd finally get a few senators and representatives in there who actually care about the PEOPLE who pay their salaries instead of the lobbyists and lucrative benefits they get by voting certain ways and having inside information.

[dances-weebles]

wow! you mean that we can finally agree on something?

[ACTSmom]

@dances-weebles...LOL! And there's no lightning striking either of us!:)

[Yvonne]

I thinkg we as Americans should do something about term limits or lack of. I just don't know what to do lol. I talk to alot of people during the day and so far everyone I've talked to about term limits agrees this needs to happen. How much of a challenge would it be to get something going on this? Anyone?

[dances-weebles]

@Yvonne not sure... but i think that two 2 year terms for the house and senate is quite enough... no retirement benefits and no lifelong health care... and definitely no lobbying positions or insider trading. after two years they should simply go away.

[dances-weebles]

@ACTSmom keep your eyes open... it's clouding up

[DARSB]

Not one of my favorites, but he is a far sight better than Rep Broun, the current leader of the Crazy Georgia Republicans Club.

[AceLuby]

Hooray for hyper partisanship!

[DerivePI]

We all have more taxes to pay but no sign of any deficit reduction. No more dupes.

[PNWest]

This could be great. If the baggers can find another Todd Akin or Richard Mourdock we could get another dem senator.

[bsking]

.... in recent years found more common ground with Democrats.....

Buh-bye.

[crusader]

Chambliss was a supporter of the Fairtax amendment and recently spoke in suport of it before the Senate. Maybe he will become the first fairtax lobbyist, normally I am against th existence of lobbyist but that would be good.

[LGRepublican]

Sounds to me like he retired rather than getting beat. Retiring senator sounds better than defeated senator.....

[WMCOL]

One venomous right-winger going down, 275 more to go. God bless America, again.

[harold_lloyd]

Actually, no.
He's certainly a conservative, but he's not a total prisoner to his ideology.
The two guys that want to run in his place are much worse in terms of being able to help govern. They're both anti-intellectual teabaggers of the most egregious sort.

[PoliticalSpice]

@harold_lloyd Good, maybe they'll make some of the wacky comments tea party is famous for and a nothing candidate no one thought had a chance will be the next democratic senator from Georgia.

[harold_lloyd]

@PoliticalSpice Broun already has made such comment with his,"Science is of the devil." thing.
But I'd rather have a good Republican than a bad Democrat.

[PoliticalSpice]

@harold_lloyd any dem elected in georgia would have to be pretty conservative. Of course there is always jimmy carter...

[kirbstomp1]

Lol

[kirbstomp1]

As a Georgian its sad to see him leave, as being one to morph from a straight republican to an open minded individual willing to work for his constituents and not his party. I thank Saxby for that and he will be missed. I wish Paul Broun would retire instead and go back to being a Christian brahman doctor, praying to heal people.

[woodtick57]

You don't think he left that field bvecause he had already hoodwinked everyo gullible sucker south of the Mason-Dixon line..?

[kirbstomp1]

@woodtick57 - he would do better off not being a powerful voice in American politics. He's leading the American Taliban.

[FollowTheMoney]

Good ridden and good luck. Every incumbent should step down and return home after performing no more than two terms of service.

[MadAmerican]

New blood needed!

[Ttenneb]

He's leaving because there's going to be several republicans running against him, he's from my district, he was not going to get my vote again !

[harold_lloyd]

I think he should run again, and present himself as the sane man in a field of hyper-ideological, anti-science crazies. He should make the case that Broun and Price, for sure, are going to be nothing but an obstacle to doing what must be done.

The Tea Party and their ilk had a chance to influence the path of government and they blew it with temper tantrums and blind adherence to far-right ideology. We don't need more extremists in government, we need statesmen.

[ConserveUSA]

Let the Liberation begin and return to the The United States of America.

[harold_lloyd]

Yes, but whose United States? Yours, or Obama's, or maybe Brouns?

[ConserveUSA]

@harold_lloyd From the Liberal Democrats.

[harold_lloyd]

@ConserveUSA
Is that your best response?

[ConserveUSA]

@harold_lloyd I would love to see the United States of America back as Good Old Fashion USA!

[harold_lloyd]

@ConserveUSA
But what do you mean by that vague generality?
Jim Crow? Viet Nam? No Irish need apply?
I understand nostalgia, but it has selective memory.
And nostalgia is not a proper basis for running a nation.