Democrat Files to Challenge Rep. Broun in Georgia’s 10th

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Democrat Files to Challenge Rep. Broun in Georgia’s 10th
By Rachel Kapochunas | 5:00 PM; Aug. 16, 2007


Less than one month after his upset victory in Georgia’s 10th district, Republican Rep. Paul Broun has drawn his first Democratic challenger for the seat.

Broun had beaten former State Sen. Jim Whitehead, also a Republican, in a July 17 special election runoff to replace Republican Rep. Charlie Norwood, who died of cancer in February. The all-GOP contest came about because the two had topped a 10-person field in a June special election, with Broun coming in second and narrowly edging out Democrat James Marlow.

Democrat Bobby Saxon filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission this week to run for his party’s nomination in the 10th next fall. Saxon called the special election “disappointing” and told CQPolitics.com on Wednesday, “I just did not feel either one of them truly represents the district and represents the average citizen in the district, and I know they don’t represent me.”

“I just felt like I could no longer sit on the sidelines,” he said.

This is Saxon’s first run for political office, but he has been involved in local politics as the chairman of the Jackson County Democrats. Saxon is also a small business owner and a veteran of the Iraq war.

Saxon served in the Army National Guard when he was younger and had spent 11 years out of the military when the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks took place and “changed everything” for Saxon, he said.

“Nine-eleven had a massive impact on me, like it did most people in the country,” Saxon said. “I had been out of the military for 11 years, and within three days I started the process to re-enter the military.”

At the age of 39, Saxon reentered the National Guard and was mobilized a year later.

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http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/08/democrat_files_to_challenge_re.html