“A teacher and public servant, Carolyn Bourdeaux has never sat on the sidelines in the face of a problem. Most recently, after witnessing her elderly parents spend the last years of their life struggling to pay for the rising cost of health care and prescription drugs, Carolyn felt the call to step up and run for Congress,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján. “With her impressive finish in this competitive primary, Carolyn has what it takes to give the people of Georgia’s 7th Congressional District a real voice in Congress.”
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To: Interested Parties
From: Amanda Sherman, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: May 22, 2018
RE: The Case Against Rep. Rob Woodall
Having worked in Washington DC his entire adult life, Rob Woodall has become a typical DC politician who is out of touch with the people of Georgia’s 7th Congressional District.
From backing a healthcare repeal bill to supporting a tax scam that lines the pockets of large corporations, Woodall’s record amounts to one vote after another in support of powerful special interests and the Washington Republican agenda. In a year where Georgian’s are fed up with the status quo and Democrats ready to hold him accountable, Woodall is in for the race of his political career.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“But Woodall said he does not believe he needs to stage an event simply to allow people to protest the policies of President Donald Trump.” [Atlanta Journal Constitution, 6/5/17]
“While the 6th gets most of the attention, some Democrats believe this is the better opportunity. The congressman had $483,000 in the bank on May 2, while Democrats have a competitive primary. Move from Solid R to Likely R.” [Inside Elections, 5/16/18]
“Representative Rob Woodall has never had to run a contested general election. He’s a former congressional aide who won a primary to replace his boss. Since then he has not distinguished himself in any meaningful way and is best known for trying to make it easier for Republicans to slash the budget. So he could have a glass chin.” [Vice, 2/12/18].
REP. ROB WOODALL: OUT OF TOUCH WITH GEORGIANS
Rubber Stamp for Toxic Republican Agenda
Instead of listening to his constituents on issues like health care and taxes Woodall defers to Washington Republican leadership when it comes time to vote. Woodall has voted with Speaker Paul Ryan 92% of the time and fails to do what is best for Georgia families.
Beholden to Special Interests
After spending his whole career in Washington, Rep. Woodall has become a reliable vote for the DC special interests who have backed his campaign. When it came time to vote on the GOP Tax Scam that gave 83% of the benefits to the wealthiest 1% of Americans, while increasing the deficit by $1.5 trillion, Rob Woodall was completely on board. When big corporations wanted support for a bill that allowed internet service providers to sell their customers’ data without their permission Woodall, who has taken thousands of dollars from the telecommunications sector, was a reliable yes vote.
Hides from Georgians
Instead of having open communication with the people he is supposed to represent Woodall dodges public meetings to hold hush-hush gatherings with his far-right supporters. If he can’t even face his constituents it is no wonder people feel they don’t have a voice in Congress. Note for Rob Woodall: you represent Georgians, not DC lobbyists.
THE PATH TO VICTORY
Georgia’s 7th Congressional District is made up of rapidly diversifying suburbs of Atlanta in Gwinnett County, which has swung against Republicans. Gwinnett County is one of six counties nationwide that voted for Hillary Clinton after supporting McCain and Romney. The remaining vote comes from Forsyth County, which has the fastest growing population in Georgia.
Rob Woodall rode into Congress on the coattails of his former boss and since then has not ever had to answer tough questions. His votes to repeal health care and support for GOP Tax scam have put him out of step with his district and made him vulnerable in November.
The changing district demographics, fact that Rob Woodall has never faced a real General Election challenge, and attacks he faced in the nasty Republican primary, make this a race to watch in November.
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