Despite the DSCC's best(?) efforts, another of the candidates it tried to poach for the Senate has said that she's not interested. Democratic leaders were "aggressively" pursuing Rep. Lucy McBath as their gal to take over Sen. Johnny Isakson's seat in Georgia, who's retiring at the end of this term. But, McBath, a freshman congresswoman, is happy in the House.
“I am just starting my work in the House on these issues, and I believe the best way to advance them at this time is to focus fully on those efforts in the House,” McBath said in a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am honored by the encouragement I have received from leaders in Georgia and around the nation to consider running for the United States Senate next year."
It is, as Republican influencers describe it, another "swing and a miss."
Another swing and a miss for Schumer and the DSCC...
— Nathan Brand (@NathanBrandWA) September 19, 2019
"National Democratic leaders had been aggressively courting McBath to run for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, and she would have been considered the party’s top contender..." #GAsen #GApol https://t.co/R0nLVpmp4B
"With both Stacey Abrams and Lucy McBath refusing to run for Senate, Georgia Democrats have now struck out with both of their top two possible contenders for Georgia's Senate seats,” said John Burke, executive director of the GOP super PAC the Georgia Action Fund. “Control of the U.S. Senate will likely come down to this state and Democrats remain without a single candidate who can win in 2020."
The other whiff, Stacey Abrams, became a star in the Democratic Party following her spirited challenge against Republican Brian Kemp in last year's gubernatorial election. When she lost, she infamously blamed it on voter suppression. She was lacking in evidence, but her message hit a nerve among Democrats, and the party was hoping she'd consider a Senate run.
"Schumer spent months wooing Abrams to run for the U.S. Senate," the NRSC explains, "having met with her in person at least three times. Abrams characterized Schumer’s efforts as 'relentless.' Schumer went as far as to invite Abrams to give the Democratic response to the State of the Union in an attempt to elevate her profile for a U.S. Senate run."
Instead, Abrams said she was going to focus on voter protection efforts across the country.
More than 200 people have applied to replace Isakson in the Senate. But, as the AJC notes, McBath was by far their most formidable contender. A major proponent of gun control, McBath turned heads with her surprise victory against Republican Karen Handel last year.
Republicans, meanwhile, have no intention of giving up Isakson's seat.
"We look forward to the men and women of Georgia electing another strong Republican leader in 2020 alongside David Perdue," Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), chairman of the National Republican Senate Committee, said in August following Isakson's retirement announcement.