Michael Thurmond vs. R.J. Hadley in Georgia U.S. Senate Primary

Norcross, Georgia -- Even though the Democratic U.S. Senate primary is just getting underway in Georgia, Rockdale County politico R.J. Hadley came out of the gate way before May 2010 -- October 2009 to be more precise. Before he started working on campaigns in this county south of Atlanta, Hadley took on a path to public service. According to his website, Hadley worked as a juvenile court social worker in New Jersey for four years. Hadley later became a software developer, but he never abandoned his political aspirations.

It would be an understatement to describe the Hadley campaign for U.S. Senate as the ultimate grassroots movement. With little cash on hand and name recognition, Hadley and company have their work cut out for them with updating the campaign website, engaging in social media and putting the Hadley foot soldiers out on the streets.

Democratic incumbents and challengers alike have been touting the issues that Hadley is focusing on including job and small business growth, education improvement, banking, health care and immigration reform, reproductive rights, military intervention and environmental regulations.

Until late April, Hadley did not have a challenger. That changed when outgoing Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond jumped into the race. In an April 21 Atlanta Journal-Constitution story, an emotional Thurmond announced his intentions to challenge Sen. Johnny Isakson in the November election with no mention of Hadley.

Whoever gets the Democratic nomination in the July 20 contest, it will be a daunting task to take on Isakson, a popular moderate Republican senator who has worked to save Delta Airlines and the areas surrounding Atlanta's airport where many of the company's residents reside.

In his April announcement, Thurmond cited his hardscrabble life as a sharecropper's son who went on to become a well-known Georgia politician who has the experience to take on Isakson. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, Thurmond said, "The American people are literally crying out for principled, common-sense leadership, but unfortunately many in Washington have turned hyperpartisan, deaf ears to their needs and concerns."

Thurmond's name on the ballot could draw solid African-American support on the fall ballot, according to AJC. Should he get the nomination, Isakson put out a statement that will link Thurmond to "the Obama-Reid-Pelosi agenda government health care, cap and trade taxes, skyrocketing debt, auto bailouts, government takeover of student loans, jobless stimulus packages, terrorist trials in U.S. courts and forced unionization of private-sector employees by repealing their secret ballot."

While R.J. Hadley has an uphill battle ahead of him, he plans to travel to as many corners of the state as possible to connect with voters on the ground level. In addition to travel, Hadley's site is rich in content with his views, background and volunteer information.

Sources:

http://www.hadleyforussenate.com/about-me

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/emotional-thurmond-announces-run-480083.html