Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA-09) announced this week that he plans to run for re-election in Georgia’s Ninth Congressional District.
This, despite members of the Georgia General Assembly recently drawing him out of his current seat and into the newly vacant 10th District.
“There have been a lot of rumors floating around, and I would like to address them directly. I will be running for re-election in Georgia’s Ninth Congressional District, period. I made a promise to fight for the people of Northeast Georgia in Washington and I intend to continue keeping that promise,” Clyde said on Facebook.
“While it will break my heart to no longer have the opportunity to represent Jackson, Elbert, Clarke, Dawson, Pickens, Madison and Forsyth Counties, I will continue to stand in the gap for the same conservative values which they elected me to safeguard just over a year ago.”
Clyde went on to say that he is disappointed that redistricting forced him to choose between the district he represents and his home community.
“Over the next few days, you will hear many reasons as to why the decision to draw Jackson County out of the Ninth was unavoidable. Some will be based on numbers, and some will be based on process, but I would contend that all of them are false. I believe this was a purposeful decision made by a handful of establishment politicians in Atlanta,” Clyde said.
“I knew when I was elected that being a hardcore conservative would come at a steep price in Washington. I have always happily paid that price in the name of freedom. What I never anticipated was the unprecedented act of being drawn out of my own district by a Republican lieutenant governor and a Republican speaker of the house. If Georgia’s leaders are punishing elected officials for being too conservative, then it’s time for things to change in Atlanta.”
The new Congressional Redistricting Map also removes U.S. Representative Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) from her current district and paves the way for a Republican to win that seat.
Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) reported Monday that the new boundaries will likely help elect nine Republicans and five Democrats. Georgia voters elected eight Republicans and six Democrats in 2020.
“The law does not require U.S. House representatives to live in the district they represent,” GPB reported.
Republicans hold a majority in the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia State Senate.
Sources said last week that “moderates who want to ‘play nice’ with Democrats have temporarily taken the upper hand over conservatives who want to press the GOP advantage.”
One source, a national GOP strategist, reportedly told Breitbart that certain Georgia Republicans “seem intent on helping Nancy Pelosi retain the speakership.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
