Georgia's 8th congressional district

Infobox U.S. congressional district
state = Georgia
district number = 8


representative = Jim Marshall
party = Democratic
english area =
metric area =
percent urban =
percent rural =
population = 629,728
population year = 2000
median income = 36,294
percent white =64.0
percent black = 32.6
percent asian = 0.8
percent native american = 0.2
percent hispanic = 2.8
percent other race = 1.4
percent blue collar =
percent white collar =
percent gray collar =
cpvi = R+8

Georgia's 8th congressional district is a United States political division, represented in the 110th Congress by Jim Marshall.

The district was redrawn in 2006 and has a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R +8. In the 2006 race, incumbent Democrat (from the previous 3rd District) Jim Marshall defeated Republican Mac Collins.

2006 Election

A Republican mid-decade redistricting made this Macon-based district more compact and somewhat more Republican. Democratic incumbent Jim Marshall faced a very tough challenge by former Congressman Mac Collins, who represented an adjoining district from 1993 to 2005. Less than 60 percent of the population in Marshall’s present 3rd District was retained in the new 8th District. The reconfigured 8th includes Butts County, the political base of his opponent, former Congressman Mac Collins, who once served as chairman of the county commission. On the other hand, the 8th also includes all of Macon, where Marshall served as mayor from 1995-99. The race featured heavy spending, not only by the candidates themselves, but from independent groups. During the campaign, President George W. Bush attended a rally to try and help Collins. Marshall won reelection by some 1,700 votes.

Marshall was reelected with 63% in 2004, but in 2006 won by only 50.5% to 49.5%. This is one of the most competitive House races in the nation.

2008 Election

National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) announced May 20, 2007 that retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Rick Goddard will run for the Republican nomination to challenge Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.) in 2008. [http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/retired-air-force-general-goddard-to-challenge-democrat-jim-marshall-2007-05-21.html] Former Rep. Mac Collins has yet to announce whether he to will run and says he will not make any formal announcement until fall, likely late September or early October. [http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/state-by-state-georgia-kansas-kentucky-2007-05-24.html]

Counties

* Baldwin County ("see also ushr|Georgia|12|Georgia's 12th district")
* Ben Hill County
* Bibb County
* Bleckley County
* Butts County
* Colquitt County
* Dodge County
* Houston County
* Irwin County
* Jasper County
* Jones County
* Laurens County
* Monroe County
* Newton County ("see also ushr|Georgia|7|Georgia's 7th district")
* Pulaski County
* Tift County
* Turner County
* Twiggs County
* Wilcox County
* Wilkinson County
* Worth County ("see also ushr|Georgia|2|Georgia's 2nd district")

History

External links

* [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/pdf/congdist/GA08_110.pdf PDF map of Georgia's 8th district at "nationalatlas.gov"]
* [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd?state=GA&district=8 Georgia's 8th district at "GovTrack.us"]