The application process to replace Sen. Johnny Isakson has been underway for less than a week now and as it turns out, part of the transparent nature of this initiative by Gov. Brian Kemp is that all of the resume’s are public.
The Governor’s office has already made public the resume’s submitted on Sept. 17 and 18, with more on the way next week.
The public nature of this search for a senator means that if you’re interested in applying for the job, you can scope out the competition and if you’re the type that likes to observe politics, there is a treasure trove of data available about some of the people who want to be Georgia’s next senator.
Anyone can apply, provided they meet the constitutional citizenship and age requirements to serve in the U.S. Senate, and Georgians are taking full advantage of those — shall we say — limited requirements.
Everyone from any walk of life can apply, and they are. There are teachers and professors and engineers applying, along with a smattering of military types and law enforcement officers. It makes no difference if you are a senior director at Coca-Cola or the shipping coordinator at a glass blowing studio — both of which have applied for the job, mind you.
As in the rest of society, there are a high number of consultants and bureaucrats mulling about seeking the job and then, of course, there are the lawyers.
There are quite a few longshots in the mix. A maintenance worker from Waynesville has applied, along with the assistant manager of a Starbucks in from Marietta, both of whom may have a stronger chance than the campaign worker for Beto O’Rourke who also applied.
There are some names you would know among the list of applicants, many of whom feel quite at home in the political waters. Those names include:
Angelic Moore, the deputy finance director fo the Kemp campaign and former Atlanta Chairman for Newt Gingrich’s 2012 presidential campaign.
Hubert Owens, a campaign worker for the Trump campaign and current DeKalb County Republican Senator Chair.
Milton Kidd, former deputy election supervisor for Douglas County, former election coordinator for DeKalb County and also a former voter registration officer for Fulton County.
Robert Patillo, a political strategist and civil rights activist.
Martha Zoller, the director of state field offices for Brian Kemp and a former state policy advisor for Sen. David Perdue.
Arthur L. Tripp Jr., Assistant to the president of UGA and also a former senior policy advisor to Congressman David Scott.
There are also some elected officials and politicians who have put their name in the proverbial hat. Among them are:
Benjamin Burnett, an Alpharetta City Councilman.
Hope Weeks, a Hoschton City Council member.
Tim Echols, a Georgia Public Service Commissioner
Travis Klavohn, a 2018 State Senate candidate.
Business owners and leaders also applied, including Patricia Yeatts Butcher, owner of the Athens Fit Club, Arlene Rotter, the founder of Chrysalis Experiential Academy in Roswell, and Mandi Bell, the owner of Swim Beyond in Atlanta.
Other notables include Ian R. Smith, the assistant principal at RB Wright Elementary School in Moultrie, Dan Crumley, a pastor from Cumming, and former AJC journalist Matthew Adler Borenstein.
But any conversation about public resume’s would be incomplete if we didn’t talk a little bit about common resume’ buzzwords. Regardless of political persuasion, qualifications, experience or walk of life these applicants have some common threads running through their resume’s.
These are versatile, results-oriented, goal-oriented people with proven track records who are dedicated to sustainability and are proficient in many areas. They utilize their skills and execute their projects and many of them wish to grow professionally as a U.S. Senator.
For political types, this public process of naming a new U.S. Senator to replace Johnny Isakson is an early gift. Months before the state legislature goes back in session, and just in time for Christmas, we get to be entertained by the names and resume’s of those wishing to serve as the state’s next U.S. Senator. As you can see from the submissions we have already, this is going to be a wild ride.
