Sen. Murphy Squares Off with Challenger Voshall in Tea Party Debate

Candidates for Georgia State Senate, House of Representatives and 9th District U.S. Congress took center stage Monday night at a debate sponsored by the Forsyth County Tea Party.

District 27 Sen. Jack Murphy and challenger Tea Party Founder and Chairman Steve Voshall participated as did Tom Knox and Geoff Duncan, candidates for the new House District 26 seat and Martha Zoller, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in the new 9th District, Republicans all.

Republican State Rep. Doug Collins, who is also a candidate in the 9th District Congressional race, was unable to attend due to a prior commitment but Justin Tomczak delivered Collins' opening and closing statements.

There were very few "gotcha" moments as candidates responded to questions.

In his opening remarks, Murphy said one of his goals would be to eliminate the state income tax. "We looked at this year, but couldn't get it done because of the economic times we're in."

But, he said, Georgia is in far better economic situation than most states and that recently enacted revenue reforms would save state taxpayers $262 million. He also pointed to Forsyth County's comparatively low unemployment rate of 6.9 percent that, he said, is about 2 percent better than the rest of the state and a lot better than the rest of the nation. "But we still have a long way to go," he said. "I'd like to see unemployment down around 3.5 to 4 percent."

He also pointed out that Forsyth County had received about $209 million in road funding during his six years in the senate and about $375 million in the last 10 years.

Voshall had a different view of the state of the state.

"The incumbent has been in the senate the last six years and prior to that in the House for four years," he said. "During that time, our state has gone from a vibrant, wealthy state to one with high unemployment, high college tuition rates and huge increases in foreclosures and bankruptcies. We also have the state with the most bank foreclosures in the country. Most of that has occurred in the last 3-4 years on the watch of the incumbent who is the chairperson of the state Banking and Finance Committee."

Murphy countered Voshall, saying, "Let me correct a couple of things Steve said."

"According to him, I'm responsible for the whole economic failure of the state of Georgia. Out of 236 legislators down there and the governor and lieutenant governor, I'm responsible for that."

Murphy added that he had only been committee chairman since 2011 and that 41 of the bank failures had occurred between 2007 and 2011. "Sometimes, it takes me a while to catch up, but I'm not sure how I could have prevented 41 bank failures when I'm not there. I'm a state senator. The FDIC is the one that closed the banks, not me. If I had that responsibility I wouldn't be here running for senator. I'd be running for president if I could stop all that."

Voshall said that as a financial consultant and insurance agent, "I take my stewardship of other people's money very seriously."

A University of Georgia graduate, he was named a Five Star Wealth Manager by Atlanta Magazine in 2008 and 2011, an honor less than seven percent of metro Atlanta wealth managers achieve.

Although House District 26 is new, Knox is no stranger to the state legislature, having been elected six times as state representative. He resigned last year, to campaign for Insurance Commissioner.

A practicing attorney, Knox is a member of the Georgia Republican Party, the Forsyth County Tea Party, the  and the National Rifle Association, "I was proud to have served as one of 35 real conservatives in the House of Representatives."

"Here in Georgia, we have to start it and it's not going to be easy. We have to start talking to our friends, relatives about what the real issues are and stop listening to the people with all the campaign talking points," said Knox. "Let's start by showing that Georgia can be a role model for how it can be done. We can do it here. We have one of the best economies and best run governments in all 50 states."

His opponent, Duncan, a former Major League baseball player with the Florida Marlins, said, "The battleground for democracy is no longer in Washington, it's at the state and local level. He said his campaign is about creating a movement that puts our kids' generation ahead of our generation and will focus on family, faith and quality jobs. This race, he said is not about Tom Knox. It's not about Geoff Duncan, it's about you and your families."

Zoller said, "This election is a choice between a conservative firebrand and a professional politician who thinks this is his time," referring to Collins. The former radio talk show host, who is making her first foray into the political arena, defended her lack of experience by saying, "Our founding fathers had never been in government before. They had never passed laws before but they put together a Declaration of Independence and a Constitution that is the best document that has ever governed man other than the Bible."

In speaking on behalf of Collins, a former member of the National Guard who served in Iraq and was elected three times to the Georgia House, Tomczak said Collins is a man who will, "Stand firm on fiscal issues, reducing the tax burden, reducing the intrusion of the federal government into our wallets and for the family values that mean so much to all of us."