"Earlier today Governor Perdue set the date for the special election to fill the 9^th District Congressional seat on April 27.  I will resign my House seat effective close of business Tuesday, March 23, 2010, in order to fill the unexpired term in the 9^th District.  This will enable the Governor to schedule both the election to fill my House seat and the 9^th District congressional seat on the same day and save taxpayer money. 

"While qualifying for the congressional seat alone would have vacated my house seat, the timing would have been outside the window of opportunity to allow both elections to occur on the same date.  Therefore, as a steward of the taxpayer, the prudent decision is to step down early and allow the Governor to set the special elections on the same day.

"Julie and I have been humbled and honored to have been given the opportunity to serve Gordon, Pickens and Bartow counties in the legislature.  And, for that, we are forever grateful. 

"I am pleased with the Governor's selection of the earliest possible election date.  My family and I look forward to the campaign and the opportunity to serve the people of Georgia's 9^th Congressional District."    Tom Graves, (R-Ranger) Candidate for Congress

"U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal resigned his seat as Georgia's 9th District congressman Sunday after remaining in Congress for the vote on health care reform. Today, I reaffirm my intention to run for that 9th District seat, and I have resigned my State Senate seat today as is required.
 
My experience in the State Senate-notably my work on the committees on Health and Human Services and Natural Resources, and as Chairman of State and Local Government, Secretary  of Agriculture-will serve me well in Washington.
 
The need for conservative leadership in Washington is clear, and I am confident that I can provide it. The challenges we face were dramatized Sunday in passage of a radical health care reform opposed by most Americans. The bill amounts to a job-killing machine. No one will work harder than me in the next Congress to overturn this disastrous plan."  Lee Hawkins, (R-Gainesville), Candidate for Congress

The most blistering attack came from newcomer to the campaign, Chris Cates, pointing out that this (resigning to run for the next seat) is what you expect from politicians. "Just like the straw poll, this election will likely be between a career politician looking for his next job and a people's candidate who has been a leader in business and medicine and is ready and willing to fight to take back America for the people," Cates said. 

"I am looking forward to the special election and being voted into Congress to help get America back for the people. My campaign has gone into overdrive and I will work to my final breath to assist in the repealing of the just-passed Obamacare bill, which is taking away patient's choices and which represents the 'death' of the doctor-patient relationship,"  said Cates.

Bert Loftman, Bill Stephens have also announced they will qualify for the 9th district.  Overall 11 Republican, one independent and one Democrat have filed papers with the FEC to run in the 9th District.  It is unclear if all of those candidates will qualify for the special election.