Over the weekend, the state of Georgia lost a giant.
Former Sen. Johnny Isakson sadly passed away on Sunday at the age of 76. The Republican had been battling Parkinson’s Disease since 2013.
Isakson holds the distinction of being the first and only Georgian to serve in both chambers of the Georgia state legislature as well as both chambers of the United States Congress.
Isakson is also unique in the sense that he is a lifelong Republican who was elected in an era when most Georgia Republicans were Democrats early in their careers. In fact, when he first arrived in the state legislature in the late 1970s, he was one of just 24 Republicans in the 180-member State House. It’s safe to say that he was a Georgia Republican before it was cool.
While serving in the state legislature, Isakson became the minority leader in the Georgia House. He made his first run for statewide office in 1990, unsuccessfully campaigning for Governor of Georgia.
He then ran for a seat in the Georgia State Senate, where he would serve three terms before mounting another statewide campaign, this time for the United States Senate. He did not win the Republican nomination.
In November 1998, U.S. House Speaker and Georgia native Newt Gingrich announced that he would relinquish the speaker’s gavel and resign from Congress, creating a vacancy in his suburban north Atlanta congressional seat. Isakson ran in the special election to succeed Gingrich. He won the election in a landslide, earning more than 65% of the vote.
Isakson would go on to serve three terms in House before making another run for the United States Senate in 2004. It was an open race to succeed Sen. Zell Miller, a Democrat who was known for bucking party leadership. Isakson won the Republican primary with 53% of the vote and boasted an 18-point margin in the general election.
Isakson may not have been the most talkative member of the U.S. Senate, but he was a workhorse who forged great relationships with his colleagues, even those across the aisle. Less than a year before his own passing, the late Rep. John Lewis paid tribute to Isakson a few weeks before his departure from the Senate. The tribute ended with the two sharing an incredible hug on the House floor, which can be seen above.
Isakson built a reputation as a champion for Georgia veterans. A veteran himself, he ascended to the chairmanship of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. As chairman, he advocated for expanding healthcare programs for veterans.
Isakson was easily re-elected to the Senate in 2010 and in 2016, and is the only Republican to be elected to more than two terms in the U.S. Senate. However, in 2019, about halfway through his third term, Isakson announced that he would retire at the end of the year, citing his ongoing battle with Parkinson’s.
Over the years, Isakson also built an unlikely friendship with the current occupant of his Senate seat. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, always invited Isakson to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day service at Ebenezer Baptist Church. National Democrats approached Warnock about challenging Isakson in 2016, but he immediately turned down the offer.
Since being elected, Warnock has aimed to continue some traditions started by Isakson, such as his annual barbecue. Reacting to his passing, Warnock said in a statement that he will “always cherish the words of advice and encouragement” that Isakson shared with him after he was elected to the Senate.
Other leaders have shared nice words about Isakson, from President Joe Biden, to Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Sen. Jon Ossoff and Atlanta Falcons owner Authur Blank. More reactions can be read here.
As of Monday morning, funeral arrangements have not been shared. But Gov. Brian Kemp has ordered all flags in the state to be flown at half staff in the Senator’s honor until he is laid to rest.
Sen. Isakson honorably served the people of this state for more than 4 decades. He embodied all of the best qualities of a statesman and a public servant. He was a rare politician who would always put the needs of his constituents before his own.
During a time of increased partisanship and polarization, the Senator would always reach across the aisle to find common ground. It’s why many people have described him as a bridge builder. He may have been as conservative as they come, but he was willing to put party labels aside when it mattered most.
Personally, I can’t say that I agreed with Sen. Isakson on many issues. But I will always respect him for setting a great example for this state. We may be bitterly divided along political lines, but all of us have one thing in common: we all truly love this state.
I send my deepest condolences to Sen. Isakson’s family during this difficult time.
Sen. Isakson, Georgia is a better place because of you. Your determination, commitment and bipartisanship are needed now more than ever. But I can assure you that we will do our best to take it from here. Thank you for your lifelong career of public service. This state owes you an enormous debt.
You will be dearly missed.