STATESBORO ––  Leaders of the GS College Republicans and GS College Democrats commented on Senator Johnny Isakson stepping down from the US Senate.

Isakson is set to step down at the end of the year, due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. 

Eduardo Delgado, Georgia Vice President of the College Democrats, and Blaine Salter, Chairman of the GS College Republicans, gave their opinions on Senator Isakson stepping down, and expressed their thoughts on his long career. 

Delgado said that while he respected Isakson as a public servant, the Senator had not achieved as much as he had hoped.

“He’s been a public servant and I commend him for that, but there’s been more done by people in less time,” Delgado said. 

Salter said that Isakson’s biggest accomplishment was Veteran’s Affairs reform with Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE). 

“I would say that the legacy of Senator Isakson is one of someone who deeply cares about his constituents, veterans and someone who works across the aisle,” Salter said. 

Delgado said he also thought that Isakson’s chairmanship of the House Armed Services Committee and work with the VA had a positive impact. 

“From what I have read he has actually done some very good stuff for the VA,” Delgado said.

Delgado said he would like to see a Georgia State official run for the open Senate seat in 2020.

“I would like to see more state officials,” Delgado said. “There’s a lot of capable politicians and leaders in the state that could run.”

Georgia Senate candidates like Thresa Tomlinson, Ted Terry and Sarah Riggs Amico have all filed paperwork to run against junior Senator David Perdue, and Delgado thinks they also might try and run for Isakson’s seat.

“What you could possibly see is those candidates dropping off and running for Isakson’s seat,” Delgado said.

Both Delgado and Salter said that the main priority was not over who was going to take the seat, but that the main focus should be on the Senator and his family.

“Senator Isakson served our state gracefully and his commitment to public service and working across the aisle will be missed,” Salter said in an official statement. “I ask now that you keep him and his family in your thoughts during this difficult time.”

Delgado said in his statement that research to target Parkinson’s disease was also very important.

“This reminds us of the realities these diseases have on people,” Delgado said. “It also reminds us of the importance of the research to end these horrible diseases.”

Nathan Woodruff, The George-Anne Managing News Editor, gaeditor@georgiasouthern.edu