Gwinnett Daily Post

LAWRENCEVILLE -- U.S. Rep. John Linder's former chief of staff is expected to announce a race for his boss's seat on the radio today.

Rob Woodall plans to discuss his campaign on Neal Boortz's radio show at 9:30 a.m., a media advisory said.

Weeks after a surprise announcement that Linder would not seek re-election after 18 years in Washington, Woodall would be the third Republican in the 7th District race.

He would face state Rep. Clay Cox and Walton County businessman Tom Kirby in the upcoming July primary, after Sen. Don Balfour dropped out of the race last week.

Boortz, whose show airs on WSB radio, co-wrote a book with Linder on the congressman's FairTax plan, which would replace the federal income tax and other levies with a national sales tax.