If you want to get a feel about the level of optimism and confidence Georgia Republicans have, look at the early interest in Tommy Irvin's seat.

Today the AJC's Political Insider writes:

If we had to pick a race to illustrate the rising ambitions of Georgia Republicans, it would be one that hasn't attracted much attention in a long, long time: the agriculture commissioner's race.

[I had started a post about this last week, and had to go to Atlanta Thursday and the post got sidetracked. It began in a very similar vein: "If you want to get a feel about the level of optimism and confidence Georgia Republicans have, look at the early interest in Tommy Irvin's seat. This says it all.]

Democratic Commissioner Tommy Irvin has set a record for durability in statewide office that may not be equaled in this century. When he took office in 1969, state Sen. Brian Kemp, who announced last week he would seek the Republican nomination for the office, was 6 years old.

Irvin has drawn Republican opponents in the past, but there hasn't been this much interest, this early, in challenging him.

In addition to Kemp, a Clarke County contractor and businessman who has the support of 26 Republican state senators, two former Republican ag candidates — Deanna Strickland and Bob Greer — are said to be interested.

And Gary Black, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, was passing out a sheet at the recent GOP convention in Savannah with two double-spaced pages of endorsements, including from state board members, cotton gin owners and feed store proprietors.

Another sign it's a real race: Kemp's supporters already have taken a shot at Black, claiming he voted in the last Democratic primary.