My thoughts as we enter August & toward the fall.

We have now entered the month of August. This is the time when candidates announce their candidacy for office, start canvassing the grassroots or set up exploratory committees. August & September are in my opinion are the key months for anyone who is thinking about running for public office, especially statewide office to decide whether or not to take the plunge.

Let's start with the Statewide races. We have 5 outstanding candidates running for governor on the democratic side:

DuBose Porter, a rural, moderate to conservative democrat from Dublin (Laurens Co.)

David Poythress, a conservative democrat who is a native of Macon ( now resides in Norcross ).

Thurbert Baker, a conservative democrat from Stone Mountain

Carl Camon, a rural, moderate to conservative democrat from Ray City

Roy Barnes, a moderate democrat from Mableton.

I like all of these candidates for governor, but only one can win. In the eary money race, Baker is the leader followed by Poythress & Porter. Camon & Barnes did not post their earnings.

But we still have unresolved races for Lt. Governor, U.S. Senate, Agriculture Commissioner.

The money was on Michael Turmond for Lt. Govenror, even I was on that bandwagon earlier in the year. But more & more I began to think that Thurmond would not run for Lt. Governor & he would instead stay at Labor Comm. given the state of the economy, or go to the top spot & run for the U.S. Senate. I wrote on this blog that democrats better have a backup plan if he doesn't run for Lt. Governor. He would have announced by now if he was going to run for Lt. Gov.

I hope to see more democratic women candidates running for office in 2010. Mary Squires is running for State Insurance Commissioner & that's it. Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin would be a fine candiate at Lt. Gov, Senate, or Secretary of State. But I doubt she will run for office again.

There is Leah Ward-Sears, who stepped down as Chief Justice on the Georgia Supreme Court, State Rep. Nikki Randall (D-Macon), Roberta Mayor Becky Smith. I hope more democratic women candiates run for office in 2010. They are a big part of the democratic base & we need them to be involved in the political process.

I would also like to see some former politicians come out of retirement to run like former State Senator Michael Meyer von Bremen of Albany, former Milledgeville Mayor & State Senator Floyd Griffin, Jr, & former State Rep. Ron Borders of Valdosta make a run again for office in 2010.

My biggest wish is two of the five democratic candidates run for seats at Lt. Gov & the U.S. Senate. I don't know if it'll happen or not, but it sure would make life a lot easier for democrats come July 2010.