R.J. Hadley Resigns as Chief of Staff of Rockdale County. Might Run for U.S. Senate

The Rockdale Citizen:

Rockdale County government will be minus its chief of staff after RJ Hadley resigned Friday afternoon, but Rockdale County may have one of its own in the U.S. Senate.

According to his bio on Twitter, Hadley has thrown his hat in the ring for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate election in 2010.

Hadley could not be reached to confirm late Friday afternoon, when the Citizen received a brief statement from Rockdale County Board of Commissioners' office announcing Hadley's resignation.

If Hadley's bid is true, Hadley will be running against Republican incumbent U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, who was elected in 2004.

Hadley has also discussed a run for federal office on his blog on Organizing for America's Web site.

"I'm tired of sending the same people back to Washington cycle after cycle," Hadley wrote in his Aug. 12 entry.

Organizing for America was the President Barack Obama's presidential campaign last year. It was reorganized after the November elections as an advocacy organization to promote Obama's initiatives.

Hadley may have known of his intentions to run for Senate for months.

"In many ways, I won't be your typical Georgia candidate for Senate," Hadley wrote in his May 20 entry.

The county's statement said Hadley's resignation is effective Oct. 2 and his position will not be immediately filled.

Hadley was appointed this January to the chief of staff post, by Rockdale County Commission Chairman Richard Oden.

"Having RJ on the team has been a true asset," Oden said in the prepared statement. "His assistance with the transition and taking this organization to a higher level of quality customer service has greatly benefited us all."

Commissioner Oz Nesbitt said in the county's press release that it's was "a pleasure having RJ as Chief of Staff and I have appreciated his high level of integrity and dedication."

"RJ's sense of diplomacy and dedication will serve him well in his future endeavors," Commissioner JaNice Van Ness said in the press release.

Hadley had been active in the local and state Democratic parties. He served as Oden's campaign manager during Oden's successful bid last fall to unseat former Chairman Roy Middlebrooks. Hadley was active in the Democratic Party of Rockdale County, serving as the communications coordinator and helping organize several voter registration drives.

He attended several state party gatherings last summer and was elected as an at-large delegate to the National Democratic convention in Denver.