Keith Heard for State Insurance Commissioner?

Rumors have been swirling for the past Five Months about the possibility that State Representative Keith Heard (D-Athens) may run for State Insurance Commisisoner in 2010. If so he along with Mary Squires (D-Norcross) will be the only democrats vying for the democratic nomination to go up against one of the Eight Announced Republican Challengers in November.

Blake Aued of the Athens Banner Herald reported on Nov. 3 that Heard would be making a announcement in regards whether or not he will seek the office of State Insurance Commissioner in the next two or three weeks. I predict he will seek the seat.

Squires who is the only announced democrat in the race hasn't made any noise since she announced, besides holding her kickoff event a couple months ago. She has racked the endorsements of numerous State Legislators, but will that mean anything come July 2010?

Heard is a graduate of the University of Georgia, & is a member of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. He is a Senior Accounting Agent for Allstate Insurance Co In Athens & President of The Heard Group LLC, 1979-2000. If Heard does get in the race, I see him & Squires both battling it out in a August 2010 Runoff. I have said that the Democratic Party needs to field more women to run for Statewide Office & I'm happy to see Mary Squires jump into the race to replace John Oxendine, but in my opinion Heard is the stronger candidate of the two. Both have years of experience in the field of insurance, but so far she is a lackluster candidate & democrats need someone who has the fire in the belly & who will take it to the GOP in 2010.