'06 Lt. Governor Candidate Griffin Lotson is "Leaning Towards" running for State Agriculture Commissioner in 2010

Rural Democrat Griffin Lotson (D-Darien) is "leaning towards" a run for State Agriculture Commissioner in 2010 to replace retiring Tommy Irvin. Lotson, 55 hails from the Coastal Georgia city of Darien & would be the first democrat to announce his intentions to fill the seat being vacated by Tommy Irvin & woild be the first African-American to run for Georgia's No. 1 Economic Industry.

Here is some info on Lotson:

Griffin Lotson is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Sams Memorial Community Economic Development, Inc. in Darien, Georgia. For the past 20 years, Mr. Lotson has overseen the development of low-income housing in rural coastal Georgia. Under his oversight, Sams Memorial was the recipient of the inaugural Lieutenant Governor's Award for Rural Housing, and was also recognized as the Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority's Organization of the Year in 2003. Mr. Lotson, who has raised over $10 million for housing and small business development, received the 2005 James A. Leach Award as the best Rural Leader in America.

He is also a member and Pastor of the Church Of God In Christ in Darien GA.

Lotson has served as a National White House Consultant on Faith Based, and Community Programs. Lotson has FBI and CIA Clearance with 20 years of Federal Government service working in the state of Georgia & Washington D.C.

Griffin Lotson raised over $10 million dollars for Georgia Families in the areas of housing, economic development, and educational after school programs & develops family programs nation wide through his consultant and motivational speeches.

Lotson holds several Board Seats which includes Habitat for Humanity of McIntosh County, McIntosh County Citizens Association,Rural Georgia Collaborative, and several more.

Lotson was: Voted in as Citizen of the year by the Rotary Club of McIntosh County Ga

Lotson also was Voted a national award winner as the top Rural leader of America by NCRC (The National Reinvestment Coalition) in Washington DC

He has worked as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Georgia Department of Community Affairs & Georgia Municipal Association & once served as campaign manager for State Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway) & is a former mayoral candidate of Darien

Lotson 53 married 33 years to Carolyn
Three children, all in the military: Griffin Lotson U.S. Navy age 30, Montrell Lotson Former U.S. Air Force age 28 now working in Washington DC, Carlinda Lotson U.S. Air Force age 26.

Others have been mentioned as possiblities as well such as State Senator J.B. Powell, Randolph Knight, '08 U.S. Senate Candidate, but the one Dems are waiting on is Deputy AG Commissioner Terry Coleman. Coleman might wait until after the legislative session to announce, or he may run for State Insurance Commisisoner, or he might not run at all.

And don't get me started on the Lt. Governor's race, ( get to that later), but you would think the No. 1 Economic Industry in Georgia, that someone on the democratic side would have by now stepped up to mount a challenge to Irvin's seat. Agriculture may not matter to most democrats, but if you live in rural Georgia, in which every rural county economy relies on agriculuture for it livelihood, this is a race that definitely matters.