The Cleland Way: The Quiet Leadership Guiding Jason Moon

If you’ve followed Georgia politics long enough, you know Max Cleland wasn’t just another name on a ballot. He was a walking lesson in service, sacrifice, and the kind of grit you can’t fake. Folks remember him as the Vietnam veteran who came home without three limbs but never lost his purpose. They remember the Secretary of State who modernized the office, the U.S. Senator who fought for veterans and working people, and the public servant who believed government ought to lift folks up, not weigh them down.

So when Jason Moon, Cleland’s first cousin and longtime aide steps into public life, it’s impossible not to see the fingerprints of that legacy on the way he carries himself.

Moon didn’t learn politics from a distance. He learned it in the trenches, watching Cleland work rooms from Bainbridge to Blue Ridge, always with the same message: service first, ego last. Cleland’s leadership style was steady, disciplined, and people‑centered. He didn’t chase headlines. He chased solutions. And he expected the folks around him to do the same.

That’s the environment Moon grew up in politically. Not the loud, cable‑news version of politics, the real kind. The kind where you sit with veterans who feel forgotten. The kind where you talk to workers who’ve been pushed aside. The kind where you learn that leadership isn’t about who talks the most, but who listens the hardest.

Cleland believed in resilience, not theatrics. He believed in dignity, not division. And he believed that public service was a calling, not a career ladder. Those values shaped the staffers who worked for him, and Moon was one of them.

You can see that influence in the way Moon approaches public work today. The tone is quieter, steadier, more grounded. The focus leans toward workers, veterans, and the folks who don’t usually get a microphone. That’s classic Cleland, the belief that the measure of a leader is how many people they help, not how many people they impress.

In a political era full of noise, that old‑school Cleland style stands out. It’s not flashy. It’s not performative. It’s the kind of leadership Georgia used to be known for and the kind that still resonates with people who remember what public service looked like before everything turned into a show.

Cleland left a mark on Georgia. And whether you’re for Moon, against him, or still figuring him out, there’s no denying this: he’s walking into public life carrying a legacy that was built on service, sacrifice, and the belief that leadership means showing up for people when it counts.

That’s the Cleland stamp. And it doesn’t fade.

GA-8th CD: South Georgia’s Been Quiet a Long Time — Justin Lucas Sounds Like Home Again

Every election cycle, somebody steps forward who reminds you what politics used to feel like in South Georgia, personal, grounded, and rooted in community instead of performance. In the 8th Congressional District, that somebody is Justin Lucas of Sylvester.

Lucas isn’t a newcomer to public service. He’s a member of the Worth County School Board and a pastor, two roles that put him face‑to‑face with the real lives of working families. He’s not a polished, big‑city Democrat with a consultant‑tested message. He’s a rural, moderate voice who talks like the folks he’s trying to represent. And in a year where rural Georgia is becoming a critical piece of the Democratic path forward, that matters.

South Georgia hasn’t had a real political awakening in over 15 years. The region has been written off by some, overlooked by others, and left to drift while the political spotlight stayed locked on metro Atlanta. But the truth is simple: you can’t build a winning statewide coalition without at least shaking the rural map awake. You don’t have to win every county but you do have to show up, speak the language, and give people a reason to believe their vote still counts.

That’s where Lucas fits into the conversation.

He oozes country‑boy politics, not the caricature, but the real thing. The kind that comes from growing up in a place where everybody knows your people, where your word still means something, and where you can’t hide behind slogans because folks will call you on it. His presence on the ballot is a reminder that rural Democrats aren’t extinct; they’ve just been quiet, waiting on someone who sounds like home.

Georgia’s 2026 midterms are shaping up to be a test of whether the party can reconnect with the parts of the state that once formed its backbone. Up and down the ballot, Democrats are trying to figure out how to balance ideology with electability, purity with pragmatism, and online noise with real‑world turnout. Rural candidates, the ones who can walk into a farm supply store, a church fellowship hall, or a volunteer fire station and not feel out of place  are part of that equation.

Lucas represents that lane. A school board member. A pastor. A rural moderate who knows the culture, the pace, the values, and the frustrations of South Georgia. Whether voters embrace that in the general election remains to be seen, but his candidacy speaks to a larger truth: if Democrats want to compete statewide, they can’t keep treating rural Georgia like an afterthought.

South Georgia may have been asleep for a long time, but elections have a way of shaking the ground. And sometimes, all it takes is one familiar voice stepping forward to remind folks they still matter. 

GA‑01: One Lock. Seven Long Shots.

Down here in Southeast Georgia, we’ve got ourselves a crowded Democratic primary in the 1st Congressional District. Eight candidates have stepped up, each hoping to carry the banner into November. With that many folks splitting the vote, you don’t need a pollster or a pundit to tell you what’s coming...this thing is headed straight for a runoff.

The only real question is who makes it into those final two seats.

Now, based on what’s publicly known about the field, you can go ahead and pencil Michael McCord into one of those spots. His message, his background, and his focus on pocketbook issues have put him in a strong position with Democratic voters who are looking for someone steady, serious, and grounded in real‑world concerns.

But that second runoff slot?  

That’s where things get interesting.

With so many candidates dividing up the base, there’s no clear favorite for the other spot. No single lane is dominant. No one has locked down a natural coalition. And no candidate has emerged as the obvious alternative. In a district as spread out and politically diverse as GA‑01, that means the second slot is wide open and likely to stay that way until the votes are counted.

What is clear is this:  

Democrats can’t afford to nominate someone who can’t grow beyond the partisan base. Not in this district. Not in this economy. Not with affordability sitting at the top of every kitchen‑table conversation from Savannah to St. Marys.

That’s why McCord’s focus on cost‑of‑living issues has resonated. Voters aren’t looking for noise or theatrics, they’re looking for someone who understands what it feels like when groceries, gas, rent, and insurance all hit at once. They’re looking for someone who talks like they live in the same world as the rest of us.

And in a field this crowded, that kind of message stands out even more.

So as the primary unfolds, keep an eye on the scramble for that second spot. It’s going to be unpredictable, maybe even messy. But one thing’s for certain: the candidate who makes it through this runoff needs to be someone who can speak to more than just the base, someone who can reach moderates, independents, and working‑class voters who don’t care about party labels nearly as much as they care about making ends meet.

Whether the field delivers that kind of nominee is the question hanging over this race.  

But as things stand today, Michael McCord is well‑positioned to be one of the two names still standing when the dust settles.

Forgotten Giants of Georgia Politics Part V. Ralph David Abernathy — The Atlanta Pastor Who Became a National Conscience

Most people know Ralph David Abernathy as Dr. King’s closest friend and the co‑architect of the modern Civil Rights Movement. But what often gets overlooked and what makes him a Georgia political giant is the role he played in shaping Atlanta’s political culture, Black political power, and the moral framework that guided a generation of elected leaders.

Abernathy wasn’t just a national figure. He was a Georgia institution.

The Pastor Who Became a Political Force

Abernathy’s base was West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Atlanta a church that became a political command center long before “political command centers” existed.  

From that pulpit, he:

- Mobilized voters  

- Mentored future political leaders  

- Provided cover and courage for elected officials during tense moments  

- Helped shape the political identity of Black Atlanta  

His influence wasn’t transactional — it was moral, strategic, and deeply rooted in community trust.

Co‑Architect of the Civil Rights Movement

As co‑founder and later president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Abernathy helped design the campaigns that reshaped American politics:

- Montgomery Bus Boycott  

- Birmingham Campaign  

- Selma  

- Poor People’s Campaign  

These weren’t just civil rights victories — they were political realignments that changed who held power in Georgia and across the South.

A Quiet Architect of Black Political Power in Atlanta

Abernathy’s fingerprints are all over the rise of Black political leadership in Atlanta. He wasn’t the one running for office he was the one shaping the environment that made those victories possible.

He influenced:

- Voter registration drives  

- Coalition‑building between churches and political organizations  

- The political maturation of the Westside  

- The early careers of leaders who would later run the city  

His son, Ralph David Abernathy III, would later serve in the Georgia Legislature, a direct extension of the political foundation his father built.

A Legacy in Service, Sacrifice, and Moral Authority

Abernathy paid a price for his leadership, jailings, threats, surveillance, and constant pressure. But he never stopped showing up for Atlanta, for Georgia, and for the movement.

He died in 1990, but his influence is still felt in:

- Atlanta’s political culture  

- The Black church’s role in civic life  

- The moral vocabulary of Georgia politics  

- The leaders he shaped, directly and indirectly  

Why Ralph David Abernathy Belongs in This Series

Because he represents a different kind of political giant:

- One whose power came from moral authority, not elected office  

- One who shaped the political landscape of Atlanta without ever needing a title  

- One whose work made modern Black political power in Georgia possible  

- One whose legacy is enormous, but whose political impact is often overshadowed by his national civil rights role  

Abernathy is not just a civil rights icon, he is a foundational figure in Georgia’s political history. And like the others in your series, his name deserves to be spoken with the weight it earned.

Forgotten Giants of Georgia Politics, Part IV: Newt Hudson — Wilcox County’s Quiet Power Broker

Every corner of Georgia has produced a political figure who never chased headlines but shaped the state in ways that outlasted their time in office. Down in Wilcox County, that figure was Newt Hudson, a farmer‑legislator whose steady hand and rural grounding made him one of the most respected members of the Georgia House during his era.

Most Georgians today don’t know his name

But in the days when rural Democrats still held the center of gravity under the Gold Dome, Newt Hudson was a voice people listened to.

A Farmer First, a Legislator Second

Hudson came out of the red clay and farmland of Wilcox County, Rochelle, Pitts, Abbeville country. He wasn’t a lawyer, wasn’t a lobbyist, wasn’t a polished Atlanta figure. He was a farmer, and he carried that identity into every committee room he ever sat in.

That mattered.  

Because in mid‑20th‑century Georgia, agriculture wasn’t just an industry it was the backbone of the state and it still is.

Hudson understood:

- land  

- labor  

- rural economics  

- the rhythms of farm life  

- and the needs of small counties that didn’t have big-city clout  

He brought that perspective to the Capitol at a time when rural voices still shaped the budget, the priorities, and the political culture of Georgia.

A Steady Hand in the House

Hudson served multiple terms in the Georgia House, representing Wilcox County with a style that was:

- plain-spoken  

- practical  

- coalition-minded  

- and deeply respected by colleagues  

He wasn’t loud.  

He wasn’t ideological.  

He wasn’t chasing the next office.

He was the kind of legislator who knew how to work with anyone, rural Democrats, urban Democrats, and the emerging Republican minority. His influence came from trust, not theatrics.

A Champion for Rural Georgia

Hudson’s legislative work consistently reflected the needs of small counties like his own. He focused on:

- agriculture  

- rural infrastructure  

- education funding  

- and protecting the interests of communities that didn’t have lobbyists or PACs fighting for them  

He understood that rural Georgia needed investment, not pity and he fought for it with the quiet determination of someone who lived the life, not someone who studied it from afar.

A Legacy Rooted in Place

Newt Hudson never became a statewide figure. He never sought national attention. But in Wilcox County and among the lawmakers who served with him, his name carried weight.

He represented a style of politics that’s fading:

- grounded  

- humble  

- community-first  

- and built on relationships rather than rhetoric  

In many ways, he was the model of the rural Georgia Democrat...practical, respected, and deeply tied to the land and people he served.

Why He Belongs in This Series

Hudson is a reminder that Georgia wasn’t built only by the big names, the governors, the speakers, the statewide officials. It was also shaped by men like him: rural legislators who carried their counties on their backs and made sure small communities had a voice in Atlanta.

He didn’t chase power.  

He earned respect.  

And in the story of Georgia politics, that makes him a giant worth remembering. 

Candidate Spotlight: Marcus Ryan — Georgia House District 176

Down in the wiregrass, Georgia House District 176 hasn’t seen a Democrat on the ballot in years — not since the late Jay Shaw, a conservative Democrat who later switched parties. That changes this cycle with Marcus Ryan of Lanier County, a United States Marine veteran and CDL operator stepping forward to give voters a real choice in 2026.

Ryan’s profile is unmistakably Blue Dog Democrat: culturally conservative, fiscally steady, and rooted in service. His background as a Marine shapes much of his message, discipline, responsibility, and putting community above politics. His day‑to‑day work as a CDL operator keeps him grounded in the realities of rural Georgia: long hours, working‑class economics, and the challenges families face across the 176th.

Ryan is running on the idea that HD 176 deserves representation that understands rural life from the inside, not from a distance. His campaign emphasizes:

- Support for working families and rural jobs  

- Infrastructure and transportation investment  

- Veterans’ services and mental‑health access  

- Practical, bipartisan problem‑solving  

- A return to community‑first politics

In a district that has leaned Republican for over a decade, Ryan represents a different kind of Democratic candidate...one who fits the region’s culture, speaks its language, and isn’t afraid to buck national narratives. Whether voters agree with his approach or not, his candidacy marks a notable moment: the first Democratic run in HD 176 in a generation, and a reminder that rural Georgia still has political stories worth watching.

Peanut Politics will keep an eye on this race as it develops — and on how Marcus Ryan’s Blue Dog message resonates across Lanier, Atkinson, and the surrounding counties.

Sedrick Rowe Isn’t Running a Typical Agriculture Commissioner Race

Most candidates for Georgia Agriculture Commissioner stay in a familiar lane, farm tours, commodity talk, and the same recycled issues that rarely break through with everyday voters. Sedrick Rowe isn’t doing that. His campaign is forcing conversations the agriculture industry usually pushes to the margins, and that alone makes his candidacy worth paying attention to.

Rowe isn’t the most polished speaker, and he doesn’t pretend to be. What he brings instead is lived experience: a first‑generation farmer who has dealt with land access, credit barriers, and the realities young producers face. That authenticity resonates with people who rarely see themselves reflected in statewide agriculture politics.

And that’s where his potential impact shows up.

He Speaks to First‑Generation Farmers. Georgia has a growing number of new and beginning farmers , many of them young, many of them operating outside traditional commodity structures. They don’t usually have a candidate who talks about their challenges directly. Rowe does.

He Connects With Younger Voters. Younger voters don’t think much about the Agriculture Commissioner’s office, but they respond to candidates who look like the future of the industry rather than its past. Rowe’s story hits that note.

He Reaches Suburban Voters Who Don’t Track Ag Politics. Suburban voters often skip past this race entirely. But when a candidate talks about food access, environmental health, and the real‑world impact of agriculture policy, it gives those voters a reason to pay attention. Rowe’s message crosses that line in a way most Ag candidates don’t attempt.

Sedrick Rowe isn’t running a traditional Agriculture Commissioner campaign a

nd that’s exactly why people should take him seriously. He’s bringing new voices into a race that usually flies under the radar, and that alone changes the conversation. 

The Hidden Mike Thurmond Vote Everyone Is Missing

Every election cycle, we get a fresh round of polling that claims to show where the Democratic primary for Governor stands. And right now, those early numbers have Keisha Lance Bottoms sitting on a comfortable lead. But if you’ve watched Georgia Democratic primaries long enough, especially outside the Atlanta media bubble you know those toplines rarely tell the whole story.

There’s a quiet factor in this race that isn’t being measured yet: the Mike Thurmond vote.

Not the loud, online, hyper-engaged crowd. Not the folks who answer every poll. I’m talking about the voters who actually decide May primaries in this state, the ones who don’t show up in early surveys but absolutely show up at the ballot box.

And that gap between what polls capture and who actually votes may end up being the difference.

Rural and Small County Democrats Are Underrepresented in Early Polling

Anyone who has worked a rural county meeting or knocked doors in small towns knows this: these voters don’t always pick up the phone for pollsters, but they vote with consistency. They’re older, they’re loyal to the party, and they value a long record of public service. That’s a lane where Thurmond has historically performed well.

Name Recognition Isn’t the Same as Primary Strength

Bottoms’ early lead is driven heavily by name ID  something any former mayor of Atlanta

naturally carries. But name ID doesn’t automatically translate into:

- Trust  

- Coalition reach  

- Or the ability to win outside Metro Atlanta 

Primary voters, especially in May, tend to be more pragmatic and less swayed by celebrity or headlines.

Undecided Voters Are Shrinking and They aren’t Breaking Evenly

As undecided voters start making choices, they often gravitate toward candidates with broader appeal across regions and demographics. That’s where a candidate like Thurmond historically gains ground. Early polls rarely capture that late movement.

Primary Electorates Are Unique

The May Democratic primary electorate is not the same as the November general electorate. It skews:

- Older  

- More consistent  

- More policy‑focused  

- Less online  

These voters show up rain or shine, and they tend to reward candidates with long-standing relationships in their communities.

A Quiet Coalition Is Forming

Talk to Democrats across the state, rural organizers, suburban pragmatists, older Black voters, labor folks, education advocates and you’ll hear a similar theme: there’s interest in a candidate with a governing record, not just name recognition.

That coalition doesn’t make noise on social media, but it shows up when it counts.

The Bottom Line I'm trying to make is polls are a snapshot, not a prediction. And right now, they’re missing a key piece of the picture: the quiet but very real Mike Thurmond vote that doesn’t show up in early surveys but does show up in May.

As we move closer to the Democratic Primary, that undercounted coalition may be the factor that reshapes this race.

Candidate Spotlight: David Hall — A Grounded Moderate for House District 174

Well, its back! Peanut Politics Candidate Breakdown Series is back and the first candidate to breakdown is David Hall (D) Hoboken

House District 174 is one of the most geographically sprawling and culturally distinct districts in South Georgia. Stretching across Brantley, Charlton, Clinch, Echols, and parts of Ware and Lowndes counties, it’s a district defined by rural identity, tight‑knit communities, and a political culture that values authenticity over theatrics. Into that landscape steps David Hall, a disabled Navy veteran, substitute teacher, and moderate Democrat from Hoboken, Georgia.

He’s not a household name  but his profile is the kind that often resonates in districts like HD‑174.

A Disabled Navy Veteran With Deep Local Roots

Hall’s military service is central to his story. In rural South Georgia, where military families and veterans make up a significant share of the population, that background carries weight. It signals discipline, sacrifice, and a lived understanding of service — qualities that voters in HD‑174 tend to respect regardless of party.

His status as a disabled veteran adds another layer: he’s someone who has paid a personal price for his service and understands firsthand the challenges veterans face navigating healthcare, benefits, and reintegration into civilian life.

That’s not a talking point. It’s lived experience.

A Substitute Teacher Who Sees the Classroom Up Close

Hall’s work as a substitute teacher gives him a window into one of the district’s most pressing issues: the state of rural education. HD‑174 includes counties where schools are underfunded, teachers are stretched thin, and students face barriers that go far beyond the classroom.

Substitute teachers often see the system at its most vulnerable moments — staffing shortages, resource gaps, and the day‑to‑day realities that don’t show up in legislative talking points. That perspective grounds Hall in the practical, not the theoretical.

A Moderate Democrat in a Deeply Rural District

HD‑174 is not a district where ideological purity tests win elections. It’s a place where voters respond to:

• Practical problem‑solving

• Local credibility

• A tone that matches the district’s culture

• Candidates who understand rural life because they live it

Hall’s moderate posture fits that terrain. He’s not running as a national‑issue candidate. He’s not trying to be a partisan warrior. His profile suggests a focus on bread‑and‑butter issues — jobs, education, infrastructure, and support for veterans and working families.

(Ret.) Colonel Pamela Delancy Might Be This Year's Georgia Sleeper Congressional Candidate in GA‑10

Pamela Delancy is a name most Democrats in Georgia’s 10th Congressional District have never heard and that’s exactly why her candidacy deserves a closer look. In a field where name recognition and political networks usually dominate the conversation, Delancy brings something different to the table: a compelling personal story and a profile that checks every “candidate quality” box strategists talk about but rarely find in one person.

She’s a cancer survivor.

She’s a military veteran.

She has an independent streak that doesn’t feel manufactured.

Those aren’t talking points they’re lived experiences that resonate in a district where authenticity still matters. GA‑10 is a place where Democrats really don't put up much of a fight. Last Democrat to hold that seat was Don Johnson back in 1992. Voters respond to grit, resilience, and real‑world credibility. Delancy’s background gives her all three.

She may not be a known quantity in Democratic circles, but that’s not necessarily a weakness. Sometimes the most interesting candidates are the ones who haven’t been shaped by party machinery or political expectations. Delancy’s profile suggests she could connect with voters who are tired of the same old political molds and are looking for someone who’s actually lived the challenges they talk about.

In a district as sprawling and politically complex as GA‑10, candidate quality still counts. And Pamela Delancy military service, personal resilience, and an independent voice is the kind of foundation that can make an unknown candidate suddenly worth watching.

Michael McCord and the Blue Dog Lane in GA-01

 Georgia’s 1st Congressional District is crowded this cycle, eight Democrats, each trying to carve out a lane in a district that stretches from Savannah’s urban core to the rural areas of the Coastal Plain. But one contender stands out for a very specific reason: Michael McCord is running as a Blue Dog Democrat in a district where authenticity and no‑nonsense messaging still matter.

Observers often note that GA‑01 isn’t a place where ideological purity tests win elections. It’s a district shaped by military families, port workers, rural communities, and coastal moderates who respond more to credibility than to national talking points. That’s the lane McCord is trying to occupy, and it’s why many see him as one of the favorites to make a near‑certain runoff.

What makes his candidacy notable is the profile he’s leaning into.... pragmatic, grounded, and focused on local concerns rather than national theatrics. Analysts often point out that Democratic candidates who could succeed in GA‑01 tend to be the ones who sound like the district, not like a national party surrogate. McCord’s supporters argue that his style fits that mold: direct, unvarnished, and rooted in the district’s economic and cultural realities.

In a field of eight, that kind of clarity can cut through the noise.

Whether that translates into broader appeal across the coastal district remains to be seen, but the early read is simple: McCord is positioning himself as the kind of candidate who doesn’t need to reinvent himself to connect with voters and in GA‑01, that alone can be a competitive advantage.

LeMario Brown: A Case Study in the New Populism

Donald Trump didn’t just disrupt the Republican Party; he rewired the entire political ecosystem. The new normal isn’t polished resumes or party loyalty—it’s emotional resonance, economic urgency, and cultural authenticity. And in Georgia, that shift is already reshaping the terrain.

So what this means for Georgia Democrats?

1. The Old Playbook Is Crumbling

- Voters—especially in rural and working-class communities—aren’t moved by institutional endorsements or technocratic policy briefs. They want someone who feels like them, who talks like them, and who fights like them.

LeMario Brown on his tractor in Fort Valley

- Democrats who cling to metro-centric messaging or elite donor circles risk alienating the very voters they need to win back.

2. The New Litmus Test: Can You Speak Bread-and-Butter Truths?

- Candidates must show they understand the cost of groceries, the fear of hospital closures, and the pride of land ownership. It’s not about ideology—it’s about dignity.

LeMario Brown is emerging as a rural centrist populist who reflects this new political reality:

- Authenticity Over Optics: He’s a pecan farmer, not a polished insider. His voice carries the weight of lived experience, not rehearsed talking points.

- Economic Justice as a Unifier: Brown’s message “We all got to eat” cuts across partisan lines. It’s not left or right; it’s survival and fairness.

- Community-Rooted Solutions: From youth violence to infrastructure, he talks about patrolling with the community, not policing over it. That’s a populist ethos rooted in empowerment, not control.

And crucially, he’s not afraid to challenge the Democratic establishment. His work with nonpartisan civic groups like Peach Concerned Citizens shows a commitment to listening first, labeling second.

So what this means for the Lt. Governor Race?

If Brown runs for Lt. Governor, he could:

- Disrupt the Democratic primary by forcing a conversation about rural equity, veterans, law enforcement, economic justice, and cultural preservation.

- Attract swing voters who feel abandoned by both parties but still believe in Georgia’s potential.

- Redefine what it means to be a Democrat in the South—less about party orthodoxy, more about pragmatic populism.

This is the kind of candidacy that doesn’t just win votes, it reshapes coalitions. If Democrats embrace this shift, they could build a durable majority rooted in working-class dignity and rural pride. If they resist it, they risk becoming irrelevant in the very places they need to win.

Jessica Fore for GA-10 U.S. House of Representatives

Darrel Rye Looking to Become District 5 Commissioner for Macon County.

There are only two contested races in Macon County this year, one in District 5 where Challenger Darrel Rye (D-Five Points) is looking to unseat Incumbent Bob Melvin (D-Montezuma) to represent District 5 on the Macon County Board of Commissioners.

Rye is a businessowner (Badcock Home Furniture) and has lived in Macon County for close to 30 years and have been a resident of District 5 since 1995. Rye is a native of Westfield, Oklahoma, graduating from Westfield high School & later attended NE Oklahoma University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He later moved to Georgia in 1980

Rye platform if elected is (1) Hire Macon County Residents whenever possible for County or City Positions. (2) Lower Gas Prices for Macon County Residents and (3) Help attract industry to Macon County and run Macon County like a business and (4) Cut Wasteful Spending by the County.

Recently there have been a uproar  from Macon County residents over the hiring of the new Recreational Director for Macon County Stevie Young of Jones County who was fired from a previous Recreational position in Putnam County rather than hiring a local resident Johnny Edwards, someone with deep ties to the county who is heavily involved in County affairs. The hiring was made by County Manager Regina McDuffie, a resident of Bibb County, not by the County Commission, which is unusual according to some other county commissioners I've talked to in other South Georgia Counties. "I feel like Macon Co need to hire local people", said Rye in a interview with a local newspaper. "How can you be involved in a community of you live in Byron"? Rye also goes on to say in regards to the county, fiscal management, "The Commission needs to run a tighter ship. They spend the little money they make. It's like a business, you can't spend more than you make".

Rye is active in his church, Cedar Valley in which he's held a number of positions, Chairman of the Deacons Ministry, Sunday School Director. Also he's been a Relay for Life Team member, member of the Gideons Choir of Americus. 

There will be a candidate forum on May 8 at the Preston Williams Center in Montezuma and voters of District 5 will have a chance to hear both Melvin and Rye make their pitches.