I totally forgot about this story.
Leon Garvin, the former sheriff's lieutenant who qualified Friday to run as a Democrat for Georgia Senate District 23, has attempted to withdraw from the race.
Garvin surprised many when he turned up in Atlanta on Friday and became the only Democratic qualifier for Senate District 23. Moments earlier, District 23 Sen. J.B. Powell had withdrawn his candidacy for the post.
By the noon deadline, Powell qualified instead as the only Democratic candidate seeking the statewide office of agriculture commissioner.
Garvin did not return several phone calls seeking comment.
Lowell Greenbaum, the chairman of the Richmond County Democratic Party, said the local party has tried to distance itself from Garvin, and had no idea he planned to qualify.
"We were not approached by Leon Garvin; he never attended our meetings. As far as we know, he was a Republican, according to his voting record," he said.
The party also wasn't consulted about finding a replacement for Powell, Greenbaum said.
Garvin's address, 316 Dogwood Drive, occupies a narrow finger of District 22, bordered by District 23 as it stretches along Mike Padgett Highway in south Augusta.
If his withdrawal does become final, Georgia Democrats say they'll supply a replacement candidate within 24 hours, as the law allows, according to state party spokesman Eric Gray.
But Carrothers said he was unaware of a provision for a party replacing a candidate after the qualifying period has closed.
Gray said even if getting their designated replacement on the ballot faces challenges from the secretary of state's office, the state party thinks the replacement is up for the task.
"Chuck Pardue," Gray said. "He's a well-known guy, a conservative Democrat, a really good campaigner."
Pardue, who lives in Blythe, has a Martinez law practice and operates a biodiesel plant in Warrenville, S.C., said he hadn't considered a run for the seat this year because he believed Powell would run again.
Contacted by state party officials over the weekend, however, Pardue said he was happy to oblige.
If Garvin does not withdraw or Pardue is prevented from replacing him on the July 20 primary ballot, Pardue said he'll begin collecting the minimum of 800 signatures he needs to run as an independent.
Pardue, 60, was quick to state his support for Georgia Power's planned expansion of its nuclear facilities at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro.
"We have to do everything we can do to increase our domestic energy supply, preferably with clean, renewable energy," he said.
If he qualifies as a candidate, Pardue's opponent in November will be attorney and former Waynesboro mayor Jesse Stone, who qualified Friday as a Republican.
Pardue said he had a "difference of opinion" with Powell over the former county commissioner's attempt to prohibit governments from requiring service providers to use landfill-generated methane in their vehicles.
The legislation stands in opposition to the Augusta Commission's recent proposal to generate compressed natural gas from methane at its Blythe landfill.
The 23rd district covers Burke, Screven, Jenkins, Jefferson, Washington and portions of Wilkinson, Emanuel and Richmond counties.
If his withdrawal does become final, Georgia Democrats say they'll supply a replacement candidate within 24 hours, as the law allows, according to state party spokesman Eric Gray. But Matt Carrothers (spokesman for the Secretary of State's office) said he was unaware of a provision for a party replacing a candidate after the qualifying period has closed.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Senator J.B. Powell calls bid for new post "right decision"
He was expected to run for senator again, but on the last day of qualifying senator J.B. Powell shook things up.
Senator J.B. Powell will run for Georgia's next agriculture commissioner.
"I had been struggling with a lot of things," said Powell. "There were a lot of things on the table, and it was a decision that was made very quickly."
We asked him what made him qualified to run for the position.
"I have walked the walk. I think that enables me to talk to the talk," said Powell, a conservative democrat.
"I've made the payroll on a farm. I know how hard it is for the farmers to struggle," said Powell. "I've been a project manager for 25 years. I know what it's like to make a payroll and run multi-million dollar budgets."
Continue reading: <Sen. Powell calls bid for new post "right decision"
Senator J.B. Powell will run for Georgia's next agriculture commissioner.
"I had been struggling with a lot of things," said Powell. "There were a lot of things on the table, and it was a decision that was made very quickly."
We asked him what made him qualified to run for the position.
"I have walked the walk. I think that enables me to talk to the talk," said Powell, a conservative democrat.
"I've made the payroll on a farm. I know how hard it is for the farmers to struggle," said Powell. "I've been a project manager for 25 years. I know what it's like to make a payroll and run multi-million dollar budgets."
Continue reading: <Sen. Powell calls bid for new post "right decision"
New Gen. David Poythress Ad: Fighter
I like the ad, and judging by the background it was shot in Rural Georgia. Nicely Done General.
Top 5 State Representative races to watch in Georgia this year
(1) Marjean Boyd (D-Bainbridge) vs Gene Maddox (R-Cairo)
Conservative Democrat Marjeen Boyd challenged Maddox back in 2006, coming up short of unseating Maddox. This is a seat that was long held by the democrats. Her reasons for challenging Maddox she says is the "countless tax incentives to special interest groups". She continued, stating "Ultimately, the funding cuts and tax exemptions have a domino effect on not only the state economy but the local level as well. Our district has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. Maddox, 75 is running for another term as State Rep for HD 172, a seat that was held by ex-Secretary of State Cathy Cox (D-Bainbridge). This is the year Maddox gets unseated from that seat, I believe given the way the GOP has cut education, continuing to give tax cuts to the special interest & to eliminate the Income Tax Cut for low-income Georgians making less that $20,000, which will affect the senior citizens the most
(2) Debra Tann (D-Valdosta) vs Jason Shaw (Lakeland) or Aleta Larger (R-Nashville)
This seat is being vacated by Jay Shaw (D-Lakeland) who was elected to the GDOT iof the 1st Congressional District. Shaw's son Jason is seeking to replace his father as State rep, but he will have to defeat Aleta Larger in the republican primary. The winner will go up against Debra Tann, a democrat who is secretary of Lowndes County Democratic Party.
(3) Fenika Miller (D-Warner Robins) vs Willie Talton (R-Warner Robins)
Talton faces his first challenger since 2006 in Fenika Miller, a moderate who is Chairwoman of the Houston County Democratic Party & works in Property Management. This is a race that is very winnable for democrats. Miller says he on the fence on whether or not to seek the HD 145 seat, but in the end quallified on Friday to seek the seat. Talton is a retired law enforcement officer, who has done very little since getting elected to the legislature.
(4) David Gault (D-Haddock) vs Susan Holmes (R-Monticello) or Mary Alice Carter (R-Mansfield)
This seat is a open seat being vacated by Jim Cole (R-Forsyth) who steped down to take a job at Mercer University. Conservative Democrat David Gault, a Jones County Commisisoner will seek the seat that was held by Curtis Jenkins who was defeated by Jim Cole in 2004. Holmes was a former mayor of Monticello, Carter is a legal assistant.
(5) Quentin Howell (D-Milledgeville) vs Rusty Kidd (I-Milledgeville)
This seat was won by Rusty Kidd back in 2009 special election when Bbbby Parham (D) was elected to the GDOT Board. Kidd will run as a Independent again against Busniess Man & Radio Host Quentin Howell who will challenge Kidd in the General Elction. Now I have no problem with Kidd & this is a long held democratic seat. I'll be happy with either candidate representing HD 141.
So what's yours?
Conservative Democrat Marjeen Boyd challenged Maddox back in 2006, coming up short of unseating Maddox. This is a seat that was long held by the democrats. Her reasons for challenging Maddox she says is the "countless tax incentives to special interest groups". She continued, stating "Ultimately, the funding cuts and tax exemptions have a domino effect on not only the state economy but the local level as well. Our district has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. Maddox, 75 is running for another term as State Rep for HD 172, a seat that was held by ex-Secretary of State Cathy Cox (D-Bainbridge). This is the year Maddox gets unseated from that seat, I believe given the way the GOP has cut education, continuing to give tax cuts to the special interest & to eliminate the Income Tax Cut for low-income Georgians making less that $20,000, which will affect the senior citizens the most
(2) Debra Tann (D-Valdosta) vs Jason Shaw (Lakeland) or Aleta Larger (R-Nashville)
This seat is being vacated by Jay Shaw (D-Lakeland) who was elected to the GDOT iof the 1st Congressional District. Shaw's son Jason is seeking to replace his father as State rep, but he will have to defeat Aleta Larger in the republican primary. The winner will go up against Debra Tann, a democrat who is secretary of Lowndes County Democratic Party.
(3) Fenika Miller (D-Warner Robins) vs Willie Talton (R-Warner Robins)
Talton faces his first challenger since 2006 in Fenika Miller, a moderate who is Chairwoman of the Houston County Democratic Party & works in Property Management. This is a race that is very winnable for democrats. Miller says he on the fence on whether or not to seek the HD 145 seat, but in the end quallified on Friday to seek the seat. Talton is a retired law enforcement officer, who has done very little since getting elected to the legislature.
(4) David Gault (D-Haddock) vs Susan Holmes (R-Monticello) or Mary Alice Carter (R-Mansfield)
This seat is a open seat being vacated by Jim Cole (R-Forsyth) who steped down to take a job at Mercer University. Conservative Democrat David Gault, a Jones County Commisisoner will seek the seat that was held by Curtis Jenkins who was defeated by Jim Cole in 2004. Holmes was a former mayor of Monticello, Carter is a legal assistant.
(5) Quentin Howell (D-Milledgeville) vs Rusty Kidd (I-Milledgeville)
This seat was won by Rusty Kidd back in 2009 special election when Bbbby Parham (D) was elected to the GDOT Board. Kidd will run as a Independent again against Busniess Man & Radio Host Quentin Howell who will challenge Kidd in the General Elction. Now I have no problem with Kidd & this is a long held democratic seat. I'll be happy with either candidate representing HD 141.
So what's yours?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Every election cycle, Georgia politics serves up a matchup that tells you more about the state of a party than the candidates themselves. In... -
Every election season brings a fresh batch of names, new voices, and plenty of talk about who’s stepping up to lead Georgia next. But anybod... -
Every election cycle, folks get caught up in the noise who’s trending, who’s tweeting, who’s throwing elbows. But under the Gold Dome, real ...