Late Wednesday, former state House minority leader DuBose Porter of Dublin took to the Internets to announce that he would run for re-election to a full term as chairman of the state Democratic party.
Nikema Williams will run again for vice-chair.
The decision was no surprise, and neither was the tone. No names were used, but the email sent to members of the state committee included more than a few jabs at Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed,
From Porter's missive:
…[O]ur loss should not mean that the Party should fall apart, or that we should simply capitulate to the grandstanding opportunists who were counting on our defeat.
In the aftermath of the Republican wave, Porter pulled out these bright spots:
• Democratic candidates won in Douglas County and Henry County.
• Ground was gained in Gwinnett, Cobb, Whitfield counties and other assumed Republican strongholds.
• Tens of millions of Republican dollars were spent here in Georgia out of fear of their Democratic opposition. We were outspent by more than 2-1—and that's just with the money that we know of right now.
So far, Porter has no announced opposition. We're told that R.J. Hadley may be running, but have not heard from him directly. The vote comes in February.
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Witness the brief life cycle of a potential political campaign.
On Tuesday, someone started a Facebook page to draft Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson to run as a Democrat for U.S. Senate in 2016. On Wednesday, Peach Pundit picked it up. Overnight, her Facebook cheerleaders informed the world: "Mayor Tomlinson has made it clear that she fully intends on serving the citizens of Columbus well until 2018!"
This morning, Tomlinson herself called us to further tamp down any talk that she'd consider a run against Republican incumbent Johnny Isakson. “No, I will not be running for Senate in 2016. I’ll be mayor of Columbus through 2018," she said. "And in 2018, who knows what will come, but I didn’t get into it for a career in political office. I got into it to serve my community, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
So get those Tomlinson 2018 signs ready.
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A Democrat who is not Hillary Clinton is out of the gate with not just an exploratory committee, but the first video of the 2016 presidential contest. He's former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia:
"I made this decision after reflecting on numerous political commentaries and listening to many knowledgeable people. I look forward to listening and talking with more people in the coming months as I decide whether or not to run."
The Vietnam veteran added, "A strong majority of Americans agree that we are at a serious crossroads. In my view the solutions are not simply political, but those of leadership. I learned long ago on the battlefields of Vietnam that in a crisis, there is no substitute for clear-eyed leadership."
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On today's front page and premium site, we have a story about the executive action from President Barack Obama on immigration, to be announced this evening. The news, of course, has roiled Capitol Hill, and close watchers of the Georgia delegation's clout should keep an eye on the following nugget:
The goal, Graves said, is to "keep the government open, and shut the president down."
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Over at PeachPundit.com, Erick Erickson says he's hoping for an apology from Fayette County Commissioner David Barlow, who welcomed the first black member elected to the commission last week with a reference to "demoncrats." From Erickson:
This is really horrific coming from an elected official. Commissioner Barlow may be surprised to know, but the GOP did better with black and Hispanic voters this year than any time in the past. His comments go a long way toward telling everyone that black and Hispanic voters are not welcome with the Republican Party.
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Three Republicans from Gwinnett, Columbia and Forsyth counties will determine the future shape of DeKalb County, the largest Democratic enclave in the state.
House Governmental Affairs Committee Chairwoman Amy Carter, R-Valdosta, on Wednesday named a five-member committee to resolve a massive boundary dispute among pro-cityhood groups who have failed to negotiate a compromise.
The subcommittee’s members are Rep. Buzz Brockway, R-Lawrenceville; Rep. Barry Fleming, R-Harlem; Rep. Mark Hamilton, R-Cumming; Rep. Howard Mosby, D-Atlanta; and Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur.
Mosby is chairman of the DeKalb County legislative delegation, and Oliver has a good deal of influence in the House. But the map the committee is to draw will be decided by majority vote, then submitted to the GOP-controlled General Assembly, which convenes in January.
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