Republicans keep control of state House, Senate
Republicans did as expected and kept a firm grip on the General Assembly in Tuesday's elections.
Most incumbents running for re-election won another term.
However, some votes were too close to call. As of late Tuesday, Democrat Elena Parent led Rep. Jill Chambers, R-Atlanta, chairwoman of the committee that oversees MARTA. Parent, a local attorney, was chief of staff to former state Sen. David Adelman, who resigned earlier this year to become U.S. ambassador to Singapore. Chambers, a fiscal watchdog of MARTA, recently filed for bankruptcy.
Meanwhile, in Gwinnett County, Republican retired educator Valerie Clark beat freshman Democratic Rep. Lee Thompson. Democratic Rep. Pat Dooley of Cobb County also was behind in early vote counting. And in a Middle Georgia rematch, Democratic Rep. James "Bubber" Epps and former Republican Rep. Allen Freeman were close.
Republicans went into the election with a 34-22 edge in the Senate and a 105-75 margin in the House. The GOP has the votes to pass any legislation except measures, such as proposed constitutional amendments, that need a two-thirds vote.
Control of the General Assembly next year will be particularly important because lawmakers will redraw political boundaries, as they do every decade after the census. The Legislature draws not only its own districts, but those for members of Congress. Typically the party in power does its best to make sure those lines help it maintain political control.
The GOP has run the Senate since shortly after the 2002 elections, when Democrats changed parties in the wake of Republican Sonny Perdue's victory in the governor's race.
Republicans took over the House in 2005 after federal judges redrew political boundaries that helped the GOP.
Democrats -- who before 2002 had maintained complete control of the statehouse since Reconstruction -- haven't come close to taking back the General Assembly in recent years.
Still, major turnover in the Legislature was guaranteed earlier this year when dozens of lawmakers announced they were quitting or running for another office.
Rusty Paul, a former Republican lawmaker who now lobbies at the statehouse, said he expected a 25 percent turnover in the Senate and another 10-12 percent turnover in the House.
The House lost former House Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter, R-Johns Creek, and House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island, to retirement. Rep. Bob Lane, R-Statesboro, a committee chairman who switched parties after the GOP took power, quit after 30 years in House. Another veteran House member, Austin Scott, R-Tifton, gave up his seat to run for Congress.
The Senate lost several key Republicans who helped lead the party once it took over, including lawmakers who went on to run for governor, insurance commissioner, attorney general and public-service commissioner.
The primaries brought a few incumbents down as well. One loser was Senate Majority Whip John Wiles, R-Marietta, who lost his GOP primary. Twelve-year Democratic Rep. Don Wix of Mableton also lost his seat.
All that turnover, Paul said, will bring new voices and, in some cases, new priorities to the General Assembly in 2011.
Legislative leadership, Paul said, "Is going to have its hands full. The guys and gals coming in new are going to be very sensitive and attuned to what the tea party is thinking and saying."
About the Author
James Salzer has covered state government and politics in Georgia since 1990. He previously covered politics and government in Texas and Florida. He specializes in government finance, budgets, taxes, campaign finance, ethics and legislative history
