Georgia’s longest-serving legislator Rep. Calvin Smyre returns to Capitol
State Rep. Calvin Smyre returned to the Georgia House on Monday for his 44th legislative session after recovering from an illness that forced him to miss the first two weeks of state business.
Smyre, D-Columbus, said he felt shortness of breath a few days before this year's session began Jan. 8, and then he was hospitalized in Columbus. He said he had a blood clot in both lungs, but his doctors were able to catch the issue early.
“Not to be here on the first day was a very difficult moment for me, but I’m glad to be here today,” Smyre said as he spoke to his colleagues in the House. “It means a great deal to me to be serving in the Georgia House. There’s nothing more important to me than for Georgians to have a better quality of life.”
State representatives gave Smyre a standing ovation as they welcomed him back to the Georgia Capitol.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
