GOVERNOR
Nathan Deal: Fresh off a convincing re-election win, the governor heads into his second term with essentially the same disciplined, experienced team that got things done in his first term and helped get him re-elected. Never flashy but consistent. Governors typically have strong sessions the first year of their second terms, before the serious jockeying begins to replace them, and Deal will again set the agenda in 2015. The fact that he has a respectful relationship with legislative leaders helps him ultimately get what he wants.
CHIEF OF STAFF
Chris Riley: Riley remains the most powerful gubernatorial chief of staff in more than a decade, possibly in several decades. Deal and Riley lived near each other in Gainesville, and Riley has served as Deal’s personal pilot for years. Riley knows the governor’s mind, and nothing happens anywhere near Capitol Hill — or in Hall County — without him knowing about it. The governor’s re-election campaign went into overdrive when he joined it last year.
SENATE
David Shafer, R-Duluth, Senate president pro tem: A former top Republican staffer and campaign manager when he was in his 20s. A onetime chief deputy insurance commissioner, Shafer lost a bid for secretary of state before winning a seat in the state Senate. A careful, politically astute operator who has built a formidable campaign war chest and has beaten back attempts in his own party to dislodge him. Shafer is a fiscal conservative who will likely lead the charge to reduce income taxes in coming years.
Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, Senate majority leader: Has climbed the leadership ladder since winning election in 2006, replacing his brother-in-law Brian Kemp (now Georgia's secretary of state) in the Senate. Served as a floor leader for Gov. Sonny Perdue during the governor's second term. Moved up to GOP caucus chairman in 2011. Also served as chairman of the Higher Education Committee, a plum for someone from University of Georgia territory.
Jack Hill, R-Reidsville. A retired grocer who has long run the Senate Appropriations Committee. A former Democrat whose party switch helped the Senate turn Republican in 2002. Like his predecessor as appropriations chairman, George Hooks, Hill knows everything about how state tax money is spent, and he plays a key role in deciding where it goes.
Others: Rules Chairman Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga; Health and Human Services Chairwoman Renee Unterman, R-Buford; Senate Minority Leader Steve Henson, D-Tucker; Transportation Chairman Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle: The president of the Senate and the first Republican to run the chamber. Was considered a top contender for governor in 2010 until he backed off from the race. The former Gainesville state senator is widely expected to run for governor in 2018.
HOUSE
David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, House speaker: The level-headed, plain-spoken country lawyer has earned high marks for leading a chamber that can be raucous and fractious at times. He once opposed any limits on lobbyist gifts to legislators. But after 2012 primary voters in both parties voiced support for limits, Ralston called for a total ban and later helped negotiate the ethics package that finally won passage during the 2013 session. He beat back a nasty primary challenge in May and will likely have to deal with more tea party opposition in the future, both within his chamber and back home.
Jan Jones, R-Milton, House speaker pro tem: Seen as a smart, stable leader from a politically important part of metro Atlanta. A former journalist and marketing executive, Jones is the highest-ranking woman in General Assembly history.
Larry O'Neal, R-Bonaire, House majority leader: Well thought of by his colleagues, the generally soft-spoken lawyer from Houston County was close to Perdue when he was governor. He has long been the go-to man in the House on tax issues.
Stacey Abrams, D-Atlanta, House minority leader: Thought of as one of the brightest minds in the Legislature, Abrams, a lawyer and romance novelist, was elected minority leader in 2010 for a party that has fallen on hard times. Well respected in the House, although she's been criticized within her own party for her willingness to work deals with Republicans on key issues. One of few Georgia Democrats not named Carter, Nunn, Lewis or Reed to get national publicity in recent years.
Allen Peake, R-Macon: A successful restaurateur, Peake is treasurer of the House Republican fundraising arm and vice chairman of the tax-writing Ways & Means Committee. Straightforward and comfortable dealing with reporters and at ease in getting out House Republicans' positions. Received national recognition for his fight to legalize the use of cannabis oil, made from marijuana plants, for treatment of certain seizure disorders and other health problems.
Others: House Appropriations Chairman Terry England, R-Auburn; Rules Chairman John Meadows, R-Calhoun; Reps. Christian Coomer, R-Cartersville, and Chad Nimmer, R-Blackshear, administration floor leaders; Rep. Matt Ramsey, R-Peachtree City, majority whip; House Transportation Chairman Jay Roberts, R-Ocilla.
Top lobbyists
Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group: Group includes Lawrence Bell, Samantha Hill, Jerry Keen, Ragen Marsh, Pete Robinson and Robb Willis. Robinson served with Deal in the Senate, was on the governor’s transition team and raised big money for the governor during his re-election bid last year. Keen is a former House majority leader. The rest of the team’s members are statehouse veterans. The group represents a long list of big names, including Aflac, Cigna, Citigroup, Coca-Cola, private-prisons giant Corrections Corporation of America, Delta Air Lines, Georgia Power, Merck pharmaceuticals and Verizon.
McGuireWoods Consulting: Has close legislative ties, especially to the Senate, and deep political experience. Lobbyist Brad Alexander is a former chief of staff to Cagle; Michael Shelnut and Andrew Long have connections to Shafer. Misty Holcomb is a former Senate staffer with connections to the growing Georgia film industry. Also on the team is former Senate leader Eric Johnson. Clients include Aetna, AT&T, Disney, EUE/Screen Gems, Genentech, Gulfstream, Humana and Teach for America.
GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group: Has one of the longest client lists at the Capitol. Like Robinson, Trip Martin of GeorgiaLink is a statehouse veteran close to legislative leaders and is in the know about almost everything going on at the Capitol. The team includes John Bozeman, who headed Perdue’s legislative affairs office; Boyd Pettit, a former longtime lawmaker; and Skin Edge, a former Senate Republican leader. Clients range from the Atlanta Braves and national companies such as Comcast, Publix and UPS to a host of Georgia associations representing the powerful auto dealer, beer, billboard and hospital industries.
Massey, Watson, Bowers & Hembree: Like GeorgiaLink, one of the longest client lists around. Lewis Massey, a former Georgia secretary of state, is from Gainesville, Deal’s hometown. Bruce Bowers, a son of former Attorney General Michael Bowers, has strong GOP credentials. Brandon Hembree is a veteran Capitol lobbyist. John Watson is a former chief of staff to Perdue and a member of Deal’s transition team. The group represents a long list of companies and groups interested in both legislation and state contracts, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Citigroup, Comcast, Ernst & Young, Intel, J.P. Morgan, Tesla and Ticketmaster
McKenna, Long & Aldridge: Has long had a major stake in local, state and national politics, with an impressive lineup of former politicians, operatives and lawyers, including Deal’s campaign attorney. The group represents Anheuser Busch, DeKalb County, the Georgia Charter Schools Association, Microsoft, Northside Hospital, Southwest Airlines, UnitedHealthCare and Xerox.
Others: Teams for AGL, AT&T, the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, the Georgia Chamber, the Georgia Hospital Association, the Georgia Health Care Association (nursing homes), the Georgia School Boards Association, the Georgia Municipal Association, Georgia Power, the Georgia Trial Lawyers, the University System of Georgia, Fiveash-Stanley, Roy Bowen, Wendi Clifton, Chandler Haydon, Brian Hudson, Sheila Humberstone, Jay Morgan, Bill Morie, Roy Robinson, Richard Royal, Rusty Sewell, Graham Thompson, Mo Thrash, Brian Tolar, Jet Toney, Monty Veazey and William Woodall.
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