Georgia Politics, Campaigns & Elections for April 8, 2013

Welcome to the Internet to Martha Zoller

Our friend and conservative talk radio host Martha Zoller launched her new website, ZPolitics.com today. Martha hits the ground running with an exclusive from US Senator Saxby Chambliss on foreign policy and intelligence.

To celebrate her announcement, we will be publishing exclusive content from Martha Zoller called, “The 5 Things I Learned Running for Congress” on InsiderAdvantage and teasing you with bits of it in our email this week. It’ll go live for free on Martha’s site on Friday and we’ll include a link then. But here’s your first taste:

When the open seat came up after the 2010 census, I started planning. Of course, everyone knows the outcome. I came within 800 votes of winning the Primary, landing me in a runoff. And I lost the runoff 3 weeks later. It was heartbreaking. But in many ways, it has been the best thing that has happened to me and who knows that the future may hold.

Here’s what I learned:

First, everything you ever said, and I’ve had a very public life, will be scrutinized and taken out of context. I knew my opponents would use what I had said against me, but I thought that people knew me and would see it was out of context. But you need money to do that and raising money was difficult. We’ll talk about that later.

Falling Dominos – Election Announcements

Dan Curry will resign his seat on Loganville City Council to run for Mayor in the June 18th Special Election after Ray Nunley announced his retirement from the post. Resigning in order to pursue cancer treatment, Mayor Nunley announced his support for Curry. An election will be held to fill Curry’s seat at the same time as the Mayoral election and Chuck Bagley, who served on City Council from 2005-2008 and as District 2 Walton County Commissioner has said he will run for Curry’s seat on City Council.

It appears that qualifying for the election for Mayor will be April 15, 16 & 17th for the term ending November 2013, with a November election for a full four-year term and qualifying for the City Council seat currently held by Curry expected to be May 13, 14 & 15 and the winner will serve through 2016. Three seats on Council will be up for election in November on their regular rotation.

Tonight at 7:30 PM at the Walton County Republican Party monthly meeting at the Monroe Community Center, 645 Church Street in Monroe, Ga, we’ll see if this triggers any more announcements.

Former Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson tweeted yesterday, “we wish Sen. Cowsert the best on his next endeavor.”

It’s quite possible that means that Cowsert will be announcing his retirement from electoral politics to specialize in raising Golden Retrievers for the field, but it’s more likely we’ll hear an announcement in the coming 24 hours days that Cowsert will run for Congress for the seat currently held by Rep. Paul Broun.

Such an announcement would trigger speculation about who might run for Cowsert’s Senate seat. State Rep. Bruce Williamson was said to be considering a run for that seat if it is open, and his base in Walton County, the most-populous by far in Senate District 46, would make him a formidable candidate.

This session, Williamson authored and passed House Bill 254, which awaits Governor Deal’s signature. This legislation would allow Georgians to present an electronic version of their insurance card if pulled over while driving. This is a great little bill that lacks the hard right appeal of a gun bill, but will make complying with state law more convenient for Georgians and is at the heart of what Republican governance is about.

Another potential candidate being speculated about: former State Rep. Doug McKillip, who lives in the Athens-end of Cowsert’s senate district.

Events Calendar

Senator Hunter Hill will attend a Town Hall with the Historic Rose Garden Davenport Town Civic Association tonight at 7 PM at the Mt Zion First Baptist Church, 2642 Hawthorne Avenue SE , Smyrna, GA, 30080.

Congressman Doug Collins will hold a Banks County Mobile Office from 9-11 AM tomorrow, April 9th at the Banks County Chamber of Commerce, 106 Yonah Homer Rd, Homer, GA, 30547.

Representative Collins will proceed to a Jackson County Mobile Office from 1-3 PM at the City of Commerce, Downtown Development Office, 1645 S. Elm Street,Commerce, GA, 30529

Also tomorrow, Congressman Tom Graves will hold a Chattooga County Connection Day from 10 AM to noon at the Chattooga County Library, 360 Farrar Dr,Summerville, GA, 30747.

Representative Graves will hold his Walker County Connection Day from 1-3 PM at the Courthouse Annex, 01 South Duke Street , Lafayette, GA, 30728.

The Whitfield County Republican Party meeting Tuesday, April 9 beginning at 7 PM is open to all who seek to serve in the GAGOP state leadership offices to be elected in May and will be held at “GOP Central” Republican Election Headquarters at 111 N. Pentz St, Dalton , GA, 30720.

On Thursday, April 11, Congressman Doug Collins will hold a Stephens County Mobile Office in Toccoa, Ga and Habersham County Mobile Office in Clarkesville, Ga.

Thursday evening at 7 PM, Atlanta Young Republicans will host their Happy Hour at Buckhead Saloon, 3227 Roswell Road, Atlanta, GA, 30305. Thirty-five cent wings you say? Maybe I’ll see you there.

This weekend, Georgia College Republicans will host the Leadership Institute Youth Leadership School. It starts on Saturday at 8:30 AM sharp. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in a career or hobby in Republican politics or conservative policy. I attended in 1991 or 1992 and will sponsor the first College Republican who wishes to attend and emails me. Give Morton Blackwell my best wishes.

Inside Baseball

Sunday’s weather was perfect for being at Turner Field with my father to watch the Braves take their third home game in a row against the Chicago Cubs. My dad’s a lifelong Cubs fan, which makes it easy to take him to a ballgame knowing he won’t be upset or surprised when the Cubs lose.

Pitcher Tim Hudson gave up one run in nearly seven innings, and hit an RBI single in the sixth inning. Dan Uggla hit a home run in the eighth inning.