Local & State Headlines

Local races building steam

• The local election picture has slowly begun to come into focus as qualifying week nears.

Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — As the April 28 election qualifying date that once seemed so far away creeps ever closer, the jockeying for position in a number of key political races of local interest has begun to build steam.

One of the most anticipated races in Southwest Georgia is the District 12 State Senate seat that has been occupied by Michael Meyer von Bremen for the past decade. Meyer von Bremen announced March 13 that he would leave the Senate to seek the seat on the 12-judge Georgia Court of Appeals that is being vacated by longtime Judge Jack Ruffin.

Former state Rep. John White has announced his candidacy for the District 12 seat, and he has already been campaigning in the district’s eight counties.

“I’m running to serve the people who need help in Southwest Georgia,” he said Tuesday. “I hope to see us build new, affordable houses; I want to get people better health care. And education needs help right now.

“I’m really disappointed that some of my friends (in the Legislature) didn’t raise enough hell to bring about change this session. We’ve got to get people in office willing to build bridges, do whatever it takes.”

The question that many in the region are asking is who will oppose White for the seat. Among those who have shown an interest in the position are Dougherty County Commission Chairman Jeff Sinyard, Dougherty District Attorney Ken Hodges and Albany businessman Greg McCormack, who most recently served as interim CEO/president of Albany Tomorrow Inc.

On Monday, some of the speculation became moot when McCormack, who had announced March 14 that he was considering a first-time run for office, said he was abandoning those plans for the time being.

“I can’t really see myself changing my mind at this point,” McCormack said. “This decision is based on family issues; I have two kids in high school, and I want to be there for them.”

As if to illustrate his point, the would-be candidate’s telephone conversation was interrupted by energetic screams in the background.

“I’m at my daughter’s soccer game right now,” he said. “If I was in office, these are the kinds of things I wouldn’t be able to do. My children deserve that.

“Maybe I was a little selfish to consider this without talking further with my family, but after talking with them I decided this is just not the right time (to consider a run). Politics is about timing, and having an open seat would seem to make it a better time for me or for John (White) or anybody else. But I’ll just have to reassess in three or four years after my family concerns are taken care of.”

Sinyard, who has been courted by some of the state’s major politicians since Meyer von Bremen announced his plans, said Tuesday he has “gone back and forth on this thing ’til it’s about to drive me crazy.” But he maintains, as he has in recent weeks, that he is still leaning toward not running.

“I owe it to my family, and I owe it to the people in this district to make a decision, and I plan to do that within the next week,” Sinyard said while driving back from a business trip to Atlanta. “No matter what decision I make, my heart is with what’s best for Albany, Dougherty County and Southwest Georgia, and that will determine my ultimate decision.

“I do believe, though, that the people in (the 12th) district will have an opportunity to elect a very qualified candidate.”

Hodges, too, spoke of candidates’ qualifications as he mulled his decision.

“(The Senate seat) is still on my radar,” he said Monday. “But I haven’t made a determination as to where I am with it. Just as with the (Dougherty Superior Court Chief) judgeship, my main concern is that there be viable candidates for the position.

“I’d like to see somebody take on the challenge where the timing is better for them. It would be difficult for me right now for a number of reasons: I couldn’t be DA, and I would essentially have to start with a law firm. That’s tough when you’re in the middle of a campaign.”

There have been whispers of an as-yet-unheard-from candidate, but none of those still considering the position would discuss other possible candidates.

“I’m confident there will be a good person in place to make a run,” Sinyard said.

In addition to the state Senatorial seat, the House of Representative seats currently held by Ed Rynders, R-Leesburg (District 152); Winfred Dukes, D-Albany (District 150), and Freddie Sims, D-Albany (District 151), are also up for election, as are those of Dougherty Superior Court Judge Steve Goss, Coroner Emma Quimbley and Clerk of Court Evonne Mull.

The Dougherty County Sheriff’s office, County Commission and School Board District 1, 3 and 5 seats and the at-large School Board post are also to be voted upon. Kevin Sproul, Kirk Smith, James Williams, Benita Childs and Keith Lockette have completed prequalifying requirements to seek the sheriff’s office, while Muarlean Edwards has announced her plans to retain her District 3 commission seat.

Elections officials said they’ve received word from a candidate who plans to challenge David Maschke for the District 1 School Board post, and interest has been expressed in District 5 County Commissioner Art Searles’ seat. Lamar Hudgins is the incumbent District 1 commissioner, while Richard Anson (at-large), Willie Weaver (District 3) and James Bush (District 5) currently hold School Board seats.

More Headlines>>