Fresh Loaf

Actually, with bags under his eyes, the former governor didn’t look all that rested at his afternoon press conference today. Nor did he look like he’d been getting a lot of sun lately (although InsiderAdvantage chief Matt Towery, who was in the audience, was tan enough for everybody).

But Roy certainly seemed ready. Smiling, surrounded by his family, taking questions, cracking jokes — here was a guy who makes political campaigning look like fun. And the press corps was eating it up. Because now we’ve really got a race to cover.

Barnes’ entrance into the guv’s race will shake things up in a big way. Not immediately, mind you. All three announced Democratic candidates — state Attorney General Thurbert Baker, state House Minority Leader DuBose Porter and former this-and-that David Poythress — quickly sent out terse announcements saying they weren’t stepping aside. But come on. For months now, polls have shown that the front-runner’s slot was Barnes’ if he wanted it.

Now, after all the waiting, we know he wants it.

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Now that Roy Barnes has jumped in the 2010 governor’s race, where does that leave other Democratic challengers who’ve already announced their plans? Here’s what we’re hearing from little birds that land on our windowsill, chirp silly songs, and blurt rays of gossipy sunshine into our dark and twisted lives:

• Attorney General Thurbert Baker: Our tipsters tell us that Baker was apparently waiting to hear whether Barnes would run to decide a.) to bow out of the race and join a big-name law firm or b.) make a run for — hold on to your courageous haircuts — U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s seat. Which, judging by Johnny Boy’s popularity in the state, might be the same as dropping out of public service. Longtime political gadfly Tom Houck, who recently floated the idea that retiring Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears might make a run for governor, relays an overnight rumor that Baker could get a Federal judgeship and drop out of the race. High-ranking Democratic Party officials say they’d like to see Baker in a statewide campaign, however.



• House Minority Leader Dubose Porter, D-Dublin: The state House veteran lightly ribbed Barnes when the former governor was reportedly still on the fence. From what we’re hearing, Porter still wants to make a run for governor. But he’s got a tough slog ahead of him. Pundits say it’ll take at least $3 million to run a primary campaign against Barnes. If you survive that battle, you better be prepared to raise as much as $12 million for the general election. There’s also talk Porter should make a go at Speaker.




• David Poythress: The Georgia National Guard Adjutant General is in it to win it, he says. Our tipsters said the same. He even took a shot at Barnes, calling him a “polarizing figure.”

How Barnes’ announcement affects downticket races remains to be seen. We’re hearing Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond — “a team player,” one li’l birdie says — might make another run for his seat. He’d been rumored to be considering a run for lieutenant governor. “Whatever’s the best for the party, Thurmond will do,” our source says.

(Photos by Joeff Davis)

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Former Gov. Roy Barnes at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner

Last night’s installment of the annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner was a sell-out despite the absence of a headliner. No Hillary, like last year, or John “Pretty-Boy Pariah” Edwards, like two years ago. Nor was it the cigar-chomping, wine-sloshing bacchanal I’d hoped it would be, following the Obama election. Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond didn’t even break out his James Brown dance moves.

Not that anyone expected those things. Most folks came simply to bask in the good feeling of the successful national elections — and to see if former Gov. Roy Barnes would tip his hand regarding a possible bid for his old job. Roy was there, of course, and he made the rounds, but the best he could offer his well-wishers was that he hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll run.

The official gubernatorial candidates — Attorney General Thurbert Baker, House Minority Leader DuBose Porter and former state labor commissioner David Poythress — all took a turn onstage, but most folks in the Hyatt ballroom likely are waiting to see what Barnes will do.

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He’s got the funny sounding first name (á la Newt, Zell, Bubba, Saxby, et al.). And he’s got the down-state accent. So it’s little surprise that House Minority Leader DuBose Porter, D-Dublin, would decide it’s time to get into the 2010 governor’s race. We got this notification late Monday afternoon:

I realize a Democrat will have a hard time in what is seen as a red state. However I believe Georgia will look at the issues and if they find a candidate that represents their core values they will be willing to vote for a change in the Governor’s office. My work on the issues will carry me in Atlanta, but according to the pundits from the far right to the far left, it will take a candidate with my core values to connect with those outside of Atlanta.
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This session was a final straw. The infighting in the majority party dominated the session. I realized at the state’s Chamber of Commerce breakfast that when the three Leaders at the top could not be on the stage together long enough to take questions, the needs of this state had taken the back burner while the quest for power had become their goal. If you walk yourself through what happened this session, it is clear egos trumped policy. It is time for someone to be in the Governor’s office that doesn’t play into ego driven politics. It is not about power for one – but for all. (more…)

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