Crackdown on Tax-Delinquent Lawmakers

A state senator wants to change rules in his chamber to penalize senators who haven't paid their taxes. Nineteen legislators - including three state senators - are delinquent on their tax bills. State Sen. Eric Johnson, a Savannah Republican, said he's pushing legislation that would change Senate rules to require that lawmakers in the chamber be current on their tax bills. If they aren't, they could face disciplinary action, including removal from the Senate.

(Associated Press)

Chambliss launches TV ads

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss has launched the first TV commercials in his re-election campaign. They are set to start airing statewide this week and will run during the Democratic and Republican National conventions. One spot features the Republican from Moultrie outlining his belief in GOP bedrock issues like smaller government, lower taxes and personal freedoms. The second ad is a testimonial from his wife Julianne who touts his credentials as "a wonderful husband, a great father, and a fabulous granddaddy." Neither ad mentions Chambliss' Democratic opponent, Jim Martin.

McCain drops in on Georgia

Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting John McCain collected over one-and-a-half million dollars from his fundraiser in Georgia Monday. The event lasted about an hour, and drew around 200 people. McCain was joined by U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, who gave praise to Georgia’s two Senators--Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, and Governor Sonny Perdue.

Bob Barr to run for president

Former GOP Congressman Bob Barr is expected to announce today he will run for President as a Libertarian. This comes despite protests from some Republicans that he will hurt Presumptive GOP front runner John McCain’s chances.

Barr left the Republican Party in 2006 citing the party’s stance on civil liberties. Four years earlier, he lost a re-election bid to keep his Georgia House seat. Now, Barr says there needs to be an alternative to McCain and Democratic front runner Barrack Obama.

"It’s not a choice if the only two candidates presented to the American People are Senator McCain and Senator Obama," says Barr. "Two establishment candidates that are very much Washington creatures."

Barr oversaw the House impeachment case against former President Bill Clinton. He has the support of about five percent of Americans according to a recent Zogby poll. If Barr does enter the race today, he will have to be nominated at the Libertarian convention, later this month.

Republican Overview for Super Tuesday

Several new polls out today show the Republican primary contest between former Massachuttest Governor Mitt Romney (R) and Arizona Senator John McCain (R) tightening in Georgia.

Generally speaking, by this time in the primary, Georiga's, rural Republicans have coalesced around a GOP candidate. This year, though, that is not happening. Floyd County GOP chair, Martha Bryant, said what is driving the division among rural Republicans is different issues-- such as the economy and the Iraq War.

"It is really difficult because whoever you talk to, either one of those might be there main issue. And, that is why it is so hard to coalesce around one candidate," said Bryant.

Bryant said many of the rank and file Republicans she speaks with like McCain's position on the War, Romney's vision for the economy, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. By Tuesday night, Bryant said the state's GOP will know what issue Republican voters care about most by looking at which candidate wins Georgia.

Georgia primary turnout could top 30 percent

Georgia is among the two dozen states holding presidential primary voting in tomorrow’s Super Tuesday across the nation. Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel says she’s been told by county officials that they expect between 30-35 percent of the state’s registered voters to participate. If that holds true, the number would be roughly double the 17-percent of voters who turned out in 2004. Not since 1992 has Georgia seen voter turnout for a primary above 30-percent. That’s when Bill Clinton was the Democratic side winner--the elder George Bush the Republican.

Bill seeks homebuyer tax credit

Senator Johnny Isakson is proposing a $15,000 tax credit to lure home buyers back into a slumping market. Isakson's bill would spread the $15,000 credit over three years for the home buyer. The Georgia Republican says the incentive would help distressed homeowners and banks that are trying to make the best of bad loans. Isakson said it also would boost the real estate and construction industries, including homebuilders who can't sell newly built houses.

Presidential primary ballot confirmed by Secretary of State

The ballot is now official for Georgia’s Presidential primary. Secretary of State Karen Handel says there are eight Democrats and nine Republicans in the running. Georgia will hold its Presidential Primary on February 5th, 2008. Voters who would like to participate in the primary must register to vote by January 7, 2008. If you would like to register to vote, please visit http://www.sos.georgia.gov/ .

In accordance with the list provided by the Democratic Party of Georgia, the following candidates will be listed on the Republican ballot in alphabetical order: Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Alan Keyes, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Fred Thompson.

In accordance with the list provided by the Republican Party of Georgia, the following candidates will be listed on the Republican ballot in alphabetical order: Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis J. Kucinich, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson.

State lawmaker Dan Lakly dies

Fayette County State Representative Dan Lakly has died at the age of 65. According to House Majority leader Jerry Keen, Lakly had been taken to a local hospital after injuring his arm in a fall over the weekend. Once there, sometime following surgery, he suffered a massive heart attack.

Lakly was a Republican from Peachtree City who served five terms in the Georgia House. Elected to the General Assembly in 1992, Lakly won re-election twice before losing the Republican primary in 1998 to Kathy Cox, who went on to become the current state school superintendent. Lakly re-emerged six years later, taking a House seat when the GOP took control of the chamber.

Lakly was chairman of the House Information and Audits Committee, and vice chairman of the Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee.

Republican money shifts to Fleming

Republican money in the 10th Congressional District is again lining up against newly elected GOP Representative Paul Broun of Athens. Broun was a surprise winner in the July election to succeed the late Charlie Norwood in Congress. Fundraising reports show he had less than $35,000 in the bank this quarter. In contrast is state Representative Barry Fleming, a Republican challenger from Harlem who raised $273,000 in September alone.

State Repubican regrets e-mail

A state Republican official will step-down from an Augusta authority group because of a racially charged e-mail that he sent. Several officials have called for the resignation of Dave Barbee from the Augusta Housing Authority.

Barbee sent an August 27th e-mail to two developers concerning a plan to close a public housing project so the Medical College of Georgia can expand. Barbee wrote that new development in the area would be "high income", and would make downtown Augusta whiter.

State Senator Ed Tarver, a black Democrat, made other Augusta officials aware of the e-mail. Barbee, who is white and the GOP's chairman for the tenth congressional district, says he regretted the message became public and did not reflect his official position on the matter.

Republicans lag in giving money

Georgians are giving less money to Republican presidential candidates as their Democratic counterparts. According to government fundraising reports, Democrats are doing better, with more than a million dollars total. That’s compared with less than $650,000 for the GOP candidates. One expert says Georgia Republicans could be holding out for a front-runner to emerge or for a native Southerner to enter the race.

Atlanta Democrat becomes Republican

A Democratic state lawmaker from solidly blue DeKalb County has become a Republican.

Rep. Mike Jacobs announced his decision in an open letter he posted on his website:

My strong belief in fiscal responsibility and restraint – a belief that the vast majority of my constituents share – is not a good fit within the Democratic Caucus in the House of Representatives… I fit best with moderate Republican legislators like Jill Chambers (Chamblee, Doraville, and part of Brookhaven), Ed Lindsey (Buckhead and parts of Brookhaven and Sandy Springs), and Fran Millar (Dunwoody, Huntley Hills, and part of the Murphey Candler area).

Most of Jacob’s district, however, votes Democratic. More than twice as many Democrats as Republicans turned out for the 2006 primary election.

House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) released a written statement calling Jacobs a "good, dedicated, common-sense representative." With Jacobs, Republicans now control 107 of the 180 House seats.

By joining the GOP, Jacobs, a two-term lawmaker, continues a statewide trend that picked up steam when Sonny Perdue—another party-switcher—became governor. At that time, several rural Democrats became Republicans. They retained their powerful leadership positions, in exchange for giving the GOP a majority in the Senate.

Presidential hopeful Giuliani visits Georgia

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani campaigned in Georgia today. He told students and supporters at Atlanta’s Oglethorpe University that Republicans are the best equipped to combat terrorism.

Giuliani also addressed illegal immigration. He said he favors building a fence along the border and exiling illegal immigrants who commit crimes. But he also advocated a path to citizenship for productive workers already in the country. Georgia has one of the nation's fastest growing populations of illegal immigrants.