Georgia’s General Assembly will reconvene on the second Monday in January of 2023, and for the first time since January 2010,Georgia HouseSpeaker David Ralstonwill not be presiding over the State House of Representatives. Ralston is currently the longestserving house speaker in the nation, he has held that honor longer than any member of the GOP in Georgia, and is second only to Georgia House SpeakerThomas B. Murphy, in terms of longevity. Leadership and the multiple stresses during challenging times can take a toll, as noted during the second term of most any U.S. President.Ralston has helped to lead Georgia, along with three Governors, through multiple recessions and a pandemic, as well as nearly a consecutive decade as the nation’s best place to do business, and well-managed budgets helping to bring Georgia into this session with a nearly $6-billionbudgetsurplus. However, serious health concerns require Speaker Ralston to focus on recovering his good health, in addition to continuing to ably represent the people of Georgia’s 7th House District (Fannin and parts of Gilmer and Dawson Counties), as he has since 2002.
Ralston is receiving the best available care and is surrounded by his family, including his wife, Sheree.
But governing needs and demands don’t give much in the way of patience.The State Senate will also have a new Lieutenant Governor presiding, and though things look very good from most all indications for the Georgia GOP during these 2020 midterms, there are no guarantees in politics.
The role of Speaker is not an easy one.The Georgia House has 180 members, representing 159 counties, from two parties, each with fissures within its own.A house speaker must first win their local district with a primary, occasionally a runoff, and then a general election.They must then be chosen as leader of their party caucus in another contest, and once more by majority vote of the entire legislative body. And that is just winning the right to wield the gavel.
All spending bills originate in the State House, and the only constitutional requirement of the general assembly each year is to pass a balanced budget, which this year will be roughly $30 billion.In addition to Ralston rejoining the body and handing off the gavel, his extremely able appropriations chair, State Rep.Terry Englund(R-Auburn, District 116), also retired earlier this year.The learning curve will be steepas Georgia attempts to zig while the U.S. economy zags toward a recession.Ralston’s steady hand will be missed.
This speaker’s legacy is real, lasting and strong, with tax cuts aplenty, including the largest reductions in personal income taxes in Georgia history.Ralston’s tenure also saw the first major investment in more than half a century in Georgia’s behavioral health system, new investments in maternal and infant health measures, and a revamping of transportation funding during 2015, which also is currently allowing Georgia to have some of the lowest gasoline prices in the nation.
This speaker always maintained an open-door office policy, and the new mayor of Atlanta,Andre Dickens,made that door among his first stops following his swearing in.Ralston would repay that kindness by pausing legislativeefforts for Buckhead to break away from the City of Atlanta, as he had earlier assisted former MayorKeisha Lance Bottomsin blocking a state takeover of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
A conservative and lifelong Republican, Ralston was not an ideologue, and though a person of deep faith, he did not proselytize or wear his convictions on his sleeve.This caused a handful of critics to question his commitment to some conservative principles and social precepts.Far from being the alleged RINO, Ralston once confided he skipped his high school senior prom to attend his first GOP state convention.
Doing a bit of life math, this would have been nearing the end of the Nixon era, when most Republicans were running away from their president and the party.
Meanwhile Ralston continued to run toward the GOP and its next savior,Ronald Reagan.
The size of this man’s heart and concern for others often surprised some.His kindness, courtly manner and occasional sarcasm, softened by southern charm, was often disarming even for political adversaries.
Whoever wields that gavel next may find it to be a much heavier lift than they expected.
Herding 180 cats on a daily basis requires some pretty big shoes to nudge them all back into line.God speedfor a full recovery Mr. Speaker, more prayers coming your way, sir.You will certainly be missed on the rostrum.