GA GOP Chair Race to Highlight State Convention.

Saturday, 25 December 2010 - Cobb Resident Sue Everhart will sek a third term as chair of the Georgia State Republican Party. During the December Cobb GOP Breakfast on December 4th Everhart formally announced her candidacy. In the audience, and also addressing his run for the State GOP chair run was Shawn Hanley, chair of the Fulton County GOP. Hanley announced his candidacy on November 18th, expecting Sue Everhart to follow the tradition of stepping down after serving 2 terms.

   Sue Everhart was successfully elected to a second term without the backing of Sonny Perdue and it is no secret that Nathan Deal is seeking to get his own candidate elected to the top GOP Party position. Although no formal announcement has been made, several names have been floated through the rumor mill. The most mentioned name is that of Cobb County resident and Deal transition team member Trisha Pridemore. Pridemore has not officially announced and it is not expected that she would until after the transition and inauguration are complete.

  The Georgia Republican Party, unlike the Georgia Democrat Party, elects the State Chairman at the State Convention in odd numbered years for a term of 2 years. When the Democrats had a strangle hold on the Governor's  Office, the Governor   selected the Party Chair for the Democrats. In a year of anti-incumbacy sentiment and given that Nathan Deal barely squeaked by Karen Handel in a Primary runnoff, I just don't think the Governor elect has enough political capital to unseat an incumbent State Party Chair who presided over a sweep of all the State Offices in the last election.

   With the table set for a three way race, it should be an interesting 5 months leading to the GOP State Convention in Macon next May.