Columbus, Georgia

Yesterday the Georgia House Democratic Caucus met to elect leadership for the

upcoming 2003-04 legislative session. The Democrats still hold a 106 to 73

majority in the State House, so it is likely that these elections will pass by

the entire chamber in January. Past-Speaker Tom Murphy was in attendance and

addressed the caucus before the elections. One surprise of the afternoon was

the withdrawal of Larry Walker from the House Speakers race. Walker announced

before the caucus that he was a proud Democrat and his allegiance was with the

Democratic party, however with the Republican Governor-elect as a longtime

family friend it would be hard for him to "handle the seemingly irreconcilable

differences confronting [him]." Therefore, the speakers race went

uncontested. The results of the elections from yesterday are as follows:

Speaker: Terry Coleman of Eastman, Georgia. Coleman is an Insurance Salesman

from Dodge, County where he was first elected to the Ga House in 1973. Coleman

is the past chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Speaker Pro-Tempore: DuBose Porter of Dublin. DuBose is an Attorney/Editor of

the Dublin newspaper in Laurens County. Porter was elected to the Ga House in

1982 and is the past chairman of the House Education Committee.

Majority Leader: Jimmy Skipper of Americus. Skipper is an Attorney in Sumter

County and was first elected in 1990. Skipper was the past vice-chairman of

the House Rules Committee.

Majority Whip: Nan Orrock of Atlanta. Orrock owns a management business in

Fulton County and was elected in 1986 to the House. Orrock is the past

chairman of the House Intra-Governmental Coordination Committee.

Caucus Leader: Calvin Smyre of Columbus. Smyre is the Vice-President of

Corporate Affairs for Synovus in Muscogee County, and was first elected in

1974. Smyre is the past chairman of the House Rules Committee and serves as

the National Secretary for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.

Caucus Secretary: Lynett Stanley-Turner of Atlanta. Stanley-Turner is a

Journalist from Fulton County, and is the past vice-chairman of the House

Interstate Cooperation Committee.



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JON

Jonathan B. Pannell

Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group LLC

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