Entries by Chris Bridges

Items from my political notebook as we work toward Georgia’s 2018 general election:
As previously mentioned, the general election battle for governor for our state is going to be fun to watch if nothing else.
Of course, “fun” may not be the most appropriate word. We are going to see commercials and other advertisements which will likely sink to new depths, even for politics. Both the Republican and Democratic candidates will be called every name in the book and accused of everything from theft, racism and being anti-American.
National money is going to pour into the race (it has already started) and in the end will be somewhat of a pathetic thing to watch unfold.
Here’s hoping maybe the candidates will actually talk about the issues. Actually, Libertarian Ted Metz is talking about the issues but, as usual, few people are listening.

Ballot access
President Trump’s recent Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, was spotlighted in the Aug. 1 edition of Ballot Access News.
The story, written by Richard Winger, details Kavanaugh’s involvement in a ballot access case in the District of Columbia.
“Kavanaugh has only had one case involving voting rights for minor party or independent candidates, and that case showed that he is not sympathetic to voters who desire to vote for candidates other than Democrats and Republicans,” Winger wrote.
For the full piece, go to www.ballot-access.org as Winger gives in-depth details of that case involving former Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr.

General election ballot
There will be three candidates for governor on the 2018 Georgia general election ballot.
Republican Brian Kemp, Democrat Stacey Abrams and Metz will be listed. In addition, a number of candidates have officially declared write-in status.
In Georgia, voters can write in any name during the general election. However, for the votes for a particular candidate to be counted, he or she must officially declare themselves a write-in candidate. Therefore, if you write (or type) the name Mickey Mouse it will not officially be counted and recorded.
Rod Mack, a community planner and organizer, is an official write-in candidate for governor along with Rachele Fruit, a declared Communist.
Larry Odom, a pastor and senior project manager, is running as an independent but the signature requirement for an independent or other minor party candidate is so great that he will never quality for a ballot spot.
Sonia Francis-Rolle, a consultant and educator, has declared as a write-in candidate for lieutenant governor.
The Libertarian Party will also have candidates for secretary of state, insurance commissioner and public service commissioner on the general election ballot.

Handicapping the governor’s race
Operators of the website Insideelections.com has Kemp as the favorite to win the governor’s race this November.
That is not surprising. What is interesting is that the group predicts the winner as “Likely Republican” rather than “Solid Republican.”

Think for yourself
The ongoing controversy surrounding the Twitter battle between President Trump and basketball star LeBron James is beyond silly.
Let’s clear all of this up. President Trump has the right to tweet anything he wants. There are many, including some Republicans, who think he should retire his personal Twitter account. In reality, they are actually entertaining.
Second, LeBron James can say whatever he wants about the president.
That’s what makes this country great.
However, let it be known that I would never allow an athlete or musician or actor or entertainer to influence my beliefs.
To do so shows you really don’t have much belief in your own ability to form ideas.
Don’t believe something just because some so-called celebrity says it. That’s the ultimate in lazy thinking.
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Winder resident Chris Bridges is a former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. You can send comments about this column to pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

Getting involved in the political process was a noble thing once upon a time.
Sure, there has always been a nasty side to politics. It goes back to the beginning of our country. But what we are seeing now goes beyond description. We are so divided as a country, I fear we will never be united again.
In fact, with the exception of the Civil War (which hopefully nothing will compare to again) one has to believe we are at our most divided.
You have to give the two factions of the two-headed political monster credit for one thing. They have their followers believing their individual side is never wrong. If a Republican is president then those who support him will never offer one ounce of dissent. We are seeing that now.
Likewise, if a Democrat occupies the White House then followers and loyalists would literally walk off a cliff if directed to. We saw this with the prior president.
One has to ponder how we got to this point. It’s as if we now believe if we disagree with a political party or a representative of that party then it amounts to treason. It’s absurd really. No one who has been president or governor or senator or mayor has ever been right 100 percent of the time.
All politicians are human, and by nature that means he or she will make mistakes and take missteps. On even rare occasions some politicians will admit they are wrong. It is rare though.
There has been and always will be something patriotic about the political process. Typically, those who run for office, be it national, statewide or local, do so because they want to help their fellow citizens. Despite what politics has turned into in 2018, that is really the core of why candidates run.
When Donald Trump was campaigning for president there were numerous other options. However, in one of the greatest political upsets in our history, Trump overcame all odds and now resides in the White House. In some ways, I’m still shocked because the Republican establishment in no way wanted him to win the GOP nomination, let alone the White House.
Even with Trump’s massive personal fortune, it was still a political upset for the ages.
Yet there are millions who believe Trump has not done one single thing right as president. That is not true. There are also millions who believe he has done nothing wrong. That is also incorrect.
When we become blind followers of a candidate, an idea, a political party or even a president then we lose the ability to see clearly. Ronald Reagan was probably our last effective president but that doesn’t mean he was perfect either.
In fact, one has to wonder what Republicans in 2018 would think of Reagan, who was in favor of an easier pathway to citizenship for immigrants. It’s interesting to note that all of the right-wing pundits who used to praise Reagan and his policies seem to not mention him nearly as much anymore.
On the statewide level, the upcoming general election race for governor may set a record for gutter campaigning. This is being written before Tuesday’s runoff but regardless of who emerges as the Republican nominee, it is going to be a brutal three months.
This race will see big money pouring in from out of state as various interest groups put in their two cents (financially and otherwise).
And for those who sit in the middle politically, a hope for a legitimate choice outside of the two-headed political monster seems a dream that will never happen. It’s probably as much of a shattered dream as seeing our country united again.
At times, I have been asked why I enjoy politics to the degree I do. At times, it is hard to give an answer.
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Winder resident Chris Bridges is a former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. He welcomes feedback about this column to pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

There’s always been something special about summer.
Maybe it’s the fact we get to enjoy more daylight or maybe it’s because everything seems a little less stressful even though for us adults work goes on as normal.
Summer, despite its extreme nature at times, is still my favorite season. I like spring and there’s something poetic about fall but summer seems to be the time I long for the most. I’m sure it goes back to my childhood and the great summer memories I still recall.
It’s also a good time to reflect on the many things we have been blessed with from family to friends to a nice, clear, blue sky.
With that in mind, I’m thankful on this summer day for:
•A supportive family which has always stood by me throughout my 47 years.
•Firemen, paramedics and all emergency service workers and the good feeling I have knowing they are always there ready to serve.
•Memories of youth sports.
•College athletes who compete at one of the service academies. They will always have my highest level of respect. The same goes for student-athletes at the Division III level where they are no athletic scholarships.
•Listening to a ballgame on the radio. Whether it’s baseball or football, it’s still enjoying to hear the description of the contest coming through the speakers. Note: some sports, such as golf or soccer, simply don’t translate well on the radio.
•The parent who sends a compliment about something I’ve written rather than a complaint. Fortunately the compliments far outweigh the complaints.
•The amount of rain we’ve been having since spring. I’m not a fan of a week-long rain (which sends me into a depressed state) but I am OK with a little rain each day. This year my yard has looked as good as it has in the 20 years I’ve resided at my house.
•The fact I have never lost one cent betting on any sporting event or even had the slightest desire to make a wager, friendly or otherwise.
•The years when the Sports Illustrated College Football Preview edition was actually worth reading. I still have the copies from 1982-2005 and the massive amount of information in those editions puts the newer issues to shame.
•Late night talk radio which centers on things other than politics. It’s fun (and spooky) to listen to shows about bigfoot, UFOs, unsolved mysteries and such during the dark of night.
•The power of music which can magically transport you back in time.
•The memories of Jack Buck and Hank Stram calling Monday Night Football and the Super Bowl on the radio. I remember going off to college and being thankful that a small local AM radio station carried Monday Night Football broadcasts giving me a chance to listen to the duo.
•A worn-out pair of sneakers which still feel comfortable despite being very worn out.
•A Sunday afternoon nap. Actually a nap on any day is something to be thankful for.
•The fact there was a time when our country wasn’t so divided. It seems every issue has been split into camps. I have a feeling (on some levels) this had to be what it was like during our country’s Civil War. It really has gotten to the point where all Americans cannot agree on one single thing. It is beyond pathetic.
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Winder resident Chris Bridges is former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. You can send comments about this column to pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

There is still some unfinished business in the Republican primary but this year’s general election battle for governor could end up being extremely competitive.
That fact remains true whether Casey Cagle or Brian Kemp ultimately win the GOP nomination. Early voting for that runoff (and a handful of other statewide races) began last week with the main attraction being that race at the top of the ticket. Republican voters are also deciding between runoff candidates for lieutenant governor and secretary of state while Democratic Party voters are taking care of some unfinished business in the contest for state school superintendent.
The Cagle-Kemp battle has become very tight in recent days. One poll shows the two tied while another shows Kemp, the current secretary of state, even slightly ahead.
While Cagle, the current lieutenant governor, finished first in the May primary he did not gain the necessary percentage to avoid a runoff and is now in the fight for his political career. His once impressive lead has all but vanished.
The runoff has turned negative although most of what is being highlighted (lowlighted) about both candidates is factual. Turnout will be the key as the overall number of registered voters who actually go back and vote will be small (even less than the disappointing total from May).
Regardless of who wins, it’s a safe bet to say that 99 percent of GOP voters will vote for the ultimate nominee. Loyalty to political parties is very large right now and that will certainly be the case here. No one can truthfully believe that a disgruntled Kemp or Cagle supporter would vote for Democrat Stacey Abrams in November. There could be a few who decide to vote for Libertarian Ted Metz, but not many.
In fact, the few percentage points the Libertarian picks up in the general election race for governor could end up being the difference. Most assume that Libertarians only draw votes from the Republican candidate but in reality that is not true.
Libertarians are actually a mix between Republicans (fiscal issues, gun rights, etc.) and Democrats (personal freedom) on the issues.
A fellow Libertarian once told me, “Republicans are right about some issues but they don’t go far enough. Democrats are right on some issues but they fail to support those issues the way they truly should.”
Meanwhile, Abrams has state Democratic leaders excited. They believe she could pull an upset and be the next governor. While the race certainly has the potential to be close (in the 55-45 percent range), it doesn’t seem likely that the demographics in Georgia have moved enough for it to happen.
It’s not that Republicans should take the race for granted. Any favored candidate (or political party in this case) should always campaign as if he or she were 20 points behind. The state of Georgia had some surprising vote totals from the 2016 presidential election.
While Donald Trump won Georgia and its electoral votes, there were certain areas of the state where Hillary Clinton actually did far better than any political observer would have predicted.
The challenge for Abrams will be to energize not only her base but those who may not typically pay much attention to statewide politics. An upset is possible here (actually more possible than Sonny Perdue’s defeat of Roy Barnes) and Abrams’ somewhat surprisingly easy primary victory against a solid challenger shows Democratic voters believe she is the perfect candidate to end the GOP domination of the state.
But we need to take first things first in the race for governor. The Cagle-Kemp runoff is a toss-up. Abrams is already off and running on her general election campaign and Metz is hoping to get a mention in the news about his campaign.
We’ll no doubt see a flood of money poured into our governor’s race from outside groups (all except for Metz). Also, get ready for some nasty commercials pointing out the negative of both the GOP and Democratic candidates.
This is something that will be fun to watch in some ways and stomach-turning in others.
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Winder resident Chris Bridges is a former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. You can send comments about this column to pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

When the employees of The Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Md. arrived at work on June 28 there were likely several things on their minds.
Some may have been thinking about the upcoming weekend. Some may have been thinking of what they were going to do that night when they got home to their families. Some may have been thinking about their families. Others may have been even looking ahead to July 4.
Without a doubt, each one was thinking about the next edition. However, none of the employees of the newspaper gave any thought to being the center of attention in the next edition. That’s not how it is supposed to work. Journalists report the news. Most have no clamoring to be the news.
However, when a gunman (who I will not name here) entered the building and eventually killed five employees of the paper, those who died and those who survived were suddenly known around the country if not the world.
My long association with the newspaper business drove this story close to home and heart. None of us think about going to work (whatever line of work that might be) thinking we will never go home again. We don’t think about never seeing our family members again.
We go to work, perform our tasks and then enjoy our time at home. The next day we do it all over again.
Through my time in journalism I have encountered plenty of mad people. It’s the nature of the business. Some stories, by their nature, are going to make people mad. It’s part of the territory.
One of the maddest people I encountered came not long after we started the Barrow News-Journal. We received a tip that a member of the local school board was delinquent on paying his taxes. (This person is no longer on the school board.)
After discussing the issue with co-publisher Mike Buffington, he told me to call the BOE member and ask for his comments on it. Initially the BOE member tried to rationalize not paying his taxes. However, the more he spoke the more I could hear the anger rising in his voice.
Later that day the BOE member called me back and said the taxes had been paid and there was no need to write a story. By chance, Mike was standing in my office when the call came in. I relayed the information to him but he said the story would still run although it would say the BOE member had gone and paid the back taxes only after being contacted by the paper.
“If he had the funds to pay them in the same day then there was no reason for the taxes not to have already been paid,” Mike told me.
I agreed completely.
The BOE member could hear Mike’s comments and I could picture the steam escaping from his ears. He eventually hung up on me after a good bit of very loud screaming and saying he gave his time to the community and how we should be ashamed for writing such garbage.
Yet, after the story ran, there was no further contact from the BOE member. When I attended the next school board meeting nothing was said although I admit to wondering if perhaps I would be challenged to a fight.
The point of this is to show that while many people may get mad at a newspaper, it typically doesn’t lead to violence. Unfortunately, that was not the case in Maryland last week.
Newspapers have always played an important part in our country. I have always been in the community paper business, publications like the one you are now reading.
These papers report what is going on in your community. Stories such as local high school sports, who was born, who died, who got married, what happened at the local school board meeting or county commissioners or city council are reported weekly.
While community newspapers certainly point out the good, they also have a duty to report the news when it is not so pretty. That often times steps on toes and employees hear about it. Such was the case with the former school board member.
Certainly, the alleged shooter in this case has been and is dealing with mental issues. Reports indicate he had tried to make himself the victim through actions of the newspaper.
It seems now the people suffering from mental problems often fall through the cracks and don’t get the help they need, assuming the help is needed.
Situations like this should not be about guns and the need to create more laws. No law would have prevented this situation. However, better assistance for mental illness may have been able to prevent the tragedy. Unfortunately, we’ll never know.
My heart hurts for those newspaper employees who died on the job. They weren’t covering a war but a personal war was brought to them.
I have no doubt each person at the Maryland-based paper took their duties under the First Amendment very serious. Unwanted actions made five of them heroes in a way they never wanted or could have ever imagined.
It should give all of us pause to appreciate what we have and the most precious asset of all: life. We would all like to think we are safe at work and safe in our homes. In reality, we all know that is not the case. Anything can happen at any time. It’s the way of the world in 2018.
Still, it was heartbreaking to watch it all unfold last week to my journalism colleagues in Maryland. My thoughts remain with them and their families.
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Winder resident Chris Bridges is a former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. He welcomes comments about this column at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

On July 1, the law which has been in the works for some time will officially go into action.
The state of Georgia will begin banning the use of hand-held cell phones while drivers are behind the wheel. It doesn’t matter if you have both hands on the wheel. If you have a phone to your ear, then you will likely be issued a ticket at some point. That certainly will be the case for those caught by law enforcement texting while driving or even in one’s vehicle.
Many have cheered this new law believing it will automatically make drivers and passengers safer. Others have viewed it as another government over-reach which will not save lives but will pad the revenue stream for municipalities.
There can be little denying the fact that some drivers are distracted when they get behind the wheel. However, it should be pointed out that a cell phone is only one of those ways.
It’s just as easy to be distracted, as some have pointed out, by the car radio or a conversation taking place with a passenger (or passengers) in the vehicle or applying makeup or eating a cheeseburger during lunch.
For family members who have lost loved ones in accidents in which another driver was texting or talking on the phone, it’s easy to understand why they would want this law.
It remains to be seen, however, just how many lives will be saved. It’s similar to our state making it mandatory (by penalty of money taken by force from your wallet) to wear our seat belts. Certainly one should wear a seat while driving or while a passenger. (Disclaimer: I am never in a moving vehicle without my seat belt attached.)
However, many point to studies which show that the law itself has not really caused fewer people to be injured. It all goes back to generating revenue, many contend.
This new cell phone-texting law is going to generate a flood of citations, especially at first.
Remember you will not be allowed to text even while stopped at a traffic light. Even that will be reason for law enforcement to issue a ticket.
State Rep. John Carson of Marietta sponsored the new law. He (naturally) says the new law is not about giving local municipalities the ability to generate revenue.
“You cannot dispute the increase in traffic fatalities,” he said in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’m all about freedom and liberty. But one person’s liberty ends when it risks my safety.”
Still others are not convinced.
“I got my first cell phone in 1998,” said Georgia liberty activist Marshall McCart. “I’ve never had any problems with it; never had a wreck. The data clearly shows that this will not lower the number of wrecks or fatalities. It will, however, reduce civil liberties while increasing government revenues. That’s about it. It’ll be good for the ‘ju$tice’ business. But what about my business? But...we just had to do something, didn’t we? Just another law, just a little bit more government is gonna fix up all of our problems. This is going to be an absolute cluster….”
There is no grace period written into the law. Law enforcement will have the power to issue tickets beginning July 1 although some have said they will have a grace window for a few weeks and issue warnings and distribute pamphlets about the new law.
Like many things in today’s world, this really comes down to giving up freedom for what legislators and law enforcement consider safety. Time will have to determine just how much safer we end up and if it’s worth it in comparison to more personal freedom being taken away.
Stay tuned.
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Winder resident Chris Bridges is a former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. He welcomes feedback about this column at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

Items from my political notebook as the summer heat keeps us in the deep fryer:
Next month’s runoff in the GOP governor’s race is seemingly about to turn ugly and it really can’t be that surprising.
Casey Cagle, the current lieutenant governor, and Brian Kemp, the current secretary of state, are engaged in a contest which is seemingly getting tighter with each passing day. A recent story of how Cagle used his influence as lieutenant governor to help pass legislation to hurt a political opponent has been one of the top stories from the runoff in the last couple of weeks.
Clay Tippins, one of the GOP candidates who lost in the initial Republican vote for governor, secretly audio-taped a conversation with Cagle and then released it to the media. There has been some criticism of Tippins but it’s clear if he had not audio-taped Cagle, then the lieutenant would have simply denied the conversation ever took place.
Cagle is viewed by many, despite his first-place showing in the GOP primary in May, to be a typical, slimy politician who uses the power of his office for personal gain. There certainly is something to that argument but Cagle is probably no different than 99 percent of elected officials.
Kemp has benefited from Tippins’ action concerning Cagle even though the secretary of state has some questionable actions of his own while in his current position.
As we discussed in recent weeks, GOP voters had the opportunity to nominate a candidate without the establishment tag. In the end, however, it was not that surprising that Cagle and Kemp emerged as the top two vote getters.
Even if some GOP voters are having buyer’s remorse at this point, there is nothing that can be done. Either Cagle or Kemp will be the Republican nominee this fall and in all likelihood will be the next governor of our state.

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
There will be three candidates for governor on the 2018 general election ballot. The winner of the GOP runoff will join Democrat Stacey Abrams and Libertarian Ted Metz.
A recent issue of Ballot Access News indicated neither the Green Party or Constitution Party has made any inroads into getting on the ballot this year.
In a time when more people seemingly want additional choices when they vote, parties outside the big two continue to have a hard time getting an invitation to the party.

QUALITY
POLITICAL JOURNALIST
It was disheartening to read the recent news that long-time Georgia-based political columnist Tom Crawford is facing serious health issues and may not have much longer to live.
Crawford clearly had his hand on the pulse of Georgia politics each week with his musings. One of his columns was worth 10 of my feeble attempts.
In this writer’s opinion, Crawford is second only to Bill Shipp in covering politics in the Peach State. I wish Crawford well during this most trying of times.

THE ELECTION OF 2020
Don’t look now but the presidential election of 2020 is moving closer into view. It won’t be long before would-be candidates begin making trips to Iowa and even New Hampshire.
You can expect a long list of Democrats who would like a chance at President Trump. A primary challenger for the president is not out of the question either. Most political pundits and experts never gave Trump a chance at being elected president or even winning the Republican nomination in 2016. Those same pundits would be wise not to predict his downfall in 2020.
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Winder resident Chris Bridges is a former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. You can email comments about this column to pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

Another Memorial Day has come and gone, and unfortunately many continue to view it as just another holiday.
Picnics, trips to the lake, a day off from work and the unofficial start to summer would be how some describe Memorial Day if asked. While those who served in the armed forces (along with their families) no doubt understand the importance of this day, too many still don’t pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice so we could enjoy those fun things I just mentioned.
In fact, author and political pundit Mark Dice (who has many great YouTube videos) did one of his “Man on the Street” question-and-answer videos concerning the meaning of Memorial Day. It was sad and downright pathetic to listen to some people (mostly young) stumble over their words as they tried to give an explanation on what Memorial Day was for.
Let me say here that I have never served in our armed forces. While the original Persian Gulf War began not long after I finished high school, the draft (while still officially on the books) will in all likelihood never happen again.
Our military is currently so strong that a draft is really not necessary anymore. There is no situation we cannot handle with our current armed forces. To be honest we could do away with any foe in a day if it was desired.
However, we still have casualties of war and there are still thousands of veterans living who survived the Vietnam War and of course the 58,000 we lost in the line of duty.
I’ve thought often about whether I would have had the ability to have been on the front lines (or anywhere for that matter) if duty did call. I’m not going to put out false bravado and say I would have been eager to go. Quite frankly, I would have been scared out of my mind.
The movie “Saving Private Ryan” has one of the most intense opening scenes in cinema history concerning war. The first half-hour of the movie details the graphic Omaha Beach assault during the Normandy landings.
One caption I once saw concerning this incident read, “Being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t scared, it means you go anyway.”
In an era when people become offended by anyone who doesn’t agree with their point of view, it’s amazing to think what 18-year-olds did during World War II.
While there are many who do understand the importance of Memorial Day our country still does not do enough to assist living veterans. The same could be said for the families of those who have been killed in the line of duty.
The medical care for veterans is still nowhere near the level it should be. All those who served should receive free care (medical and mental) for life. Yet you never hear this mentioned by either of the two major political parties.
Hopefully in the future, more people will truly appreciate what our veterans have done. We live our lives the way we want thanks to them. While it is noble that we have Memorial Day designed to honor those who laid down their lives for this country, we still need to do more. It shouldn’t take a day on the calendar to realize what all who have served have given us.
There’s nothing wrong with going to the beach or having cookouts on Memorial Day. I’m sure all those who gave their lives in battle would gladly take part of they could.
However, when we continue to have some millionaire athletes who want to disrespect our flag and at the same time disrespect our veterans, then we have some major issues within our ranks.
We also need to continue to stress to our elected officials that action is more important than talk when it comes to our veterans. Until then, we continue to disrespect all those who paid the ultimate price so we could live in the greatest country on this planet.
In closing I need to update an item I wrote in a previous column concerning the 2018 primary. In the Democratic race for Secretary of State, the winner was John Barrow rather than Fred Swann.
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Winder resident Chris Bridges is a former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. You can send comments about this column to pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

When analyzing the statewide primary held last week, there was not anything shocking which emerged after the votes were counted.
First, the turnout was low which was not unexpected. Most of the candidates who won or survived to make it to the runoff were expected to do so.
In the Republican primary for governor, Casey Cagle will meet Brian Kemp in the July 24 runoff. Despite all the talk (and many candidates tried repeatedly to make it a topic of discussion concerning “career politicians”) GOP voters simply went with the two who already held statewide office.
On the Democratic side, Stacy Abrams easily won the primary. Opponent Stacey Evans was a solid candidate, but as one political observer noted she was in the race at the wrong time. It was really a foregone conclusion that Abrams was going to win.
Abrams took the Democratic nomination despite reports she owes thousands of dollars in back taxes, something that will no doubt be brought up throughout the general election campaign.
It has also been reported repeatedly that the Democrats made state history by nominating a woman as their party’s choice for governor. While perhaps it was history for the state Democratic Party, it was 28 years after the fact that the Georgia Libertarian Party nominated a woman (Carole Ann Rand) in 1990. Rand was on the ballot that year so the oversight should not continue to be made.
For lieutenant governor, David Shafer, who has plenty of political baggage of his own, will face Geoff Duncan in the GOP runoff. Duncan narrowly held on for a second place finish in the three-man race. The survivor will face Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico in the general election. In reality, the race will be decided in the GOP runoff.
There will also be a runoff on the GOP side for secretary of state between Brad Raffensperger and David Belle Isle. The winner will meet Democrat Fred Swann in November. The Republican will be the heavy favorite in that general election race as well.
The GOP primary for state school superintendent was surprisingly one-sided as current office holder Richard Woods easily held off former office holder John Barge. It was an attempt to return to the office for Barge, who had resigned in 2014 to challenge Nathan Deal in the GOP primary for governor.
Republican Jim Beck, also sporting some baggage, won the three-candidate race for state insurance commissioner without a runoff. That one was perhaps the most surprising, if nothing else for the margin of victory.
Despite many who voice their concerns about politics and politicians as a whole, it seems to be a good time to be an incumbent. Even office holders who were running for another (higher) office seem to be in good shape.
The general election race for governor will be interesting to watch simply because of the ever-changing demographics in our state. While the Republican (be it Cagle or Kemp) will be favored to win, the race is going to generate plenty of national attention and national money (in favor of both parties.)
The race could easily be in the 55-45 range or even closer. It would still take a major political upset for Abrams to win, however. There will also be a Libertarian candidate for governor on the ballot who will likely get 2 percent, and in a close race that could play a factor.
The key for candidates involved in the upcoming primary runoff will be finding a way to get their supporters back to their voting precincts. For a primary which has lacked any real excitement (other than some interesting commercials), that might prove to be too high of a mountain to climb.
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Winder resident Chris Bridges is a former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. You can send comments about this column to pchrisbridges@gmail.com.