Roy Barnes weighs in on future leader of Georgia Democrats - He is supporting Doug Stoner
From the AJC's Political Insider:
Some powerful metro Atlanta Democrats are starting to send a signal about who should next lead the state organization.
A day after we brought you news that Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was backing former state Sen. Doug Stoner, ex-Gov. Roy Barnes is following suit.
He sent a lengthy dispatch Friday to Georgia Democratic Party committee members who will decide the party's next chairman on Aug. 31. It said Stoner "can understand the politics of the past but who can also roll up his sleeves and work diligently alongside Georgia's next generation of voters."
Even with the high-profile support, the Smyrna candidate faces an unpredictable slog and competition from R.J. Hadley, the Rockdale County tax commissioner, and DuBose Porter, the former House minority leader.
Barnes' endorsement isn't exactly surprising. Porter, it should be noted, ran against Barnes in 2010 for his party's gubernatorial nod. The Dublin publisher's pitch revolves around his ability to raise funds for the struggling party apparatus and unite Democrats in rural and urban areas.
Here's the full text of Barnes' appeal:
Dear Fellow Democrats,
Like most of you, I am a mixture of old and new.
Most of you know that I like the simple southern pleasures -- sharing a home-cooked meal with friends and telling a few stories. I’ve taken great pleasure in watching my children grow and now bear witness to the next generation as my grandchildren blossom.
I’ve found that politics isn’t that much different. It is a merger of the old and new. When I was Governor, I had a front row seat to some magnificent highs for our citizens and some lows that I could only hope would pass quickly.
I’ve said good-bye to old friends and welcomed new ones. I’ve watched how campaigning has changed to incorporate younger and minority voters and I’ve seen how social media has fundamentally changed the way people share information in politics.
Through it all, one thing has remained a constant for me: hope for the future.
What we do as leaders today, through the courage of our convictions, honors those who have come before us and also those who will come after us.
It is in that spirit of unity, drawing on the experiences of past leaders and embracing the energy of our youth, that I come to you with my support for Doug Stoner as the next chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
I have known Doug for many years. He is a fighter. He is not afraid of a challenge, and I believe he is the kind of person who can help us bridge the gaps necessary to move our Party forward.
Our beloved Georgia has fallen on tough times under GOP leadership. Once the envy of other states, in many ways Georgia feels like a shell of what it once was.
Our unemployment remains far above the national average; our children are suffering in our public schools; and thousands of our citizens don’t have adequate access to health care.
But we continue to have hope for our future.
With a re-energized Georgia Democratic Party and great Democratic candidates, Georgia can once again be a regional and national leader.
In fact, the greatest danger we face in Georgia is to continue doing the same thing, expecting a different outcome.
It is time for us Democrats to participate fully in our Party – setting aside our disputes and claiming our common ground. It is time for a leader who can understand the politics of the past but who can also roll up his sleeves and work diligently alongside Georgia's next generation of voters.
History has taught me that politics runs in cycles. I believe the cycle of success for Democrats lies in front of us.
I hope you will join me in supporting Doug Stoner for DPG chairman.
Some powerful metro Atlanta Democrats are starting to send a signal about who should next lead the state organization.
A day after we brought you news that Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was backing former state Sen. Doug Stoner, ex-Gov. Roy Barnes is following suit.
He sent a lengthy dispatch Friday to Georgia Democratic Party committee members who will decide the party's next chairman on Aug. 31. It said Stoner "can understand the politics of the past but who can also roll up his sleeves and work diligently alongside Georgia's next generation of voters."
Even with the high-profile support, the Smyrna candidate faces an unpredictable slog and competition from R.J. Hadley, the Rockdale County tax commissioner, and DuBose Porter, the former House minority leader.
Barnes' endorsement isn't exactly surprising. Porter, it should be noted, ran against Barnes in 2010 for his party's gubernatorial nod. The Dublin publisher's pitch revolves around his ability to raise funds for the struggling party apparatus and unite Democrats in rural and urban areas.
Here's the full text of Barnes' appeal:
Dear Fellow Democrats,
Like most of you, I am a mixture of old and new.
Most of you know that I like the simple southern pleasures -- sharing a home-cooked meal with friends and telling a few stories. I’ve taken great pleasure in watching my children grow and now bear witness to the next generation as my grandchildren blossom.
I’ve found that politics isn’t that much different. It is a merger of the old and new. When I was Governor, I had a front row seat to some magnificent highs for our citizens and some lows that I could only hope would pass quickly.
I’ve said good-bye to old friends and welcomed new ones. I’ve watched how campaigning has changed to incorporate younger and minority voters and I’ve seen how social media has fundamentally changed the way people share information in politics.
Through it all, one thing has remained a constant for me: hope for the future.
What we do as leaders today, through the courage of our convictions, honors those who have come before us and also those who will come after us.
It is in that spirit of unity, drawing on the experiences of past leaders and embracing the energy of our youth, that I come to you with my support for Doug Stoner as the next chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
I have known Doug for many years. He is a fighter. He is not afraid of a challenge, and I believe he is the kind of person who can help us bridge the gaps necessary to move our Party forward.
Our beloved Georgia has fallen on tough times under GOP leadership. Once the envy of other states, in many ways Georgia feels like a shell of what it once was.
Our unemployment remains far above the national average; our children are suffering in our public schools; and thousands of our citizens don’t have adequate access to health care.
But we continue to have hope for our future.
With a re-energized Georgia Democratic Party and great Democratic candidates, Georgia can once again be a regional and national leader.
In fact, the greatest danger we face in Georgia is to continue doing the same thing, expecting a different outcome.
It is time for us Democrats to participate fully in our Party – setting aside our disputes and claiming our common ground. It is time for a leader who can understand the politics of the past but who can also roll up his sleeves and work diligently alongside Georgia's next generation of voters.
History has taught me that politics runs in cycles. I believe the cycle of success for Democrats lies in front of us.
I hope you will join me in supporting Doug Stoner for DPG chairman.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 10:25 AM
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