Voters decide retirement for Speaker Tom Murphy

AccessNaGa.com ^ | November 6 at 1:35 AM | AP wire

[backhoe]

Posted Wednesday, November 6 at 1:35 AM

Voters decide retirement for Speaker Tom Murphy

ATLANTA - The nation's longest-serving legislative speaker lost Tuesday after more than four decades in office.

Democratic Rep. Tom Murphy, a west Georgia Democrat first elected in 1961 and named House Speaker in 1974, lost to Republican challenger Bill Heath, trailing by 800 votes with 26 of 32 precincts reporting.

The drawling 78-year-old outlasted four governors, but lost his 22nd bid for office as his district slowly became more and more Republican.

"This is something we've had a lot of people waiting a long time for," said Heath, who was born the same year Murphy first took a seat in the state House.

Murphy said he could have preserved the Democratic makeup of his district but wanted to ensure that representatives in neighboring areas kept their seats.

"I had a good run. I guess it's time to put me out to pasture," Murphy said. "I'm not sad - I'm sort of relieved because I don't have to worry about the budget next year. Life goes on.'

Murphy's defeat was one of many shocking Democratic losses in a state the party has controlled for more than 120 years. While most eyes turned Tuesday to losing Democratic incumbents in the governor and U.S. Senate seats, Democratic incumbents also took a hit in the state Legislature.

Several veteran Democrats ran into trouble as Republicans made surprising gains across the state. A Democratic redistricting plan adopted last year to boost Democrats didn't work as well as party leaders had hoped.

Sen. Van Streat, D-Nicholls, lost to Republican Sen. Tommie Williams in south Georgia. Streat was indicted on corruption charges, and though criminal charges against him were dismissed last month, Streat never recovered form the taint of scandal. The race featured two incumbents because of newly drawn district lines.

Democrats were hoping to pick up 15 House seats and five Senate seats under the plan, which they pushed through the Legislature last year after a battle with Republicans. The Democratic Party currently controls both houses, as it has since Reconstruction.

But the state's dominant party worried throughout the 1990s that Republicans were picking up steam, and they watched as other Southern states with decades of Democratic rule changed to GOP hands.

By 2002, the Democratic edge in Georgia's legislature eroded to a 105-74 advantage over Republicans in the 180-member House, which also includes one independent. In the 56-member Senate, Democrats held 33 seats to the GOP's 23.

The new district maps were intended to give Democrats a distinct advantage in Tuesday's race because Republican voters were packed together as much as legally possible to reduce the numbers of lawmakers they elect.

Members of the General Assembly must run for election every two years, so all 236 seats were open, although in many cases there was only one person running. There were 74 contested House seats and 28 contested Senate seats on the ballot statewide.

Copyright 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[backhoe]

Those of you outside of Georgia may not be aware of what a vast Sea Change this is... Murphy was "the power behind the Power" for decades here. I have already heard talk of Democrats switching parties now that Murphy's stranglehold on the legislature has finally been broken.

[mhking]

Damn right!

You crossed Tom Murphy in Georgia at your own peril. The man is old as dirt, and evil as the day is long.

[backhoe]

I absolutely agree... Murphy's been on my "this creep needs to go" list for 15 or more years. Good riddance to bad rubbish!

[.45MAN]

We Republicans have been vindicated. The Tide is turning for us.

backhoe you have been busy this week with your posting and dooing a great job too..

[Miss Marple]

Excellent news for you! I didn't know about this guy, but it seems that the tide is turning in Georgia! Congratulations!

[JCG]

Ditto for Missouri's House Speaker, Jim Kreider, who tried to make a term-limited comeback as a state senator but got whacked in the Republican sweep.

America's Fifth Column ... watch Steve Emerson/PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
New Link: Download 8 Mb zip file here (60 minute video)

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Thank GOD for this 'sea change' - and for the great victory in the Senate contest!!!! Praise GOD - and thank you, Georgia! I think we will see a bunch of rats jumping off a sinking ship. Let's hope and pray so.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Tom Murphy....no resevoir for you!

[backhoe]

Greetings, FRiends... I caught wind of this on another post, and it frankly stunned me. I always reckoned Murphy would hang on until the Reaper claimed him.

Look for this to herald vast and perhaps subtle changes in Georgia politics for years to come.

[LTCJ]

My sixty nine year old Mom called me from Cobb county whooping it up this morining at 0630. I had no idea Murphy was even at risk.

Truly a fine day for Georgia and native Georgians.

Ding dong, Reconstruction is dead!

[mwyounce]

Georgia gets rid of Barnes, Cleland and Murphy in one night....

Can I hear a Hallelujah?

[CFW]

Backhoe, you have done an excellent job these past few months. You can take the rest of the day off!

BTW, a lot of glum faces at the UGA law school this morning. I seem to be the only one walking around singing and laughing. Wonder why?

[LTCJ]

Can I hear a Hallelujah?

And all God's chilin' said AMEN!

[LBGA]

What a great night for Georgia!

I think the south's strong family values hurt the Dems big time. If the Dems didn't ruin their chances with the voters by continually endorsing and excusing a sleaze like Clinton, they saw the Wellstone kid turn his father's memorial service into a hateful pep rally. I think Paul Wellstone helped Republicans all over the country.

The voters in Georgia finally recognized what it means to be a Democrat... no class, no values and anti-American.

[Conan the Librarian]

TOM MURPHY LOST?!?!?!?!? Hold my heart! I will no longer be able to say "Georgia would vote for Stalin or Hitler as long as they run Democ-rat" Will wonders never cease!?

[backhoe]

I am doubly stunned, because I missed the news that Barnes lost!

Heard it taking my wife to work... the callers to local talk radio are ecstatic, and rightly so.

I have heard that Sonny Perdue has vowed a complete audit of state government and if it comes to be, should prove very, very interesting.

[backhoe]

I am truly stunned- I voted for Sonny thinking it was more a protest than anything else.

[backhoe]

a lot of glum faces at the UGA law school

I love it!

In some ways it makes up for that horrid 2000 debacle. Let's hope Sonny makes good on the promised audit...

[backhoe]

Conan ( love that name! ) I'm just flabberghasted. I know the way Barnes acted with the flag issue hurt, and being from "the era of clinton" no doubt hurt also... we all saw him as a clinton wannabe, down on the coast.

But I really thought my vote for Perdue was going to be wasted... guess not!

Here's my local paper:

-the Brunswick News--

[backhoe]

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