Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp had received Governor Nathan Deal’s Writ of Election which proclaims Tuesday, July 19th as the date for a special election to fill the State Senate District 26 vacancy left by Macon mayoral candidate Robert Brown.
The State Senate District 26 seat had been held by a Democrat for years. However, the resignation of now former Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown has opened the door for a scenerio that anyone could win, including a Republican.
Brown had often run unopposed, especially in recent years while he was in the Georgia General Assembly. Now, it appears there will be a three-way race in a July 19th special election in which voter turnout is unpredictable and could give hope to a Republican challenger.
State Senate District 26 encompasses four counties that includes all of Twiggs and parts of Bibb, WIlkinson and Houston.
Former state Rep. David Lucas, D-Macon is a veteran legislator and has qualified to run for the seat that had been vacated by former State Sen. Robert Brown. However, former Macon City Council president Miriam Paris is likely to qualify as well for the state Senate seat.
Now a Republican and political newcomer, Bobby Gale from Irwinton has decided to throw his name into the race.
By far Rep. Lucas has more legislative experience than the other two declared candidates, but will voters come out and vote on July 19th?
Republicans are already in control of the Georgia General Assembly, all statewide offices and the redistricting process, but low voter turnout in this majority African-American state district could leave the door open for a Republican such as Bobby Gale to either force a runoff or pull off an upset.
Bibb County is by far the largest population center in the Senate District 26, but most special elections don't garner the same type of participation that one would see in a presidential year or even a mid-term year.
In 2008, the year Obama had won the presidency, Robert Brown had run unopposed and collected 34,720 votes. In 2010, Brown ran unopposed and received 21,698 votes.
With Brown abruptly resigning in a non-election year, the voter turnout could range anywhere from 10 to 25 percent for this special election.
Gale is from Wilkinson County, but if he can consolidate conservative support in Twiggs, Houston and Wilkinson counties along with receiving lower turnout in the mostly progressive Bibb County, it could make the race closer.
If a Democrat loses this seat, one of the consequences is that the chances of a Republican supermajority increases in the State Senate. There are 56 total seats and right now Democrats occupy only twenty. If Paris or Lucas can't claim this winnable seat, then there is one less Democrat in the Georgia Assembly.
During the most recent session of the Georgia General Assembly, Republicans were successful in cutting the HOPE-PreK program and making it harder for students to receive full tuition.
Now, Governor Deal is suggesting the state of Georgia have probationers be used to work in the fields or farms as replacements for illegal immigrants who left the state in regard to the punitive HB-87.
Additionally, the prospect of losing this Macon state Senate seat in a special election could open the door for Republicans such as Rep. Allen Peake to proceed more authoratively in the Republican-dominated Georgia General Assembly to consolidate Bibb County on his terms.
Peake's plans would have the mayor be more of a figurehead or ceremonial political figure while a separate position be created that resembles a C.O.O. or chief operating officer.
Another possibility is to create a separate city called North Macon in which Peake had advocated a few years ago. If the Macon Republican state representative doesn't get his way in regard to consolidation, then a proposal for a new, separate city could be formed which would include north Macon, Rivoli Hills, Wesleyan and Howard Hills.
July 19th may be another day on the calendar for some, but for Georgia Demcorats and its voters, it is a day that should be taken seriously.
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