Crossroad or cliffhanger — these candidates are best

Times-Enterprise Editorial Board CNHI

— During every election cycle, candidates often use a line akin to this: “Our (city, county, state or nation) is at a crossroad. You must make the right choice. Please vote for me.”

It would be great if our city, county, state and nation were merely at a crossroad in 2010. Unfortunately, we are most likely perched at the edge of a cliff, facing a devastating economic collapse if serious governmental changes aren’t made. Pain is bound to be in store for everyone regardless of which way we turn.

We have studied the candidates for local and state offices in search of those who are best equipped to lead us through these challenging times. We are endorsing the following ones for the contested primary races on July 20:

DEMOCRATS

l U.S. Senate — We like R.J. Hadley’s sincere desire to be a public servant. He can’t match the bank account or the name recognition of his opponent, but we support the underdog against the big dog in this race.

l Governor — Georgia is in desperate need of a proven leader, and we think David Poythress is the best of the Democrats’ lot. He has a record of success in a variety of jobs in the private sector, the public sector and the military.

l Lieutenant Governor — Carol Porter will be a feisty advocate for the middle class.

l Secretary of State —  Gary Horlacher has been a powerful behind-the-scenes player for quite some time, helping several Democrats get elected. He has earned a shot to run for a leadership post.

l Attorney General — Ken Hodges, the former Dougherty County district attorney, has the backing of many law enforcement officials in south Georgia. We yield to their expertise.

l State School Superintendent — Joe Martin has a record of distinguished service in education that his opponents can’t match.

l Commissioner of Labor — Terry Coleman’s background in business and a variety of state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, give him the edge.

l Thomas County Commission District 5 — Hershel Ansley’s business experience earns him the nod over his challengers.

l Thomas County Board of Education District 1 — Ramona Codling’s stand on boosting student morale and pupil involvement in academic competitions is refreshing. We agree with her call for better communication between Thomas County Schools and the public.

She wants to listen to the public and to take their concerns to the school board. She thinks taxpayers should be heard.

REPUBLICANS

l Governor — No Republican in Georgia history has received more votes than John Oxendine. He couldn’t have earned a consistent level of support without being an effective public servant.

We support Contract with Georgia, which reflects support for gun rights, the enforcement of immigration laws, the protection of states’ rights and other conservative ideals.

l Secretary of State — We balked at Gov. Sonny Perdue’s decision to tap Brian Kemp for this job when Karen Handel resigned to run for governor. Upon further review, however, he appears to be the best candidate.

l Attorney General — Sam Olens is a fighter. We appreciate his vow to resist the recently passed federal health care reform law with vigor.

Olens also deserved credit for running a tight fiscal ship when he was the chairman of the Cobb County Commission.

l Commissioner of Agriculture — Gary Black knows the agriculture business. His broad experience will enable him to be an advocate for Georgia farm products and a champion for consumers.

l Commissioner of Insurance — Gerry Purcell has consistently been at the top of a crowded field. He has won straw polls in every corner of the state, and his message of seeking ways to lower insurance costs resonated with us at a recent citizens meeting.

l State School Superintendent — Richard Woods is an Irwin County Schools employee who has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and K-5 curriculum director. We agree with his stance that teacher pay should not be tied to student test scores.

l Commissioner of Labor — Melvin Everson has a record of conservative leadership and appears to be an up-and-comer in the Republican Party. He was twice elected to represent Gwinnett County in the Georgia House of Representatives and was elected to the Snellville City Council on two occasions.

l Public Service Commission — Jeff May is known as a stickler for details who is well respected by our local representatives who served in the Georgia House with him.

l U.S. Congress — The three candidates seeking the chance to take on Sanford Bishop this fall share many of the same views. Mike Keown, however, separates himself from the pack with his diligence. He has not let up in his efforts to listen to voters’ wants and needs since he entered the race last summer. He is the only one who has raised the kind of money it will take to compete against an entrenched incumbent.

l General Assembly 173rd District — This is the best set of candidates in a local race in many years. We are confident any of them would do a good job.

However, we believe Heather Abbott is the best person for this post. She has done her homework on the issues that confront the state and we applaud her pledge not to vote for a tax increase of any kind.

We are confident she will energetically root out waste and find ways to streamline state government.

l Thomas County Board of Education District 3 —  The county school board has long been a dysfunctional body. It often seems to forget that its job is to set policies that are to be enforced by the superintendent, not the other way around.

Charles Evans is not afraid to question why the school board voted to sell bonds for millions of dollars more than projected revenue from a special purpose sales tax. Neither is he hesitant to question agenda items during school board meetings.

Although Evans said he would serve only a certain amount of time on the school board, he is seeking another term. We trust that if he is re-elected, he will stand up not only for teachers, but for taxpayers, and pursue his call for a return to basics in classroom instruction.

l Thomas County Board of Education District 5 — We opted not to endorse a candidate in this race because one of them is the spouse of a Times-Enterprise employee.

l Thomas County Board of Education District 7 —  Kay Streets has a good grasp on what a school system should strive for, and she is quick to call for accountability to taxpayers and excellence in children’s education. She is not satisfied with status quo and sees room for improvement and energetically goes after it.

Streets is an independent voice for District 7 citizens. Her pledge for a common-sense approach to bring about the best for not only District 7 citizens, but for all Thomas countians, children and teachers, is admirable.

l Poll — We urge Republican voters to vote yes to the following question: Do you support an amendment to the Georgia State Constitution so as to provide that the paramount right to life is vested in each human being from their earliest biological beginning until natural death?

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