The Buzz On Who Might Replace Oxendine
(4/17/08) So if John Oxendine seriously decides to give up the
insurance commissioner’s job for a run at the governor’s
chair, who’s likely to be in the running for the insurance
job?
One often-mentioned candidate is Sen. David Shafer, R-Duluth, who
is vice chairman of the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee. Shafer
ran statewide once before, in 1996, winning the Republican primary
for Secretary of State but losing the general election to Democrat
Lewis Massey.
Shafer is a former executive director of the Georgia Republican
Party and a top Senate fundraiser. He has nearly $500,000 in his
state Senate campaign account.
Some other possible candidates:
* Chief Deputy Insurance Commissioner Justin Durrance.
* Lobbyist Allen Hayes, a former deputy insurance commissioner
who is now with Piedmont Public Affairs Group.
* Christian Coalition Chairman Jim Beck, a former Democrat who
worked for Lieutenant Governor Pierre Howard before becoming a deputy
insurance commissioner under Oxendine. Beck is now a lobbyist for
Nationwide.
* Rep. Tom Knox, R-Cumming, chairman of the House Insurance Committee
* Rep. Rich Golick, R-Vinings, who serves on the House Insurance
Committee and is vice president for regulatory affairs of Allstate.
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