Shafer Lists More Than 100 Current, Former Legislators As Backers Of His 2010 LG Bid

(1/7/09) Sen. David Shafer released a list Wednesday of over 100 current and former members of the General Assembly who are supporting his bid for the Republican nomination as lieutenant governor in 2010.

At this point, the contest shapes up as a battle between Shafer and Sen. Eric Johnson of Savannah, who is stepping down from the Senate president pro tem’s post to prepare for the campaign.

"I am very encouraged by the broad and strong support from my colleagues in the General Assembly," Shafer said. "Their willingness to put their names on the line for me, especially this early in the campaign, speaks volumes."

Shafer said that he had commitments from a majority of the members of the House and Senate and that he would be rolling out additional lists over the next several weeks.

His first list includes major House committee chairman such as Rep. Ben Harbin, R-Evans, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), who chairs the House Rules Committee, Rep. Tom Knox (R-Cumming), who chairs the House Insurance Committee, Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee and Rep. Mike Coan (R-Lawrenceville), who chairs the House Industrial Relations Committee.

Other House committee chairmen backing Shafer include Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth), who chairs the House Education Committee, Rep. Bill Hembree (R-Douglasville), who chairs the House Higher Education Committee, Rep. Tom Rice (R-Norcross), who chairs the House Motor Vehicles Committee, Rep. Amos Amerson (R-Dahlonega), who chairs the House Science and Technology Committee, Rep. Joe Wilkinson (R-Sandy Springs), who chairs the House Ethics Committee, Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Canton), who chairs the House Special Rules Committee, Rep. Judy Manning (R-Marietta), who chairs the House Children and Youth Committee, and Rep. Len Walker (R-Loganville), who chairs the House Human Relations and Aging Committee.

Other Shafer supporters in the House include Rep. Donna Sheldon (R-Dacula), who serves as vice chairman of the House Republican Caucus, Rep. Rich Golick (R-Vinings), who serves as one of the Governor's administration floor leaders and Rep. David Casas (R-Lilburn), who serves as one of the Speaker's "hawks."

Among the senators on the list released today are Sen. Dan Moody (R-Alpharetta), who is chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus, Sen. Jack Murphy (R-Cumming), who chairs the Senate Public Safety Committee, Sen. Greg Goggans (R-Douglas), who serves as vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. John Douglas (R-Social Circle), who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick).

Shafer also lists 14 former state senators, including longtime GOP leader and former gubernatorial candidate Bob Bell, Atlanta attorney Mike Egan, Marietta lawyer Chuck Clay and former lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Clint Day.