For Perdue and Georgia GOP, It's Worth the Wait
State's First Republican Governor Since Reconstruction Vows a 'New Spirit of Cooperation'
URL: washingtonpost.com
By David S. Broder
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 14, 2003; Page A03
ATLANTA, Jan. 13 -- Thirty-nine words ended 130 years of history today, as Sonny Perdue took the oath of office as Georgia's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. He pledged to "forge a new spirit of cooperation, consensus-building and reconciliation" in the last state of the Confederacy to turn Democrats out of the highest office.
Perdue, 56, who switched parties in 1998 after rising to leadership as a Democratic state senator, offered a rhetorical olive branch to Democrats still shellshocked by his upset victory over Gov. Roy Barnes (D) last November. That election, he said, "was not about the elevation of one party or person over another," but "about putting the interests of the people first."
But for the thousands of Republicans who jammed Philips Arena this afternoon for the inauguration ceremonies, it was a sweet victory. Jo Anne Bennett, a long-time Republican from Cordell, said she did not mind waiting with others for the arena's doors to open.
"I didn't think this day would ever come," she said, "but people finally got sick of the Democrats."
A symbolic moment occurred shortly before U.S. District Judge Clay D. Land administered the oath to Perdue, a stocky, balding man with a University of Georgia degree as a veterinarian and a background in the grain and trucking business. Barnes, who had been viewed as a possible contender for the national Democratic ticket in 2004, presented the state's Great Seal to a Republican, the first such scene here since Ulysses S. Grant was president.
It was reminiscent of the 1995 scene in the U.S. House of Representatives when Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt handed the speaker's gavel to Newt Gingrich of Georgia, ending 40 years of Democratic control. But this was an even deeper shock to Georgia Democrats.
Barnes led in the polls and had a 6 to 1 fundraising advantage over Perdue. But Perdue portrayed the incumbent as "King Roy," and united three diverse constituencies who thought Barnes had dealt with them arrogantly.
Teachers were upset that Barnes had condemned their union for trying to block his education changes, which included an end to tenure. Civil War heritage groups were angry that he changed the state flag to reduce the size of the Confederate war banner. Republicans were furious at a redistricting plan that cut up counties and cities to boost Democratic strength in Congress and the legislature.
Today's speech touched lightly on the issues raised in Perdue's campaign. His politically savvy audience cheered his promise that "as we move to improve education, I want to start by working with, not against, our teachers."
But in a broadly bipartisan message, he made no reference to rolling back the Democratic redistricting plan -- something he had called a priority. And the speech did not mention the flag issue, which Barnes says caused his loss.
In the campaign, Perdue promised a referendum on the flag, but since Election Day, with business leaders warning that a popular vote could be divisive, Perdue has declined to set a timetable. Groups that want the old flag restored have scheduled a march on the state Capitol on Tuesday, hoping to pressure Perdue to keep his pledge.
The new governor has been riding a political wave since beating Barnes by 100,000 votes. Within a week, four Democratic state senators switched to the GOP, giving Republicans control of that chamber. This morning, as the legislature convened, Republicans stripped Democratic Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor of many of his powers as presiding officer.
On the other side of the Capitol, the Democratic majority of 107 in the 180-member House repulsed GOP efforts to lure a couple of dozen conservative members into defeating the Democratic caucus's choice for speaker.
Perdue backed the effort to assemble a bipartisan coalition behind state Rep. Larry Walker (D). But when it became clear this morning that the effort would fall short, Perdue urged Walker to withdraw, rather than force a vote that might antagonize even more Democrats. State Rep. Terry Coleman (D), the caucus choice and a 30-year veteran, then defeated Minority Leader Lynn Westmoreland (R), 109 to 70, on a party-line vote.
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