Charles Shiflett Column April 25, 2004

Ladies & Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

By this coming weekend the dust will have settled and we'll all know who among us was willing to pay
the qualifying fee and put their name on the line to represent us at some level of elected office.
Qualifying starts tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. and runs through Friday at noon. With all the
announcements previously made and a rumor mill full of other potential candidates, this is shaping up
to be an interesting - if not entertaining year.

The mood of the public right now is very unsettled and if the election were today, a lot of incumbents
would be in trouble. But we all know how quickly public sentiment can change, so it's too early to
accurately gauge potential upsets.

One thing that will be different this year is most local Bartow elections will be decided in the July
primary election. Without promoting one party over another, the fact is that demographically Bartow
County is now solidly Republican and most serious candidates will duke it out on the GOP ballot. So
without mentioning all the potential challengers, let's take a look at which offices are up this time and
what issues might impact those races:

• Bartow County Commissioner: While there are countless issues which should be up for debate in
this race - the ones receiving the most attention will be those directly tied to the Toyo Tire project.
Look for the folks supporting RASZ to unite behind one challenger against incumbent Clarence Brown.
This one could get messy.

• Bartow Tax Commissioner: Jack Nally is retiring and several candidates are expected to vie for this
high paying job. No big issues here - just a giant popularity contest.

• Bartow County Sheriff: Clark Millsap seems to have made it through his first term without stepping on
any political landmines and may get by without a serious challenger.

• Bartow Chief Magistrate Judge: Finishing his eighth year in office, Tom Moseley seems to have a
good handle on the position and shouldn't face a serious challenge.

• Bartow Probate Judge: Mitch Scoggins has smiled his way through the 90's and should still be
smiling come November.

• Bartow Clerk of Court: Gary Bell is another incumbent finishing up a first term. Rumors are that he
may face a serious challenge. If the rumored candidate jumps in, this one will be close.

• Bartow County Coroner: This one is below the radar screen and Joel Guyton shouldn't face a
challenge.

• Bartow County Board of Education: BOE races are always a little crazy and both incumbents will
likely face opposition. Reed Hobson is the second person to be appointed to fill the vacancy created
when Elyse Cochran stepped down and the Adairsville/Kingston folks are clamoring to finally elect
someone to represent them. Two challengers are looking at this race and it could be a good one.

Tammy Livingood is lucky she is finishing her first term this year instead of 2002 when the three BOE
incumbents were ousted in the primary. She's had two years to get past a lot of the controversy the
BOE faced - and voters have short-term memories. She lost her chairmanship this year, but whether
she loses her BOE seat all comes down to how strong of a challenger might step up.

• Bartow County Surveyor: Yeah, it's an elected position, but we have to ask - why?

• State Senate: Incumbent Preston Smith should have a reelection lock on this seat covering all of
Floyd, a bit of Gordon, and the majority of Bartow. However, the race to replace the retiring Nathan
Dean will be hot! James Garner, who almost knocked off Dean in 2002 is back in, as well as Paulding
County attorney Mason Rountree, and the giant killer himself - State Rep. Bill Heath, who defeated
House Speaker Tom Murphy in 2002.

• State House: First-termer Tom Graves of Gordon County only represents the Pine Log area of
Bartow. No serious challenge expected there.

Jeff Lewis was elected a Democrat in 1992 and switched to the GOP in 1996. Democrats put up
Lester Tate in 1998 and Parnick Jennings in 2000, and didn't come close either time. With the House
on the verge of going GOP this year, Jeff's seniority may finally pay off. He'll face primary opposition in
this Cartersville/Eastern Bartow district, but should make it back.

The judges drew Buddy Childers back into a district that now covers part of Floyd County, but with the
majority in western Bartow. He's basing his campaign on the fact that he is a committee chair - a
valuable commodity. However, if the GOP gains control in November as expected, Childers won't be a
committee chair anymore. This will be the toughest campaign he's faced and whomever he faces in
November will have the edge.