Top Georgia Lawmaker Will Step Down From Leadership Position
A top Georgia politician will run for reelection, but doesn’t want to keep his leadership position.
Republican state Sen. Tommie Williams of southeast Georgia says he is imposing term limits on himself to give others a chance and to spend more time with his family.
Since first elected in 1998, Williams has been one of the Gold Dome’s most influential Republicans. The former onion farmer and schoolteacher rose to Senate Majority Leader in 2005. A few years later, he took over as president pro tem and helped engineer a revolt against Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle.
Williams says it was never anything personal. Rather, he says the coup that successfully stripped Cagle of much of his power was about returning control to where it belonged.
“I think most senators believe that the powers of the Senate should remain with the Senate but we should have healthy working relationship with the lieutenant governor.”
But over the last two years, many at the Capitol – the most vocal being House Speaker David Ralston – complained the Senate had become an unruly chamber.
Williams, however, says he’s proud of his tenure.
“Here we cut 25 percent out of our budget in the last three years, we’ve passed major tax reform where we cut taxes, reformed our entire judicial code – I’m very secure that the Senate can govern itself.”
Williams says he’d like to see more leaders step down willingly. He says it leads to a “healthier” legislature, less influenced by lobbyists and special interest groups.
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