The election is coming

Like so many Republicans in Bibb County, I have struggled with whether to vote in the Republican Primary or the Democratic Primary in May. The election is next month. Given the importance of local elections and the fact that all the Republicans I would support are most likely safe, I will probably vote in the Democratic Primary.

I feel very strongly that Sheriff David Davis deserves re-election and I feel very strongly that C. Jack Ellis as tax commissioner would be a terrible idea. Wade McCord, on his own merits, deserves our vote, but voting against Ellis also matters.

On the Republican side, if I did vote, I would support the incumbents. That is an unusual position for me to be in, but I do not think the challengers on the ballot warrant my support. So Sen. Johnny Isakson, Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols, and Rep. Austin Scott would all get my vote. Sen. Isakson and I disagree on a number of issues, but I have always liked him for one primary reason. We all know what we are getting with him. He is likable, reasonable and accessible. He is not as conservative as I am, but he has never pretended to be.

I wish Scott were more conservative and less a leadership guy in Washington. He challenged the system in Atlanta, but has done far less to challenge the system in Washington. But he has not been a bad congressman. I supported his challenger several years ago, but I do not think her campaign has been viable this go-around. She is a great candidate, but outmatched.

The big action in Bibb County is going to be the non-partisan races. If our local delegation has it in them, I wish they would make both sheriff and tax commissioner non-partisan races so the devil’s bargain of local party primaries need not be made.

Supporting Robert Reichert for mayor is a no-brainer. My only concern about supporting the mayor is wondering who comes next. I hope our business community and reasonable officials start to think about a successor. We need a continued steady head in the future. But for now, the steadiest hand belongs to the incumbent mayor.

Up on the north end of Bibb County, two people are challenging Jason Downey for the Bibb County School Board. I am not sure why. Jason went in four years ago as one of the real reformers on the school board. He has certainly gotten blamed for things others did, but he himself has been committed to cleaning up the messes others made. I know how hard he has worked and how diligent he has been in building the relationships necessary to make changes for the better. I fail to see how either of his challengers could improve on his work.

One of the silliest things I have seen is one of the questions on the Democratic Primary ballot. The question asks: “Should Georgia automatically register to vote all legal and permanent residents upon issuance of a driver’s license or state-issued ID which includes an opt-out provision?” Notice the word not used: “citizen.” Georgia’s Democrats, like those in San Francisco, are beginning to agitate for non-citizen voting in American elections.

Being a citizen should still matter. Pledging allegiance to the United States and its constitution should still matter. This move for non-citizen voting is of dubious constitutionality, but also suggests more and more Democrats have lost their appreciation for what it means to actually be an American. It is more than just living here.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 8:14 PM.