DuBose Porter announces Run for Governor in 2010
“This year’s lack of leadership on transportation and personal grabs for power at the expense of the people convinced me to throw my hat into the ring.”
Dublin – House Democratic Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin) announced that he is officially running for Governor of Georgia in the 2010 election. He released the following statement today:
After this year’s failure to pass a transportation funding bill by the Republican leadership it has become apparent that if Georgia is to move forward there will have to be a new vision coming from the Governor’s office. Smaller government is good, but not when its goal is to dismantle transportation, law enforcement, and education. These are vital services that must be maintained if Georgia is to move forward with America.
The Governor and his leadership team have used this economic downturn as an excuse to dismantle these fundamental programs; programs on which our entire economy rests. This session we sponsored HB 356 which offered up a way to find an expected $1 billion in uncollected revenue without raising taxes a dime. HB 356 would have implemented a new point of sales policy exactly like Alabama. This Governor and his leadership in the House and Senate chose to turn this money down because it would have funded a lot of the programs they chose to cut. Programs our citizens needed.
The Governor and this leadership were cutting the funding to the QBE funding formula, which goes to our schools, and law enforcement when we had money and now they have added transportation to their list. “This year’s lack of leadership on transportation and their personal grabs for power at the expense of the people convinced me to throw my hat into the ring.”
It is obvious that reduced law enforcement is not a way to grow quality of life, and access to a quality basic education is vital to positive growth. In the immediate future we see job opportunity through services and technology. Our people will have to be able to meet the requirements for these jobs. They also will not be keeping the same job for life, but will have to be able to retrain quickly. Without adequate educational opportunity that will not be possible.
Transportation is another foundation service for government and is a key to a prosperous future. We don’t need to cut MARTA rail to the airport. We need to extend it. The message cutting MARTA, when the money is there, sends potentially damaging signals to future investors in Georgia. We have to start thinking of the future.
My youngest sons, the twins, are now freshmen at UGA and it seems as if this session’s lack of leadership has coincided correctly with my timing for running for state wide office.
I realize a Democrat will have a hard time in what is seen as a red state. However I believe Georgia will look at the issues and if they find a candidate that represents their core values they will be willing to vote for a change in the Governor's office. My work on the issues will carry me in Atlanta, but according to the pundits from the far right to the far left, it will take a candidate with my core values to connect with those outside of Atlanta.
My district, Laurens and a small part of Johnson County, closely resembles the demographics of the state as a whole. In my last race I won by 76% over a Republican candidate who was a 10-year city council member and a vice president of a bank. I was able to do that because I listen to my people. My t-shirts always read, “DuBose Porter works for me,” because I never forget who sent me. The title is ‘Representative.’ I represent. I listen well. I bring all the people to the table. I learn as much as I can on the topic from all sides and then lead. I remember my Scout Oath. I bring in my faith. I think of the Georgia I want my four sons to live in and I remember our state motto of wisdom, justice and moderation. Listen. Learn. Lead. You aren’t constantly in the press with that style, but it works best to move projects forward if you can lose the ego and share the credit.
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