County residents 'have much to celebrate' with Republicans on ballot

Editor:

Columbia County residents have much to celebrate this election season. We have the best Republican candidates ever.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox, Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine and Gov. Sonny Perdue are up for re-election. Statewide candidates include Casey Cagle for lieutenant governor, Perry McGuire for attorney general, Karen Handel for secretary of state, Gary Black for commissioner of agriculture, Brent Brown for commissioner of labor and Chuck Eaton for public service commissioner. All of them will do a great job representing our citizens.

Running for legislative seats are state Sen. Jim Whitehead and state Reps. Ben Harbin and Barry Fleming, who are campaigning actively for re-election, as is newcomer Barbara Sims. Columbia County Commission Chairman Ron Cross and County Commissioner Lee Anderson are running for re-election, while Ron Thigpen runs to join them.

One statewide non-partisan candidate to support is family friendly Mike Wiggins for state supreme court, instead of his legislate-from-the-bench opponent. We also have three very important non-partisan local races for voters to consider.

Columbia County has approximately 71,000 registered voters. The last two presidential elections averaged 80 percent voter turnout, while the last two gubernatorial elections averaged just 49 percent. It would be great if 80 percent of our voters turned out next month.

Early voting is available in three locations in the county from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3. Of course, most of us likely will vote on Nov. 7 at all the county's regular polling places.

Our elected leaders need the recognition a large voter turnout provides on the state and federal level. Show them and your county your support by casting your ballot.

Please take the time to vote, and I'd appreciate if you would vote Republican.

Charles Allen Jr.

Evans

(Charles Allen Jr. is chairman of the Columbia County Republican Party.)