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Bill Shipp
When Cagle trampled the renowned Ralph Reed in the July GOP primary, several experienced political watchers were stunned. They figured on a tight race. After all, Reed was a national figure with deep pockets, powerful friends and an unmatched public persona. Sure, he was a little dirty, but - what the heck - so are most of the high-roller insiders. When it came to plotting political strategy in the Deep South, Reed was in a league with Karl Rove. By contrast, Cagle had a reputation as a nice guy who had been rejected by his colleagues for a couple of minor intramural Senate offices. Some observers even suggested that Cagle was not among the best and brightest of the Georgia General Assembly. He was simply another smiling lawmaker, known for his close ties to banking. He seemed too parochial for the big time and too eager to please to lead his own parade. As it turned out, Cagle's affable manner was camouflage. Hiring a staff schooled in Reed's own mean-street strategies, Cagle ripped to pieces the one-time boy genius of the Christian right. With hardhitting TV spots and a direct mail assault, the Gainesville businessman succeeded in turning Reed into a poster-boy for Washington corruption. Cagle clobbered Reed by a 12- point margin and then waltzed to an easy general election victory over Democrat Jim Martin, an underfunded Atlantan with a bleeding-heart reputation. "I really like Jim. He is a nice guy," Cagle said after the election. So what's next for Lowell S. "Casey" Cagle? Is he already thinking of solidifying his power base and running for governor in four years? If he is to copy the Miller matrix, he first must regain the powers that Republicans stripped away from the Democratic lieutenant governor's office. Miller was an absolute ruler of the Senate for most of his 16- year tenure (1974-1990) as lieutenant governor. Miller appointed all committees, assigned all legislation to committees and, in effect, set the Senate calendar. Miller ruthlessly exiled from power any senator who crossed him. Casey vows that a similar iron rule will be given him - but with a slight difference: He will have a committee of "advisers" to guide him. Hey, in our book, that is not a slight difference. Another similarity with the Miller era may take shape quickly - a battle for supremacy between the offices of lieutenant governor and speaker of the House. Miller's years-long fights with Speaker Tom Murphy are legendary. Cagle says his relationship with current Speaker Glenn Richardson is "good." Notice that he did not say "excellent." Richardson and Cagle may have their eyes on the same prize - the governor's office. Though Murphy was the quintessential Georgia Democrat, Republican Richardson reveres Murphy and the tough, take-noprisoners style he employed. While Cagle is on a statewide tour to thank voters and discuss issues, Richardson is busy shoring up his base in Atlanta. Richardson has assessed each of his House committee chairmen up to $70,000 to spend on maintaining Republican control of the House. "In Glenn's House, that $70,000 is simply the cost of being a chairman," one very knowledgeable source observes. Murphy, even in his heyday, never moved so aggressively. Of course, Murphy saw holding the speaker's gavel as the main prize, perhaps even trumping the governorship. Richardson may see the speaker's slot as simply a step on the ladder. In any event, a conflict between Cagle and Richardson appears almost preordained. It will be interesting to see who blinks first in their initial goround, which could involve tax reform. Georgians also may see a contest over ethics. Though Gov. Sonny Perdue won reelection handily, his firstterm performance as a private land speculator left a bad taste, as did his reluctance to report assets and avoid conflicts of interest. Cagle is likely to take firm steps to avoid the kind of shadow that has been cast over Perdue. The new lieutenant governor is already talking with aides about placing his assets in a blind trust - a move that the governor eschewed early so that he could pursue private business ventures without hindrances. Cagle also has taken a different approach in media relations. He promises to be an advocate of sunshine in government, thus staking out a position dramatically different from the secretive ways of both Gov. Perdue and Speaker Richardson.-- You can reach Bill Shipp at P.O. Box 440755, Kennesaw, GA 30160, or e-mail: shipp1@bellsouth.net
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