Poythress, the gubernatorial candidate, reveals his cards

Mark Lastinger

  December 30, 2009 08:55 pm

THOMASVILLE — Gubernatorial candidate David Poythress isn’t worried that the financial deck might be stacked against him. He believes he is holding aces of common sense and good ideas that will make him a winner in the 2010 Democratic Party primary.

Poythress, retired commander of the Georgia Army and National Guard, is counting on an engaged electorate to put him over the top against former Gov. Roy Barnes, an established fund-raising powerhouse. Barnes lost the governorship in 2002 as an incumbent despite outspending Republican challenger Sonny Perdue $23 million-$3 million.

Barnes’ 2010 campaign war chest is expected to dwarf those of Poythress and the other Democratic challengers — Attorney General Thurbert Baker and House Minority Leader DuBose Porter. Poythress, however, is encouraged by the way his message is being received around the state.

“We’re working hard to build our support base,” Poythress said during a Tuesday telephone interview. “You may recall in June that we reported receiving campaign contributions from all 159 counties in Georgia. We’re real proud of that.

“We’re not a money-powered campaign.”

Even though many of Poythress’ contributions have been of the small variety, he draws comfort from the results of Barnes’ 2002 race.

“That’s why we don’t feel too discouraged by the relative disadvantage that we find ourselves in,” he said.

Poythress, set to speak at the next citizens meeting at the Thomasville Municipal Auditorium on Jan. 19, and the other candidates must file a year-end financial disclosure report today before midnight. His last report on June 30 showed $460,507.20 in contributions to date.

Barnes did not file a June report because he had barely entered the race at that point. Baker and Porter had raised $704,331 and $231.250, respectively. It has been reported that Baker’s financial statement included more than $200,000 that was raised after the June 30 deadline.

Poythress plans to keep reaching for the ear of the voters instead of the hand of special interests regardless of what the next financial reports say. The former assistant attorney general, deputy revenue commissioner and secretary of state’s campaign pledges are few other than to furnish leadership during the challenges that confront Georgia.

He vows to work with Alabama and Florida officials to resolve a lengthy water dispute with Georgia and make plans for each state’s future water needs. He also wants to empower educators and scrap No Child Left Behind in order to get his state off the bottom of the nation’s education rankings.

“A transformation of education is central to my campaign,” he said.

Poythress also said it is past time for the state to address its transportation shortcomings, adding that the state’s leaders have been dawdling on many issues.

“We’ve got people all over the state who feel, I think, like very much like the ones who attended your meeting,” said Poythress, referring to a Nov. 13, 2008 gathering that kicked the series of six citizens meetings that have been conducted in Thomasville. It drew more than 600 people disgruntled with government. A couple of subsequent crowds were at least as large.

“They don’t feel like government is responsive to them,” he added.

Poythress calls for long-term solutions to Georgia’s problems rather than expedient fixes designed to garner votes. He will explain his plans in detail during his Thomasville stop.

“I think, at some level, people are pretty much ready to peel off party labels and vote for the person who will get the job done,” he said.