With the election just nine days away, the Democratic candidate for Chatham County Commission chairman has turned up the heat on his Republican opponent. The two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission tipped toward the Republicans Tuesday in early voting. With just 16 precincts reporting, Wise had 59 percent, compared to 34 percent for Democrat Jim Boyd and 7 percent for Libertarian Wayne Parker, according to the Associated Press' unofficial returns. At the same time, Burgess had 47 percent, trailing Republican Al Bartell who had rtn48 percent and beating Libertarian Dick Withington with 7 percent. Bartell campaigned with flyers appealing to voters confused by utility bills and fed up with escalating fuel costs.
Most people run a high visibility campaign.
Burgess, a political newcomer, was a career staffer with the commission until his appointment in 1999 to complete the term of Mac Barber who had resigned to run unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor. Barber had tried this year to win his old seat back, but Burgess defeated him handily in the primary this summer. But Georgia Democratic Party Chairman David Worley said he wasn't concerned about the eventual outcome. The heaviest Democratic counties, like Fulton, report very late, and I know he will do very well there. Though none of the candidates raised huge amounts compared to the other statewide race for the U.S. Senate, the challengers promised to cut utility rates and blamed Wise and Burgess for general dissatisfaction with the results of opening the state's natural-gas market to competition.