Jim Barksdale, the Democratic Party’s nominee challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, will be one of two featured speakers Friday at the annual Democratic Party of Bulloch County Gala.
The other will be Dr. Sid Chapman, executive director of the Georgia Association of Educators. With these two speakers, and in this presidential election year, the local party has sold a record number of eight-seat reserved tables for $225 each, said Dr. John Howard Brown, Bulloch Democratic Party chairman. Individual tickets are $30 for the event, which begins with a wine reception at 6:30 followed by dinner at 7 p.m. in the Russell Union Ballroom at Georgia Southern University.
“Obviously, Jim Barksdale is very exciting because he is a U.S. Senate candidate and appears to be competitive, at least, with Johnny Isakson, who of course is a political icon here in Georgia,” Brown said.
RealClearPolitics.com reported that Barksdale averaged 37 percent support among Georgia voters to 45 percent for Isakson in a series of three polls by different organizations from July 29 through Aug. 7. There is also a Libertarian candidate, Allen Buckley. Isakson, Georgia’s senior senator and now completing his second six-year term, won re-election with 58 percent of the votes in 2010.
Barksdale is founder and president of Equity Investment Corporation, an Atlanta-based investment advisory firm.
Amendment 1
Unlike Barksdale, Chapman isn’t on the ballot for Nov. 8. But his invitation to speak relates to something that is, proposed Amendment 1, authorizing a statewide Opportunity School District for schools that repeatedly fall short of state performance standards.
“Dr. Chapman is the leader of the GAE, and he and many Democrats are very disturbed by that Amendment 1, which basically is going to destroy local control of schools throughout the state, and that’s obviously extremely worrisome because local control has been a foundation of public education for a very long time,” Brown said.
Additionally, the Bulloch Democrats will present several local awards, including named awards that are presented annually, plus one special award. This year, the party has announced the honorees in advance.
Local awards
The Charlie Lewis Sr. Democratic Pioneer Award is being presented to Renata Newbill-Jallow. Carrie Howard is this year’s Pat Gillis Democratic Champion Award. The 2016 Joe Brannon Civic Engagement Award will go to the founder of the Beloved Community Committee, including Johnny Tremble, Danyel Addes, the Rev. Jane Page and the award’s namesake, Joe Bill Brannon, for their efforts to promote understanding between law enforcement and minorities.
Additionally, Brown intends to present a Chairman’s Award to former U.S. Rep. John Barrow for his 10 years representing Georgia’s 12th Congressional District.
James “Major” Woodall, the soon-to-graduate Georgia Southern University student who is the Democratic candidate for the District 160 seat in the state House, is slated to be master of ceremonies for the gala. He is challenging Rep. Jan Tankersley, R-Brooklet, on the Nov. 8 ballot.
The gala serves as a major fundraiser for the local party.
“We’re very excited about this event,” Brown said. “We’re expecting it to be a very big success in this very big political year.”