Speaker Ralston mourned

Georgia House Speaker David Ralston died Wednesday at the age of 68, just two days after the House Republican Caucus nominated a new speaker to succeed him in January.

Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, had been suffering an extended illness. His wife, Sheree, his children, and other members of his family were with him when he passed away, his office announced. Arrangements will be announced in the future.

Ralston announced early last week that he would not seek election by his House colleagues to another term as speaker, citing his health. Voters in the 7th House District in Northwest Georgia reelected him Nov. 8 without opposition.

At the time of his death, Ralston was the longest currently serving state house speaker in the nation.

“Kim and I are heartbroken,” Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) said. “Speaker Ralston led the State House for 13 years with conservative values and even handed leadership. He was a mentor and a very good friend. We are praying for Sheree and their families as they mourn the loss while celebrating the life of a great man who tirelessly served the citizens of Georgia.  We will miss his smile, friendship and guidance.”

“Georgia lost a great leader and I lost a good friend with the passing of Speaker David Ralston,” said Terry Rogers of Clarkesville, the former floor leader of the House. “Leading by example and a love for the people of our state, David truly lived out the first motto of Georgia, Non Sibi Sed Aliis, “Not for Self, but for Others.” Rest in peace, Mr. Speaker, you will be missed.”

As provided by the Georgia Constitution, House Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones, R-Milton, will serve as speaker for the remainder of the current term, which ends in January.

Ralston was elected speaker at the beginning of the 2010 legislative session. He already had served in the House since 2003.

He spent six years in the state Senate during the 1990s, leaving the General Assembly in 1998 in an unsuccessful bid for attorney general.

Political leaders who served with Ralston remembered him Wednesday as an effective leader who played a key role in the major legislation the General Assembly adopted during his tenure.

“Speaker Ralston was a pioneer in the growth of Georgia’s Republican leadership and leaves an indelible mark on this state,” Gov. Brian Kemp said. “His last session as speaker will long be remembered for his landmark mental health reform bill, helping Georgians fight through inflation, and passing a historic income tax cut that puts more money in the pockets of taxpayers for years to come.

“We are also especially proud of our previous bipartisan efforts on reforming the citizens’ arrest law and adding an anti-hate crime statute to the Georgia code, which would not have happened without the speaker’s steadfast leadership. These historic accomplishments were only a handful of the numerous hallmarks of David Ralston’s decades-long service to Georgia.”

“Speaker Ralston was a steady, reliable guiding force under the Gold Dome in good times and tough times,” added state Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, who was elected majority leader by Senate Republicans last week. “He cherished the idea of his beloved House being a body that truly represented all of Georgia’s people, and he respected each of the elected members that comprised it, regardless of partisan differences. It takes a genuinely good heart and decent person to lead that way.”

Democrats, too, reflected on Ralston’s passing.

“Georgia Democrats join the entire state in mourning Speaker David Ralston,” said U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, chairman of the Georgia Democratic Party. “Speaker Ralston was a statesman who led with fairness and honesty, looked for common ground, and always put his commitment to Georgia first. ... Speaker Ralston will be missed dearly – by those who agreed with him, and by those who often didn’t.”

“Alisha and I were shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Speaker Ralston,” U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff said. “He was a dedicated and capable public servant who served the state of Georgia diligently for decades. Alisha and I are keeping in our prayers the Speaker’s wife Sheree, their children, and all of those who worked for and with Speaker Ralston over the years.”

New speaker nominee

House Republicans nominated Majority Leader Jon Burns on Monday to become the next House speaker.

Burns, R-Newington, defeated Rep. Barry Fleming, R-Harlem, by secret ballot in a vote by the 97 House GOP lawmakers who attended Monday’s Republican Caucus meeting at the state Capitol.

Before Monday’s vote, Burns pledged to build on Ralston’s successes leading House Republicans during the last two-year term protecting the rights of gun owners and the unborn, making elections “more accessible and secure,” increasing funding for law enforcement and public safety and cutting taxes.

“All of these were House priorities I worked on as a member of your leadership team,” Burns told his GOP colleagues.

“I am extremely proud that Majority Leader Jon Burns has been elected as the Republican Caucus Nominee to succeed Speaker David Ralston,” Anderson said. “Leader Burns has been a mentor and close friend during my first term. I look forward to working with him as he takes on the role of Speaker & leader of the People’s House.”

On Wednesday, Burns spoke about Ralston’s passing.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Speaker David Ralston. Georgia has lost a titan of our political world, and, more importantly, I have lost a dear friend,” Burns said. “As a leader, Speaker Ralston was selfless and brave – always willing to place the good of Georgians ahead of his own personal gain. As a friend, he was fiercely loyal – always willing to provide wise counsel and support. Our state will miss him greatly. I will miss him always.”

Fleming, a lawyer and former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, led the House in the fight over a controversial election-reform bill the General Assembly passed last year in the wake of the 2020 elections. The legislation passed over complaints of voter suppression from minority Democrats.

“We had to make some changes in our election law because of abuses that took place during the pandemic,” Fleming said.

Both Burns and Fleming paid tribute to Ralston, who has served as speaker since 2010.

“He was a mentor to me,” Fleming said.

“We owe him a debt of gratitude for his leadership and service,” Burns added.

Burns, a retired educator and farmer, was elected to the House in 2004 after a brief stint as a member of the State Transportation Board. He was elected majority leader in 2015.

Burns represents the 159th House District, which includes all of Screven County and parts of Bulloch and Effingham counties.

House Republicans also re-nominated Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones, R-Milton, to return to the post. The full House also will elect its speaker pro tempore in January.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation. The Northeast Georgian editor Matthew Osborne contributed to this report.