By J. Randolph Evans
Everyone knows who Governor Nathan Deal, Lieutenant Governor Casey
Cagle, and Speaker David Ralston are. In fact, most political insiders
know who Senate President Pro Tempore Tommie Williams, Speaker Pro
Tempore Jan Jones, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, and House
Majority Leader Larry O’Neal are. Yet, some of the most influential
Georgians don’t serve as governor or as a member of the leadership of
either political party. Instead, they serve the leaders whom Georgians
elect to lead Georgia. Here are but a few of the folks who have
enormous influence, but avoid the microphone, stay out of the paper, and
make government work.
Chris Riley – the Chief of Staff to the Governor. No one can seriously
question the success of Governor Deal’s administration, notwithstanding
some pretty difficult circumstances. Some of the challenges were
obvious; others were not.
Everyone recognized the difficult budget issues facing the new governor.
Choosing the priorities for limited revenues is the Governor’s job.
Making those priorities happen requires the hard work of the Chief of
Staff and his team. This includes the dicey issue of ensuring the
future of Georgia’s popular HOPE program.
Like handling nitroglycerin, one wrong move in managing any policy
issues would have spelled political disaster for a young gubernatorial
administration just taking control. After all, there is no record on
which to fall back.
Amidst the policy issues, there was also the delicate task of putting
together a new team. In many ways, the fact that the transition was
from Republican (Sonny Perdue) to Republican (Nathan Deal), with a
Republican legislature, made Chris Riley’s job all the more difficult.
As Republicans know well, intra-party squabbles are the worst. Yet, the
transition for the Deal Administration has been virtually seamless
(notwithstanding an ice storm during the first week).
The current session of the General Assembly has been tame but very
productive with major bipartisan solutions to some of Georgia’s most
challenging problems.
Really, it has all appeared so easy. But, it was not. That is the work
of a good Chief of Staff.
Erin Hames – Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy to the Governor. The
governor’s team may begin with Chris Riley, but it does not end with
him. Before coming to the governor’s office, Erin Hames was a member of
the leadership team at the Georgia Department of Education. She played
an important role in winning Georgia’s 400 million dollar Race to the
Top grant. Her background (former teacher/now attorney) made her a
perfect fit for a lawyer governor who is married to a former teacher.
Insiders know that Sandra Deal has made a big difference under the Gold
Dome. She has the ear of the Governor and the respect of the
legislators. That is a powerful and influential combination.
Spiro Amburn – Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House. Speaker
David Ralston took firm control in the Georgia House, but not without
some really hard work, including assembling a new leadership team to
deal with the challenges facing Georgia.
Every member has the ear of the Speaker and can cause some real pain if
not managed effectively (and carefully). As the size of the House
Republican caucus increased, so did expectations, and the number of
individual members to manage. Yet, Speaker Ralston has managed well and
come out at the other side stronger. That does not happen in a vacuum.
In the real (out of sight) world in the State Capitol, Spiro Amburn had
his work cut out for him after the November 2010 elections.
Undoubtedly, his service as Governor Sonny Perdue’s deputy legislative
affairs director gave him the background to work well with the
governor’s office. Thanks to Spiro Amburn and his team, the petty
public bickering between the Speaker’s office and the Governor’s office
appears to be a thing of the distant past.
There are two other notable mentions: Nathan Humphrey, the Chief of
Staff to the Senate President Pro Tempore Tommie Williams; and Ben
George, the Chief of Staff to Senator Robert Brown. Both have proven
invaluable to their respective leaders in the Georgia Senate. There are
few jobs more difficult than managing the halls outside the Georgia
Senate. Managing the floor of the Georgia Senate is one of them,
especially this year. Yet, both of these men have made their bosses
incredibly effective, even in the most difficult circumstances.
Of course, even the most successful work can be overshadowed if there is
no message. For that, Brian Robinson, Governor Deal’s spokesman, has
done the job and done it well. It just looks easy.