Lee Kicks Off Re-Election Bid with Fundraiser

Cobb commission chairman Tim Lee announced his re-election bid last week by scheduling an initial campaign fundraiser and by calling out one of his rivals. 

Lee will hold a fundraiser Monday at the home of Marietta couple Mary Lou and Dan Stephens. He's already drawn the opposition of former Cobb commission chairman Bill Byrne for the Republican nomination, with the county's fiscal situation a central issue

"As we meet the challenges of today and focus on tomorrow, we cannot pretend we’re living in the past. The same old politicians, the same old political ego games, and the same old angry rants won’t solve these problems. We can not allow Demagoguery to become a substitute for real leadership in these critical times. This election is a clear choice between a results based vision for our future and the tired politics of the past.”

Byrne has accused Lee of poor management as Cobb commissioners shaved $51 million in budget deficits in the last year, and face a $15 million hole when they get their first glimpse of the proposed fiscal year 2012 budget Lee is expected to unveil next month. 

Olens endorses Romney

While some Georgia politicians mulled their support for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Cobb commission chairman Sam Olens hopped on board the campaign of the presumptive frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination last week. 

Now Georgia's Attorney General, Olens for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney while the latter made a campaign stop at Kenny's Pies in Smyrna. Job creation and economic growth was the focus of the visit.

It's understandable that Olens would identify with Romney, given the former's track record as seeking consensus during his time in Cobb politics. However, the campaign already has become complicated for Romney, who is trotting out more conservative bona fides in the wake of his support for health care reform in Massachusetts. Olens is working to overturn the federal law that Republicans, including Romney, refer to as "ObamaCare."

After his top campaign staffers resigned, Gingrich lost the support of former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, who now backs former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal remains in Gingrich's corner. 

The former Speaker, who represented East Cobb and appeared at the Atlanta Press Club today, has fired off a new charge at Romney, taking him to task for not signing an anti-abortion pledge. 

Gingrey rises on 'ObamaCare'

This isn't the first time that U.S. Rep Phil Gingrey has spoken out against last year's federal health care legislation. But the Marietta Republican's latest House floor speech last week took aim at recent proposals by the Obama administration on Medicare.

The accompanying video is part of an array of speeches by the Republican Doctors Caucus. Another physician, U.S. Rep. Tom Price, who has Gingrich's former seat, was not among those speakers.