Tuesday, 10 January 2006
GOP Make Selection for 37th Senate Seat
« Terrorists Really Want to Kill Us | Main | Belafonte Calls Bush 'Greatest Terrorist' »In a bit of a surprise move, the party selected Deborah Peden to be its nominee for the vacated 37th Senate seat. Peden, 33, the wife of Metro Councilman James Peden is a former high school teacher in the Jefferson County school system.
The move was a bit of a surprise since the party selected a political novice over Metro Councilman Doug Hawkins who had show interest in the position. But it appears that Hawkins previous run-ins with the local party proved his downfall.
Hawkins said he thought he lost the nomination because of differences he has had with the executive committee. He sued the party in 2004 over the selection of convention delegates, and he accused party officials of misappropriating money.
He apologized to the committee for those actions before the vote took place.
Sharon Woodring, an executive committee member, said she never would have voted for Hawkins.
Woodring said she was glad he apologized, but said it was too little, too late.
In an earlier interview, Woodring had said that Hawkins "said things about Republicans that I wouldn't say about Democrats."
My only concern is that the local party let petty personal politics override the search for the best candidate to win the special election seat that was stolen by the courts. I hope my fears prove unfounded. Only time will tell.
