This week former Governor Sonny Perdue was confirmed to a presidential cabinet post, and as such became the first-ever Georgian to become the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture! Congratulations to the former Governor, who the US Senate voted 87-11 in favor of his nomination to confirm him to the position on April 24th. And with agriculture a significant part of Georgia’s economy, many people in politics view his role leading the Department as an asset to the farming industry in the state.
The interesting wrinkle in his new post is how this shapes the statewide campaigns for Georgia in 2018. Insiders were watching if Perdue would run again for Governor, an idea which has promptly been squelched with his ascension to the cabinet post. With that no longer a possibility, it clears one major hurdle for anyone considering a run for Governor. And there are already big names that are announced or announcing, with more formal announcements expected this weekend. For a quick overview, the Atlanta Journal Constitution ran an article on April 25th highlighting the tangled web of candidates already shaping out for both the Republican and Democratic hopefuls for the 2018 Governor race. But however it shakes out, it will be one long and interesting campaign year leading up to November 2018!
