Republicans back Ralston for speaker

The vote, Ralston said afterward, tells Georgians that the House is "ready to change and make the changes necessary. It's not business as usual anymore, and I think people are going to like that."

Ralston will become the second Republican speaker since Reconstruction and his election came on a poignant day in the history of the office. Not only was it the day current Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) said goodbye to the chamber he led for five years before being forced to resign in disgrace, but it was also the second anniversary of the death of legendary Speaker Tom Murphy (D-Bremen), who led the House for parts of four decades.

Ralston's election followed more than a month of scandal that began with Richardson's admission that he tried to take his own life on Nov. 8. Richardson, and the caucus, seemed to rebound from that stunning revelation until Richardson's ex-wife gave a devastating television interview in which she revealed that Richardson had had an affair with an Atlanta Gas Light lobbyist while he was championing legislation that would benefit the utility.

From that, there was no coming back for Richardson.

But Ralston proved Thursday that there are comebacks in politics. Just more than a year ago Ralston ran for speaker at the height of Richardson's power because he said it was time for a different direction and a different tone in the House. Ralston lost that bid and as a result lost his chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee.

Ralston referenced that failed bid in his speech to the caucus before the vote.

"The need now for that change is beyond debate because this House cannot afford business as usual anymore," he said.

And this time, the outcome was different, although it was close. While caucus chairwoman Rep. Donna Sheldon (R-Dacula) refused to release the actual result of the vote, it took two ballots for Ralston to gain a majority. Hembree was eliminated after the first round and Ralston ousted O'Neal on the second ballot. One lawmaker in the chamber said the vote was 55-48 for Ralston, but that could not be confirmed.

In a final message from the floor of the House, Ralston beseeched his colleagues to walk out the door and return in January united.

"We have had a tough few weeks," he said. "When we walk out of here I want us to walk out committed to our family. The family's been battered up a little bit."

But he also warned his colleagues to end the rumor-mongering and personal attacks that have filled the void between Richardson's resignation and his election.

"I will put up with a lot. ... But I will not put up with and you need to know this probably today, because I'm not the speaker yet -- I will not put with backbiting and bickering and this intra-family tensions very long. Now, I hope I'm clear. That will destroy all the good work that has brought us to this point."

His colleagues largely praised his nomination.

"Speaker Ralston is going to have a clear mandate from this caucus," said Rep. Michael Harden (R-Toccoa).

That good will extended to Hembree, who said he promised to support Ralston after falling out of the race after the first ballot.

"The House caucus has turned in a new direction," he said. "His campaign was focused on change, my campaign was focused on change, and that's what brought it together today. We're ready to go and do the right things for Georgia."

O'Neal left without speaking to reporters.

While his GOP colleagues worked to turn the conversation forward, Georgia Democrats were sure to remind everyone of Ralston's past tax troubles.

"Republicans have shown the taxpayers that for all their talk of ethics, the House Republican Caucus is only interested in preserving the status quo," Georgia Democratic Party chairwoman Jane Kidd said in a statement.

Ralston repaid more than $400,000 in back taxes and penalties and fees covering 10 years in 2006. He said that the tax problems were caused by an employee of his law firm who embezzled money. Ralston said the employee was eventually prosecuted for the crime.

"This is just more of the same from Georgia Republicans," Kidd said. "It shows their dedication not to reform, but to sweeping their ethical problems under the rug and moving ahead with their dangerous special-interest agenda."

Also Thursday, Rep. Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta) was chosen as the GOP nominee for speaker pro tem. If elected by the full House, she was replace Rep. Mark Burkhalter (R-Johns Creek), who will serve as speaker from the time Richardson resigns Jan. 1 until the official elections are held after Jan. 11. Burkhalter chose not to run for speaker or for re-election as pro tem because he is in the running to become the executive director of the Georgia World Congress Center. Burkhalter said Thursday he will resign from the General Assembly if he lands the World Congress Center job.

Rep. Ed Lindsey (R-Atlanta) was also elected as majority whip, a position that Jones vacated to run for speaker pro tem.

Ralston is known as good-natured and possesses a good sense of humor. Although he represents conservative North Georgia he could be considered a moderate in the Republican caucus on social issues.

He said his first piece of businesses will be to focus on the state budget, which remains in crisis. Ralston inherits a budgetary nightmare and lawmakers will be forced to cut an additional $1.3 billion from the current year's budget as soon as they return in January. The budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 will likely be even more austere.

Staff writer James Salzer contributed to this report.