The outgoing DeKalb County CEO shed light on his plans after leaving office.
Michael Thurmond has said in the past that he doesn’t believe his political career will end in DeKalb. For now, Thurmond — who is term-limited — wants to concentrate on the job he has.
“You never make important decisions when you’re tired if you can avoid it. What I want to do is to finish strong, take time to reflect and understand what I’ve learned,” Thurmond told the hosts of “Politically Georgia” on Monday.
“I’m a throwback politician. I believe that we are elected to build consensus and to ultimately solve problems and help people. I’m not in it just to throw bombs or get likes out there on Facebook or the internet,” Thurmond said. “I don’t know that a politician like that can still be successful in the current political environment.”
Thurmond has had a long career in Georgia politics. He was elected to the state Legislature in 1986.
He also served as the director of the Division of Family and Children Services and state labor commissioner.
Then in 2017, he became DeKalb’s CEO.
There have been rumors that the longtime Democrat could run for governor. And he stoked those rumors earlier this month during his final State of the County address, telling the crowd “I may need your vote” again.
“Every politician thinks they got one more run in them, so we’ll see,” Thurmond said.
Three commissioners — Steve Bradshaw, Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and Larry Johnson — are vying to succeed Thurmond when his term ends in December, but he has not endorsed anyone yet in the May 21 primary.
The CEO said, “As I stated, we have three, I think exceptional candidates, but there, there is a definite possibility that I will endorse someone in the runoff, which is almost certain to occur.”
Tuesday on ”Politically Georgia”: Georgia GOP Chairman Josh McKoon joins the show.
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