This week’s column is going to be a forecast for the next year; what is to come for 2022, or at least what I think will happen.
I will tell you in advance there is some light humor in this column this week, but even in the midst of being funny, there is usually some truth. So, I’m hoping everyone reading will add their two cents and please, don’t take it so seriously – or should you?
First, let’s clear the air about something a reader posted in the comment section. I am not a Hardie Davis worshipper. I just think he doesn’t get a fair shake. He will be resigning soon to seek his next steps. I predict an announcement from him that he will be running for secretary of state, or as I believe, lieutenant governor. He will go ahead and leave office, and then there will have to be an appointment for the seat.
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This is where my next prediction comes in. We get interim Mayor Bobby Williams because he is the mayor pro tem. Surely, he will explain that this should be the natural progression. He won’t get much argument from most, considering the body elected him to his second-in-command status from within the Augusta Commission. This will also fulfill what Commissioner Williams has been contemplating: a run for mayor. Don’t think he isn’t considering a run as we speak.
Stop the presses for a major announcement. Now, this is a real one. In case you missed my Facebook post the other day, Judge David Watkins will be retiring and not seeking re-election. This is the first of many announcements to come.
Now back to our regularly scheduled column, full of the things “being said” and other predictions.
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Ben Hasan will relinquish his seat to his brother (A.K.), who will win that election without a run-off. The funny thing is that there are tons of people who are asking Ben to run for his brother’s seat on the school board. Here’s to hoping he will!
Now, I’m told there are some school board members that don’t want any part of Ben Hasan coming that way. Too bad. I don’t think the issue is the man himself as much as it’s the possibility of him being who he is and studying everything that is going on. I’m told his first course of action would be reviewing the contract of Pete Fletcher and how much he and his daughter make from the school system.
If that’s not enough to excite you, just imagine if the businesses close back up for a while and another stimulus package would come. That will be the topic as we brace for what will be the largest turnout ever for a mid-term primary and election.
Augusta will become battleground central for a lot of state wide races. The governor’s race will plateau and then you will see Perdue and Kemp have all out battles. They will destroy each other to the point that Perdue will not even endorse Kemp against Abrams.
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You read that right. I think Kemp will outlast Perdue. Listen to most conservatives around here. They say Kemp hasn’t really done anything wrong. This hits home and his politics will really come into play for general elections, when people — democrats even right here in Augusta — have to consider voting for Abrams or Kemp.
I had a well-known Democrat who will remain nameless say this to me: “If Abrams is the Democratic nominee, it may be hard to vote for her come November. Kemp appointed three of my friends to judgeships.”
Either way, it will get interesting, and the Republicans will have to fight it out tooth and nail.
Speaking of fighting it out, look for the District 3 redistricting process to continue rolling on. For the soon-to-be re-appropriated people, it’s par for the course.
When the ones previously in power had the chance to draw lines they liked, they did just so. Now, the ball is on the other side of the court.
The people in the know are whispering about the deals being made to save others in other areas. Remember that they did something like this years ago. That’s how we ended up with a Charles Walker vs. Don Cheeks battle for a seat. That was just a little historical context for you.
This column is getting long and I haven’t even got into the stuff that Mrs. Sylvia Cooper brought up in her Sunday column. I guess I’ll have to try to tackle that next week as I continue this one. I was really expecting her to bring up the message I got about the candidate that ran for district 1 that’s now running for district 2, while still being registered to vote in district 1… How is she gonna… Well, there I go getting ahead of myself again.
Michael Meyers is a Columnist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at Michael.meyers@theaugustapress.com
