The most powerful legislator under the Gold Dome announced on Friday that he will relinquish his gavel.
David Ralston, a Republican who has served as the Georgia House Speaker since 2010, said that he will not seek another term as Speaker. The Blue Ridge attorney is currently the longest serving state house leader in the nation.
In a letter to his colleagues, the Speaker cited a “health challenge” as his reason for stepping down. But he said he does not plan to resign from the legislature altogether — he is running for re-election unopposed in his rock-ribbed conservative North Georgia district, which encompasses parts of Fannin, Gilmer and Dawson counties.
"Serving as Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives has been the honor of a lifetime, and I owe a heartfelt thank you to my colleagues for the trust and confidence they placed in me thirteen years ago," Ralston said Friday. "I need to take time to address a health challenge which has arisen recently, and the House needs a Speaker who can devote the necessary time and energy to the office. I love the House and want to see the honorable men and women who serve in it succeed. I will work the remainder of my term as Speaker to ensure a smooth transition for my successor."
Ralston was praised by leaders on both sides of the aisle. “Our state is better off thanks to his wisdom and commitment to all Georgians while guiding the House through challenging times,” Gov. Brian Kemp said.
“He was what we needed during these times,” Democratic State Rep. Calvin Smyre told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “With Speaker Ralston, there was a level of trust between us. We had a great friendship. We worked hand-in-hand on elevating transportation and mental health.”
Ralston has endorsed several bipartisan measures over the years, such as medical marijuana legalization, overhauling the state’s mental health system and repealing the Civil War-era citizen’s arrest laws.
But as a Republican, he was essential in passing some of the party’s biggest priorities, including bans on abortion, stricter election laws and expanding gun rights.
Ralston also has promoted other legislation despite his personal qualms. Long a critic of a “religious liberty” measure that opponents saw as discriminatory to the LGBTQ community, he allowed that proposal to reach then-Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk despite his concerns.
And earlier this year, he gave the go-ahead for a proposal that banned transgender girls from competing in high school women’s sports even though he said he had misgivings about the measure. He and other Republicans saw it as a way to boost Kemp’s reelection chances.
Ralston’s announcement sets off a potentially chaotic race to succeed him as leader of the GOP caucus. The Georgia House is widely expected to remain in Republican hands, so the winner of the leadership contest will be in line to become Speaker of the House.
Among the names being discussed are Jan Jones, a Republican from Milton and Ralston’s lieutenant. Majority Leader Jon Burns is another possible candidate. A dark horse contender could be State Rep. Barry Fleming, a Ralston critic who was the architect of the state’s 2021 election overhaul.
The speakership is just one of several key leadership positions in the legislature that will soon have a fresh face. In January, there will be a new Speaker, a new Lieutenant Governor, a new Senate President Pro Tempore, a new Senate appropriations chair and a new House appropriations chair.
“All the turnover in the legislature adds to the instability,” said Democratic State Rep. Erick Allen. “With the potential of MAGA leadership in the House and Senate, it makes electing [Stacey] Abrams more important.”