Rep. Ed Rynders
Late last week State Rep. Ed Rynders (R-152) announced his resignation from the House, citing a “perfect storm” of health and personal issues that led him to believe it was time to step away.
Rynders, the chairman of the House Governmental Affairs Committee and secretary of the Appropriations and Health and Human Services committees, has served for 17 years and become one of southwest Georgia’s most influential legislators.
He had been a key figure in the voting machine saga during the last session, an issue that figures to once again figure prominently in 2020. Rynders told the Albany Herald, his hometown paper, that such “heavy lifting” had weighed on him.
Gov. Brian Kemp will soon set a date for a special election to fill the seat, which includes several towns around Albany including Leesburg and Sylvester. The district leans heavily Republican, (Rynders defeated his Democrat opponent by nearly 50% last year) and won’t be considered up for grabs for the Dems.
More interesting will be to see who fills the now vacant spot heading up the Governmental Affairs Committee, which will play a major role in coming years with redistricting looming in 2020.
“In the end, I look at the distinguished careers of two men I admire, Doug Everett and Johnny Isakson, and one thing I took from conversations with them is ‘It’s OK to walk away'” Rynders said.
Rynders announced that he will be moving to St. Simons with his wife to spend their retirement.
