FILE/STAFF

Both aspirants seek conservative vote

Web posted October 18, 1998

 Candidate bios

By Alisa DeMao
Staff Writer

A Democratic incumbent and his Republican challenger are both positioning themselves as the more conservative competitor in a face-off for votes in a newly redistricted area that now sprawls into rural counties around Augusta.

Sen. Don Cheeks, D-Augusta -- who is facing a whole new crop of voters in Burke, Jefferson, Glascock and Warren counties -- has called himself one of the most conservative Democrats in the legislature and insists that he is more conservative than his challenger.

Paul Webster, an Augusta doctor making a second try for Mr. Cheeks' seat in the legislature, says Southern Democrats -- traditionally more conservative than their peers in other areas of the country -- aren't what they used to be. He sees the race for District 23, like other races across the state, as an attempt to create a true two-party system in Georgia and to stop the creep of fiscal liberalism in the Democratic party.

``We're seeing more drift toward a greater outlay of public funds,'' Dr. Webster said. ``Certainly a Georgia Democrat is not the same thing as a New York City Democrat. But the old Southern Democratic party of Georgia is following the New England Democrats in terms of creating more public programs and increasing the budget.''

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PREVIOUS REPORTS

•District 118 •Dist. 3 School Board •Cheeks, Webster •Absentee ballots •Board hopefuls' plans

Both men mention education as one of their top concerns, and both have pushed for more support for alternative schools as a way to enforce discipline and safety in public schools. Dr. Webster said he would like to see teacher standards set, and Mr. Cheeks pointed out legislation he introduced to fingerprint school personnel and run background checks on their criminal histories.

Both men also emphasized the need to finish a highway system that includes the Savannah River Parkway and the Fall Line Freeway, which connect the Augusta area to Savannah and Macon, respectively.

``We must rebuild and re-energize our ability to attract jobs,'' Dr. Webster said. ``That is the major concern, locally. And to do that, we need to finish the highway system that been developing for 20 years.''

Dr. Webster also said he would push for additional funding for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is swamped with work, holding up autopsies and criminal investigations.

Mr. Cheeks campaigned on his record, pointing out accomplishments such as acquiring millions in money for schools in the area and legislation that exempts senior citizens from some property taxes. His platform is simply to keep providing the same service he has in the past, he said.

``I think Dr. Webster just wants my job, and I just want to keep it,'' he said. ``He says it's time for a change, but I want to know, what kind of change?''

Candidate bios

Don Cheeks

Party: Democrat

Age: 67

Residence: Augusta

Education: Attended the Citadel, the University of Georgia and Augusta Law School

Business: Retired business investor

Political experience: Elected to the Georgia Senate in 1992, now serving his third term. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served 18 years in the state House of Representatives and six years on the Augusta City Council.

Family: Wife, Betty; two daughters

Paul D. Webster

Party: Republican

Age: 68

Residence: Augusta

Education: Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of Richmond, Richmond, Va.; medical doctorate from Bowman-Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Business: Physician

Political experience: Republican nominee for state House District 23 in 1996; candidate for Augusta Commission District 7 in 1995

Family: Wife, Jean; two daughters

Alisa DeMao can be reached at (706) 823-3223 or newsroom@augustachronicle.com.