Charles Walker, D-Augusta, will be in charge of marshaling votes among the Senate's 34 Democrats for his party's agendaFile

Walker wins post as Senate majority leader

Web posted November 14, 1996

By Frank LoMonte
Morris News Service

ATLANTA - Senate Democrats made Sen. Charles Walker the chamber's highest-ranking black member ever Wednesday, voting him into the office of majority leader.

Mr. Walker, D-Augusta, will be in charge of marshaling votes among the Senate's 34 Democrats for his party's agenda, and helping direct the daily flow of speeches and bills on the Senate floor.

``It was a pretty tough campaign but I am quite pleased with the results. It's the highest honor a person can have,'' said Mr. Walker, who will start his fourth Senate term in January.

He beat out Sen. Jack Hill, D-Reidsville, in a secret-ballot vote of Democrats on Wednesday. Vote totals were not announced.

Mr. Walker succeeds Sen. Sonny Perdue, D-Bonaire, who was promoted without opposition to the second-in-command job of president pro-tempore. He replaces former Sen. Walter Ray of Douglas, who resigned earlier this year for a seat on the state parole board.

Mr. Perdue's new job, which entails filling in for the lieutenant governor as presiding officer of the Senate, puts him in position to run for lieutenant governor in 1998. Democrat Pierre Howard is leaving the lieutenant governor's job to run for governor.

Mr. Walker apparently was aided by the withdrawal of a third candidate, Sen. Steve Henson, D-Stone Mountain, whose support from urban Atlanta Mr. Walker stood to inherit.

The senator's promotion keeps alive a string of 22nd District Democrats holding the leadership post - starting with Carl Sanders in the 1960s through Mr. Walker's predecessor, Tom Allgood, who retired in 1990.

The move will force Mr. Walker to relinquish his post as chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, one of the chamber's choice assignments. Mr. Howard announced no immediate replacement.

However, Mr. Walker is expected to remain as one of the Senate's three negotiators on the budget conference committee, which has the final say on spending decisions.

``My influence on health policy and on the budget is going to be unchanged,'' he said.

The General Assembly resumes meeting Jan. 13.

The majority leader's job brings a seat in the Senate president's inner circle and a voice in decisions from committee chairmanships to which bills are allowed to pass or fail.

Mr. Walker had held the largely symbolic job of Democratic caucus chairman, a position given Wednesday to Sen. Nathan Dean of Rockmart.

Mr. Walker has been a fiery defender of Democrats on the Senate floor, repeatedly clashing with the outgoing Senate GOP leader, Arthur ``Skin'' Edge of Newnan.

Last week, Senate Republicans elected Marietta lawyer Chuck Clay to fill Mr. Edge's job as head of the 22 GOP senators.

``The first thing I am going to do is tell the truth - and then I'm going to make Republicans tell the truth as it relates to Democrats,'' Mr. Walker said.

``It is my intention to work with Chuck to try to resolve issues in a fair way. But I want Chuck to understand some of the foolishness we've seen before - with amendments that are just attempts to get Democrats beat - that is something we are not going to stand for.''