Analysis: Georgia candidates fight for attention

ATLANTA --- With the 2010 state elections so far off, it might seem that nothing is happening, but it's not for lack of effort on the part of the candidates.

Most are crisscrossing the state speaking to small, partisan gatherings or civic clubs while trying to raise their profiles and their treasury balances. At this stage, their ethics have become as much an issue as anything.

Several are trying to seize the moral high ground by releasing financial data. Gary Horlacher, a Peachtree City Democrat running for secretary of state, released five years of tax returns and even took a polygraph to swear he never cheated on them, nor on his wife.

Then Eric Johnson, a Savannah Republican running for governor, released his.

Next came Roy Barnes, the former Democratic governor seeking to regain his old post. He released returns for the past eight years. During previous campaigns the Marietta native had released tax information that now goes back 25 years.

Mr. Horlacher was Mr. Barnes' original press secretary, so he was obviously taking notes. The polygraph was original.

Other Democratic candidates for governor all told reporters they would disclose their tax returns next year.

Other major GOP gubernatorial candidates said they might. One of them, Nathan Deal of Gainesville, regularly discloses income ranges as required by federal law of all members of Congress, but his spokesman said he wouldn't be releasing the actual tax returns.

Mr. Deal has already been in the spotlight for financial dealings with the state Department of Revenue. A business he co-owns was at risk of losing its no-bid contract because the revenue commissioner wanted to make changes.

The congressman met with state officials to discuss the proposed changes, and when the story was published he said he was doing nothing wrong. Then, on Thursday, he announced his company, Gainesville Salvage Disposal, was withdrawing from its state contract.

Most of the candidates are gaining little notice on any of the issues. Being relegated to sideshow status only makes the candidates try harder to win attention.