Thu., December 10, 2009 11:18am (EST)

Houston County Politician Running for Speaker

By Josephine Bennett

Updated: 2 years ago

WARNER ROBINS, Ga  —   Middle Georgia politician, Larry O'Neal wants to be the new Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives. O'Neal, who lives in Bonaire, represents the 146th District in Warner Robins. On Wednesday he emailed members of the House Republican Caucus and told them he plans to run.

O'Neal would fill the seat of current Speaker, Glenn Richardson, who is expected to resign in the wake of a scandal involving an alleged affair with a lobbyist and a suicide attempt.

O'Neal has been in the House for eight years and chairs the Ways and Means Committee. He works as a tax attorney. He is considered a close friend of Governor Sonny Perdue who is also from Houston County. In 2002 the Governor appointed him to serve alongside Richardson as one of the floor leaders during the 2003 Legislative Session.