Hudgens Wins Run-Off to Secure Georgia GOP Nod for Insurance Commissioner

Georgia state Sen. Ralph Hudgens defeated former Insurance Department staffer Maria Sheffield in the run-off election for the Republican nomination for insurance commissioner.

In the general election, Hudgens, chairman of Georgia Senate's Insurance and Labor Committee, will face former legislator Mary Squires, who was unopposed in the July 20 Democratic primary. With 99% of precincts reporting, Hudgens received 284,142 votes to Sheffield's 230,100, a difference of 55.3% to 44.7%, according to unofficial results from the Georgia Secretary of State's office.

Hudgens said he likes his chances in November. "It's not going to be popular to be a Democrat in Georgia," he said.

In a message on her website, Sheffield wrote, "I have called and offered my congratulations to my opponent and wish him every success in the general election."

Four-term incumbent John Oxendine unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for governor, placing fourth in the primary election. In the GOP gubernatorial run-off, former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal edged former Secretary of State Karen Handel, 50.2% to 49.8%. Deal will oppose former Gov. Roy Barnes, who won the Democratic nomination outright on July 20.

Nine candidates competed in the GOP primary for insurance commissioner. Hudgens received 20.7% of the July 20 vote and Sheffield received 19.6% (BestWire, July 21, 2010).

Opposition to the federal health reform act was a major theme of the Hudgens-Sheffield contest. While opposing the act, Hudgens said his primary opponents overstated what the insurance commissioner can do about either the federal law or health insurance rates. In contrast, Sheffield, an Atlanta attorney who once worked under Oxendine at the insurance department, trumpeted what she called a plan to "thwart, stop, and delay the Obama takeover of health care and insurance in Georgia."

Ethics issued also played a role, with both candidates distancing themselves from Oxendine, who faced a series of ethical issues, including a State Ethics Commission probe into $120,000 of campaign funds, later returned, linked to two insurance companies regulated by his office. Hudgens criticized Sheffield for continuing to lobby the insurance department while running for commissioner. Sheffield released a statement from former candidate Stephen Northington, who endorsed her campaign, saying, "It seems Mr. Hudgens thinks it is OK for him to take money from the taxpayers while a candidate, but a private citizen should apologize for working in an honorable manner in our free market -- it is sad, really."

Hudgens also had to return campaign funds deemed to be improperly transferred from his Senate campaign account (BestWire, July 19, 2010).

Libertarian blogger Shane Bruce is also in the race for insurance commissioner.