Austin’s Daily Commentary – January 26, 2024

Austin: The political power structure in Columbia County is terrified of C.J. Pearson. And I can tell you that because I thought a lot of those folks every single day.

C.J. is articulate, he is enthusiastic, and he brings an incredible network of supporters from around the country to the table. So what? What's the problem? He certainly seems to have the pedigree when it comes to having the right attitude on the issues of the day. Quite frankly, they just don't trust him. Someone that's 21 years old has been running around the country. The folks that make up the quote unquote power structure in Columbia County. He's just not one of them.

The one the incumbent, not the incumbent, rather the challenger for the 1/25, it seems to be endorsed by most of those people is Gary Richardson, a longtime Columbia County commissioner who resigned his seat to qualify for this one. Well, the 1/25 vacancy has certainly generated a lot of conversation.

But yesterday on the radio program KHJ, answering back to those who claim that, his residency is not legitimate, the 1/25 presented four years worth of Georgia state income tax return, saying that at the very least, he's paying Georgia State income tax just like a good resident should.

This is, a challenge, ladies and gentlemen, is going to take a little bit too long for my taste. February the 8th, I think, is when he has his hearing with the secretary of State trying to get to the bottom of this residency hearing. Sounds to me like C.J.'s got that base covered, but it's a shame that there are a lot of folks that are challenging him without necessarily getting in his face about it. More on that later. That's the comment, I'm Austin Rhodes AM 580/95.1 FM News Talk WGAC.