David Ralston’s death came as a surprise to people around him.
David Ralston, a state lawmaker and Speaker of the Georgia House, passed away at the age of 68. In a news release, publicist Kaleb McMichen confirmed his death.
A statement confirming his death said that Ralston’s wife and family were with him when he died.
Following a protracted illness, Ralston’s team revealed his death to Channel 2 Action News on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.
The information follows Ralston’s earlier this month made announcement that he was resigning as a speaker due to his deteriorating health.
Ralston stated at the time that ‘the House needs a speaker who can commit the requisite time and attention to the post. I cherish the House and desire the success of the honorable men and women who serve in it.’
Republican Ralston of Blue Ridge won a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives for the first time in 2002. Ralston served from 1992 to 1998 as a senator for Georgia.
Ralston cited health challenges as why he chose not to run for House Speaker in the upcoming legislative session.
Republicans selected state representative Jon Burns as their choice for Georgia House speaker on Monday, and Burns is sure to win the position.
In addition, the governor issued an executive order mandating that flags be flown at half-staff from this point forward while the Ralston is being buried.
Furthermore, it demands that his body lies in state in the Rotunda beneath the Gold Dome.
David Ralston’s Death Affected His Contemporaries
The new Speaker stated in a statement:
‘I am heartbroken about Speaker David Ralston’s death. More importantly than losing a political titan for Georgia, I also lost a close friend. Speaker Ralston was a strong and unselfish leader who was always willing to put the interests of Georgians above his own. He was a strongly devoted buddy who was constantly ready to offer sage advice and assistance. He will be sorely missed by our state. I’ll always miss him.’
‘Speaker Ralston left a lasting impression on this state and was a pioneer in the development of Georgia’s Republican leadership. His historic income tax cut that puts more money in taxpayers’ pockets for years to come, assistance to Georgians in fighting inflation, and passage of his landmark mental health reform law will ensure that his final session as a speaker is long remembered. We are particularly pleased with our prior bipartisan efforts to update Georgia’s anti-hate crime statute and modify the state’s citizens’ arrest law, both of which would not have been possible without the Speaker’s tenacious leadership. These significant achievements were only a few of the many contributions David Ralston made to Georgia over the course of his long career.’
‘Sheree, the entire Ralston family, as well as present and past House members, staff, and his Capitol friends are all in our thoughts and prayers, as are Marty, the daughters, and I. Our family lost a beloved friend, our state lost one of its giants, and all Georgians lost a true leader today.’
On Wednesday, his friends and supporters lamented his departure. State Representative Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur), who worked with Ralston in the state Senate in the 1990s, called it a significant loss for Georgia.
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