James_September-October_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 4
P U B L I S H E R ’ S M ES SAG E
RATING LOBBYISTS & FIRMS— AND OTHER TIMELY TOPICS
t’s time for our annual
“homework assignment”—
ranking Georgia’s leading
lobbyists and government affairs
firms. It’s a tricky proposition, yet
it’s an important public service for
our influential readership. Here’s
how it works. We first encourage an
online voting period so James can
get an instructive guide as to who
our readers nominate and choose.
But because this is a very nuanced
industry, there’s more to the rankings than our readers’ poll.
This state’s 1,000-plus registered
lobbyists help shape public policy at
the local and state level— and many
are especially active during General Assembly sessions. Offering
strategic advice and counsel to
elected officials and other decision
makers can only happen after trust
and confidence is built. So, armed
with our poll results, the James team
also talks to, and listens to, movers-and-shakers across the state to
assist with our evaluation “homework assignment.”
Those interviewed include
some top, bipartisan elected officials, business people and agency
heads. Some are accomplished lobbyists themselves, or they are their
clients. We listen to their suggestions as we tally the listings. They
all give James advice that we take
into account on individuals and
firms based on important criteria:
1) Their integrity, 2) their ability to
provide reliable information and
3) their local and state legislative
access and success.
I
As you review the ratings, also
remember some lobbyist firms as
well as some solo lobbyists have
an impressive roster of clients.
Others have a just few and some
just represent one prominent client
or well-known company or organization full-time. That’s what makes
it tricky. To further complicate rankings, some lobbyists specialize in
state executive/legislative matters,
others focus on the state agencies,
still others focus on local government— and there are lobbyists and
firms that do it all.
James hopes this provides
readers an insight relating to the
research steps we take and how
this ranking process works.
CHECK OUT ARTICLES
YOU WON’T SEE ELSEWHERE
The State Ethics Commission
has recently issued important
decisions affecting lobbying rules
as well as elections. That’s why we
asked attorney Doug Chalmers to
inform readers of its latest rulings.
And if you follow politics— and you
should since politics and business
usually intersect— check out UGA
political guru Dr. Charles Bullock’s
analysis of Georgia’s unfolding general election campaign. Also, Matt
Towery dispenses some political
predictions and reflections.
Since this year marks America’s 250th birthday, what comes
next for our state and country in
the world of business? That question is addressed by prominent
Intercontinental Exchange CEO
Jeff Sprecher on where we should
be headed. (My brief take: Expensive and tyrannical socialism is
not the answer.) When it comes
to local governance, businessman
Chadwick Hagan writes that all
too many local elected officials no
longer see themselves as the peoples’ representatives. Rather they
are activists with an agenda. But
read his column for yourself as he
focuses on Georgia’s suburbs.
We regularly report on a Georgia
city, county or region, so check out
our North Georgia Mountains and
Bartow County features. And we are
of course pleased to present other
timely and diverse articles in this
issue ranging from education and
agriculture topics to healthcare and
crime fighting.
DO YOU RECEIVE
OUR DAILY ONLINE EMAILS?
Do you subscribe to our online
daily political and business news
service jamesmagazinega.com
which focuses exclusively on Georgia? Its reporters, as well as opinion
contributors from various parts of
the political spectrum, follow daily
happenings with an eye toward
giving readers information not
generally found in the mainstream
media. If you subscribe to James
Magazine Online for a year (only
$17.50 a month or $200 a year) to receive its daily emails, you get a free
James print magazine subscription.
PHIL KENT CEO & P U B L I S H E R
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