James_September-October_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 77
aisle and inspired those who would
eventually become the majority.
Westmoreland said simply, “he was
a mentor to me.”
Burns reflected on Murphy’s
time much in the way Ralston did
on that December evening in North
Georgia. “He recognized the value
of rural Georgians as the fabric of
what Georgia is… but also knew Atlanta was the capital of the South,”
said Burns. He mentioned Murphy’s unique ability to “... convince
a lot of folks in rural Georgia to be
a part of his vision for this entire
state, and he was certainly able to
do that on many occasions.”
Several participants noted how
Murphy was able to establish a
more independent state House,
securing the ability to appropriate
funds and appoint committees
outside of the governor’s influence.
Burns put it bluntly by saying Murphy “was there at the right time to
ensure that we had a balance of
interest and power under the Gold
Dome, between the governor and
the legislature.”
Cared Deeply About Georgia
The stories of Murphy’s compassion for children, in addition
to the economic triumphs, outweighed the stories of partisan
disagreement. It was apparent that
despite the differences in political
party, these people actually liked
and respected one another. Little
was said about the latter years of
Murphy’s tenure, when the redistricting wars dominated headlines.
The exception was Murphy’s
son, Judge Michael Murphy. He
summed up his father’s service by
saying, “when it’s over, it’s over; be
the best you can be at all times.”
It was a reminder of how everything eventually does come to end.
For Jack, it was a day to “honor his
leadership, and I do think if you go
around that room you can tell he
deeply cared about Atlanta and he
deeply cared about Georgia.”
The last word was given to the
current speaker, who ended with
two stories. One was a touching
story about a young child in need
of specialized medical care. Murphy recognized it as an issue affecting children across the entire state,
which led to the establishment of
the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.
“He didn’t back down… he made
sure that we had something that
changed lives,” said Burns.
The other was a behind-thescenes tale about a legislator who
once dared to vote with the governor instead of with Murphy. As
Burns recalled the story, he repeated what Murphy told the rogue
lawmaker that day: “The governors,
they come and go over here, but I’ll
always be the speaker.”
Richie Stone is a freelance writer and
photographer who lives in Ellijay.
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