Tom Lawrence oral history interview, April 16, 1993

Interviewed by Cliff Kuhn and Gretchen Maclachlan. Among topics discussed: Entry into politics; involvement in Hank Elliot's 1970 campaign; changes in Georgia legislature since Lawrence's entry in 1983; growth of Republican party in Georgia; welfare reform; budget reform; reapportionment; Republican use of computer mapping in reapportionment strategy; alliance between black caucus and Republican caucus; Tiger reapportionment software and RNC; role of Justice Department in reapportionment; impact of Republican growth in urban areas on reapportionment strategies; 'cracking'; difficulties of Democratic party in developing unified stance on reapportionment; low voter turnout in predominantly black districts; impact of elimination of straight party voting; House Bill 298‑election fraud reform; examples of election fraud; Denmark Groover; difficulties in forming alliance between black caucus and Republican caucus; PEACH; issues on which Republican and black caucuses might form alliances; reapportionment alliance‑Republican caucus, black caucus, ACLU; diversity vs. cohesiveness of 52 Republican legislators; budget; Billy McKinney; Johnny Isakson; role of Republican caucus in Legislature; Speaker race; Dubose Porter; Republican caucus; potential for formation of Conservative Democrat Caucus; Larry Walker; relations between Republicans and governor; governor and flag issue; potential linkage between welfare issue and flag issue; welfare reform; lack of unified Republican stance on flag issue; Republican push for referendum on flag issue; impact of ethics legislation on General Assembly; political action committees; impact of ethics legislation on lobbyists; ethics hearings; talented new legislators‑John Drekinson, Kathy Ashe, Mack Crawford, Jeff Lewis, Eric Johnson, Kathy Cox, Bob Reichard, Mark Evans; term limits; committee leadership; plans for growth of Republican Party in Georgia legislature; impact of Coverdell election on Republican Party in Georgia; split between Georgia Democrats and national Democratic Party; potential Republican alliance with conservative Democrats; budget; land use issues; waste in government spending.