The young man listened attentively to his elder offering wise advice. “If you ever hope to have a future in politics, don’t take this appointment.”
The advisor was referring to an appointment to the Houston County Planning and Zoning Board. The young man was Sonny Perdue.
Sonny accepted the offer anyway. Thus began a journey in public service that would take him to the gold dome of Georgia’s capitol and a cabinet office in the nation’s capitol.
I am proud to have been part of that journey with Sonny for the past three decades. Here are just a few recollections from that walk together.
Sonny and I were both raised in the tiny unincorporated town of Bonaire, Georgia. Although we were from the same town, since Sonny was a little older than I, we didn’t run in the same circles so I never really knew him until he was serving as a state senator.
I started taking my son, Doug, to the state capitol every year from the time he was 5 years old, to watch the legislature in session. In 1995 we had just moved to Albany, Georgia.
On my first visit that year, I looked up my state senator, Mark Taylor and asked Mark if he would introduce me to Sonny Perdue. Mark said that Sonny was the senate majority leader and was one of the most respected members of the Senate.
Mark Taylor also made a prophetic remark. He said that one day Sonny Perdue would be governor. Little did Mark Taylor know how those words would one day come back to haunt him.
When I met Sonny and told him who I was, his first comment was about my mother. He paid her one of the highest compliments anyone could receive when he said, “Miss Earline is the conscience of Bonaire.”
Several years prior to that meeting, Sonny Perdue took that appointment to serve on the Planning and Zoning Board. Instead of killing any political future, it got the attention of county leaders.
When the long-serving state senator Ed Barker decided not to run again, county leaders approached Sonny and asked him to run. Once again, Sonny accepted the offer and was elected to the state senate.
Sonny quickly rose to a leadership position. His fellow senators elected him as President pro tem, the highest office next to Lieutenant Governor.
In 1998, Sonny stood at a personal and political crossroads. He was a member of the Democrat party. Because of his position in the Senate, he was also seen as a leader in the party.
There was a problem. The Democrat party was shifting in its platform. There were fewer and fewer conservative planks.
It was becoming a balancing act and Sonny was growing weary of playing the game. He eventually made a decision that would cost him dearly politically, but, like a modern day Daniel in the lion’s den, allow him to stand on his deeply held convictions.
Before he qualified to run for re-election in 1998, Sonny changed political parties and ran as a Republican. The people in his district readily re-elected him.
The problem he faced was that the Democrats were the majority party in the state senate. President pro tem was not only a peer-related position, it was primarily a politically-related position.
On top of that, staunch Democrat Mark Taylor was elected as Lieutenant Governor. Mark was going to exact payment for Sonny switching parties.
The new Lieutenant Governor, controlled committee assignments and office space. Sonny lost his spacious President pro tem office in the capitol.
Lieutenant Governor Taylor moved him to insignificant committees. His new office space was a tiny suite of offices across the street shared with several other senators.
Moses spent forty years in the wilderness of the Middle East. Sonny spent four years in the wilderness of Georgia politics.
That would all change in 2002. After four years in the minority party in the state senate, Sonny was encouraged by fellow Republicans to run for governor.
On election night, 2002, Sonny Perdue did what no one thought was possible. He was elected as the first Republican governor of Georgia since reconstruction.
Sonny was easily re-elected in 2006, beating Mark Taylor in a decisive landslide victory. After serving his second four year term as governor, Sonny went back to his business.
When Donald Trump was elected as President in 2016, it was time for Sonny to return to public service. This time as a member of President Trump’s cabinet as US Secretary of Agriculture.
In 2021, Sonny returned to his business and private life again. Once again, he would be called upon to serve the people – this time as Chancellor of the University System of Georgia.
Last week, Sonny announced that it was time to retire. He will be stepping down as Chancellor when the Board of Regents selects a new Chancellor.
Sonny Perdue has left a lasting legacy on the people of Georgia and our nation. In a twist of irony, the position on the Houston County Planning and Zoning Board did not ruin his future in politics. Sonny Perdue never lost a political race.
Sonny’s family is continuing his legacy in the two areas that influence his life, faith and public service. His son, Jim, is pastor of the 2nd Baptist Church of Warner Robins where Sonny is a member and faithfully attends. His son, Dan, is the Chairman of the Houston County Board of Commissioners.
Sonny Perdue is returning to private life. His has been a life that is well lived. One day he will hear those blessed words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)
