CARLTON FLETCHER: Albany state Rep. Carol Fullerton takes verbal shots at Gov. Nathan Deal

Why don’t you say what’s on your mind? ‘Cause I’m taking all the chances.

— Plain White T’s

Going into Tuesday’s Democratic primary, state House District 153 Rep. Carol Fullerton admitted she had a new perspective on serving in the state Legislature. Being involved in a horrific automobile accident and having to endure almost a year’s worth of painful rehab will do that to a person.

With a renewed lease on life and the support of her family, particularly husband Greg, the usually low-key Fullerton vowed during a pre-primary conversation to work even harder for the people who elected her for however long she remains in office.

“I feel that I owe this community for the successful life they’ve given Greg and me and our children,” Fullerton said.

Over the course of the conversation, the veteran Democratic legislator also pulled the gloves off when discussing the actions of Republican Gov. Nathan Deal during the 2014 legislative session.

“I hope we have an opportunity to try and fix the gun bill that was passed by the Legislature (HB 60),” Fullerton said. “When you’ve got children on campuses — my kids included or, really, anybody in that age group — and you combine alcohol and guns, you’re asking for trouble. That legislation was opposed by the state’s cities (through the Georgia Municipal Association), its counties (through the Association County Commissioners of Georgia), and the state’s sheriffs and police associations, and yet it still passed.

“I believe if this had not been an election year, that bill never would have passed and it never would have been signed by the governor. This was clearly a political decision, and I don’t think it was a good one.”

Fullerton also said Deal has been guilty of focusing on north Georgia in his efforts to bring new economic development to the state.

“Every announcement that Gov. Deal has made about new business coming into Georgia has been north of Griffin or the port of Savannah,” Fullerton said. “That’s wrong. There has been little (economic development) effort in the southern part of the state. I’m not saying the governor doesn’t have a right to take care of his hometown, but he is responsible for the entire state, not just one part of it.

“The demographics in Southwest Georgia and other rural parts of the state demand attention, too.”

The Albany Democrat said Georgia’s governor is also the primary reason Albany State University has not gotten funding to build its badly needed Fine Arts building.

“The (University System) Board of Regents sent funding for the ASU project in their budget to the governor’s office,” Fullerton said. “In fact, the Regents staff had the Fine Arts building first on its priority list. Funding made it through the budget process to the governor’s office, and he pulled all but a million and a half dollars that is earmarked to update plans for the project.

“That was a blatantly political move used to get votes. The governor diverted money meant for the Albany State project to another, much less needed project to try and get re-elected. He’s playing politics with people’s future, and I guess in his mind a small, historically black university just isn’t as important as some of the other universities in the northern part of the state.”

Fullerton said she hopes to continue her service as part of the state Legislature (primary returns were not available as this column was being written), but given a new lease on life, she’s just happy that she’s had an opportunity to serve the people of Southwest Georgia in the state Legislature.

“Having gone through what I’ve gone through, I’ve had a lot of time to digest things in my life, to consider what’s important to me and my family,” she said. “One of the things that I’ve deeply realized is there are some principles that just cannot be altered, in the Legislature or in life.

“I’ve had to make some tough decisions, but looking back, I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever cast a vote based on whether or not I thought it would get me re-elected. That’s something I’m proud of.”

Email Metro Editor Carlton Fletcher at [email protected].