MICHAEL FERGUSON II: Two humble giants of Georgia: Mark Taylor and DuBose Porter

As a student of government and Georgia politics, I cannot help but reflect on the opportunity that exists before our state in the coming election cycle. Georgia has always been a place of strong personalities and spirited debate, but at its best it is also a place where common sense leadership and community values rise above division.

In this moment, when so many voices compete for attention, it is worth recognizing two men who have quietly shaped the political and economic landscape of our state for decades: former Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor of southwest Georgia and businessman and publisher DuBose Porter of middle Georgia.

Neither man seeks the spotlight. In fact, both have built reputations for avoiding it. Yet their influence across Georgia — particularly in southwest and middle Georgia — cannot be denied.

Taylor, a native of Albany, rose through the ranks of Georgia politics with a reputation for
pragmatic leadership. After serving in the Georgia state Senate beginning in the late 1980s, he eventually became Georgia’s lieutenant governor from 1999 to 2007. During his time of public service, Taylor was closely involved in major policy efforts that reshaped opportunity for Georgia families. Among the most significant was his role in supporting the HOPE Scholarship, a program that has helped hundreds of thousands of students attend college.

Taylor also played a part in initiatives expanding children’s health care through PeachCare, strengthening victims’ rights laws, and supporting law enforcement tools such as Georgia’s early DNA crime database.

Beyond policy achievements, Taylor represented something deeper for rural Georgia. He
understood the economic and social challenges facing communities outside the Atlanta metropolitan area. Whether advocating for education, work force development, or health care access, he carried the concerns of southwest Georgia with him to the Capitol.

Porter’s influence has been just as significant, though in a different arena. A long-time attorney, public servant, and media executive, Porter served nearly three decades in the Georgia House of Representatives, including time as House Minority Leader. His work in the legislature gave him a reputation as a coalition builder, someone able to navigate Georgia’s political divides while still advocating for rural communities.

Yet Porter’s impact did not stop with politics. As the owner and publisher of community newspapers, beginning with the Dublin Courier Herald, Porter has helped sustain local journalism across the state. At a time when many rural communities have seen their local newspapers disappear, his work has helped preserve an essential civic institution.

Through his publications and media leadership, Porter’s reach now extends far beyond middle Georgia, circulating information and perspective throughout the state.

Together, Taylor and Porter represent a kind of leadership that often goes uncelebrated today: steady, practical, and rooted in community rather than spectacle. Both men remain active as businessmen and employers, continuing to create jobs and economic stability in the regions they call home. Their influence is felt not only in public policy or political strategy but also in the livelihoods of the families whose communities they support.

As Georgia moves toward another important election cycle, voices across the political spectrum will attempt to define the state’s future. But there is wisdom in remembering leaders like these — men who built careers not on noise but on results.

Georgia does not belong to one ideology, one region, or one political faction. It belongs to all of us, from the farms and small towns of southwest Georgia, to the communities of middle Georgia, to the growing cities across the state. The challenge ahead is to ensure that the best of Georgia moves forward together.

Leaders like Mark Taylor and DuBose Porter remind us that unity is not just a slogan. It is a practice built through years of service, economic stewardship, and commitment to community. They may prefer to remain out of the spotlight, and they would likely never ask for recognition. But sometimes it is necessary to give people their flowers while they are still here to receive them.

For their decades of service, their continued investment in Georgia’s communities, and their example of pragmatic leadership, these men stand as two humble giants of Georgia. And as this next chapter of Georgia politics unfolds, we would do well to remember the examples they have set — and encourage them, and others like them, to continue fighting the good fight for one Georgia.