...a $25,000 state grant to replace drought-stricken city azaleas ? plus holding the record for being the longest-serving speaker pro tem in the United States. HE'S BEEN NOMINATED, BUT HE WON'T RUN: Somebody created a "Bob Young for...

...House and in 1977 elected speaker pro tempore of the House; a position he held for 26 years, making him the longest serving Speaker Pro Tem in Georgia and the United States. During his service to Augusta, he was a major force in projects that...

...the Legislature for 34 years, serving as speaker pro tem of the Georgia House for 28, thereby becoming the longest-serving speaker pro tem in the nation. He retired in 2002 and actively ran his businesses in Augusta until recently, when he...

...Tom Murphy, who died Monday night at age 83. Until his 2002 election defeat, Mr. Murphy was the nation's longest serving speaker of the House -- 28 years. Most of that time he was the second-most powerful man in Georgia, just behind the...

...from one end of the state to the other. When Mr. Murphy lost his final re-election bid in 2002, he was the longest-serving speaker in the nation. The lawyer from Bremen had attained near legendary status as a power broker for a Democratic...

...said to be in very serious condition and could be near death. Mr. Murphy, a west Georgia Democrat, was the longest serving speaker of the House in the nation when he was defeated in 2002. State Rep. Terry Coleman, who briefly succeeded Mr...

...House in November 2002. He had presided over the House since 1974 and still holds the title of the nation's longest serving speaker of a state legislature. Mr. Murphy, an attorney, had planned to have more time for his practice in Bremen...

...1960s, have lost their seats in elections. Other longtime lawmakers, such as Rep. Jack Connell, Georgia's longest-serving speaker pro tem, and Sen. Hugh Gillis, the country's longest-serving legislator, chose to retire. In the Senate...

...the last 26 as House speaker pro tempore, the chamber's second-highest-ranking position. He remains the longest-serving speaker pro tempore in Georgia and U.S. history. The House overwhelmingly supported a resolution - sponsored by Augusta...

...leadership for the first time in decades, due to the election defeat of Tom Murphy, D-Bremen, the nation's longest-serving speaker. Murphy's all-but-certain successor, chosen by the Democratic Caucus, is Terry Coleman of Eastman...