House Speaker David Ralston leaves ‘mighty big shoes to fill’

By Tammy Joyner and Jill Jordan Sieder

ATLANTA - Georgia House Speaker David Ralston died Wednesday after an extended illness. He was 68.

At the time of his death, Ralston had served a dozen years as speaker, making him the longest-serving sitting speaker in the country. With the passing of Speaker Ralston, Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones (R-Milton) has become the 74th Speaker of the House and will serve the rest of Ralston’s term which ends in January.

Upon...