Well, the Athens-Clarke mayoral race is officially on.

It’s no longer the province of those blessed few who are actively involved with local politics, nor the even fewer who are paid to watch them, such as myself. Spencer Frye is going on the radio, taking his campaign to the masses. From Team Frye:

Spencer Frye’s campaign for Mayor will be airing a radio ad this week touting his experience.

As Executive Director of the Athens Area Habitat for Humanity, Spencer Frye interacts with several major departments in the Athens-Clarke County government: planning, inspections, public works, and human and economic development. Spencer manages the budget of one of the largest non-profits in Athens and manages a staff of 13 employees on a daily basis. It is a difficult job, indicated by the fact that there were five executive directors in the preceding six years before Spencer became director.

Insurance commissioner candidate Maria Sheffield, in a runoff with state Sen. Ralph Hudgens, R-Hull, picked up endorsements today from two former candidates, Stephen Northington and state Sen. Seth Harp, R-Midland.

They released a joint statement: “We support Maria because we can personally attest to her credentials as a true person of character and a candidate who has offered positive policy solutions for the issues facing Georgia’s next Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner. Throughout the campaign, we have had the chance to see the true character of Maria Sheffield and know she will serve with honor and distinction in this office.”

The other candidates piled on Hudgens for playing fast and loose with campaign money. So this is a roundabout way of saying “Hudgens is a scumbag.”

Facebook. Twitter. E-mail.

For entertainment purposes only. Discuss.

Republicans

• Governor: The polls say Karen Handel and Nathan Deal in a runoff, but I’m picking an upset: Eric Johnson instead of Deal.

• Attorney General: Preston Smith is taking votes from Max Wood. Sam Olens, no runoff.

• Secretary of state: Brian Kemp.

• Ag commissioner: Gary Black

• School super: John Barge, just because his name comes first. No one knows anything about these guys.

• Labor commissioner: Mark Butler, same reason.

• PSC: Jeff May leading Tim Echols in a runoff.

• 7th Congressional District: Clay Cox, no runoff.

• Senate District 47: Frank Ginn leading Shane Coley in a runoff.

• House District 113: Three strong candidates. Hank Huckaby leading Tommy Malcom in a runoff.

• Governor: Roy Barnes gets it in the first round.

• Lt. governor: Carole Porter.

• U.S. Senate: Mike Thurmond.

Election Day is four days away, and the last-minute shenanigans are kicking into high gear.

For example, someone set up a website attacking House District 113 candidate Hank Huckaby for his ties to Michael Adams (duh – he worked for UGA for nine years) and for once being a Democrat (at one time, so was everyone else in Georgia).

The site quotes Huckaby saying “I won’t say I will never raise taxes.” The rest of his answer is cut off, but he went to say that’s because the legislature will be pursuing broad tax reform tax reform next year, and he might vote to raise some taxes while lowering others. JMac can fill you in on the rest of the site’s misleading allegations.

The site mentions one of Huckaby's opponents, Kirk Shook, but Shook denied responsibility for it.

The AJC has more details about the bank part-owned by Rep. Paul Broun going under.

Not long before it lost its multi-year fight for survival, McIntosh Commercial Bank had lost so much money on such loans that, by one measure, it was financially the weakest of Georgia’s roughly 300 banks. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. estimates the closure will cost its deposit insurance fund more than $123 million.

McIntosh had a problem-loan-to-cash-reserve ration of 884 percent, the highest of any bank in the state, and unwinding it will cost taxpayers $123 million. Broun blames the closure on an overzealous Obama Administration. Federal investigators are conducting an audit to determine whether the bank should have been shut down, the AJC reported.

Democratic candidate Russell Edwards is turning the business failure into a campaign issue:

Democratic congressional candidate Russell Edwards hit his goal by raising $102,000 in April, May and June for his campaign against Rep. Paul Broun.

Edwards’ haul is nearly as much as the 2008 Democratic candidate, Bobby Saxon, raised in 15 months. His campaign had this to say today:

“I’m so grateful to have such wide-spread and strong support from throughout the District and across the country. This report shows voters are responding to my campaign to send responsible leadership to Congress,” said Edwards. “Frankly, many in our District are suffering, and our incumbent refuses to help. Together we will send responsible leadership to Congress that supports our community. Together we will win this race.” …

Democratic attorney general candidate Ken Hodges continues to claim that Andrew Young endorsed him even after Young denied it.

Young told the AJC that Hodges had his picture taken with him, but he did not endorse Hodges or his opponent, state Rep. Rob Teilhet, D-Smyrna. He has, however, cut a check to Teilhet.

Hodges, the Dougherty County district attorney, e-mailed a list of endorsements to supporters this morning. Right at the top of the list is this: “Ambassador Andrew Young - Former Mayor of Atlanta, U.S. Congressman, and Ambassador to the U.N.”

Hodges and Teilhet traded press releases over the Fourth of July weekend. Teilhet announced an endorsement today from the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys.

An Insider Advantage/WSB-TV poll released today shows John Oxendine and Karen Handel neck-and-neck in the Republican gubernatorial race, but a third of voters are still undecided less than three weeks before the Election Day.

Be wary, because the quality of Insider Advantage’s polls have come into question. But six weeks ago, the firm showed Oxendine with 23 percent of the vote and Handel and Nathan Deal essentially tied for second. CEO Matt Towery says Handel and Eric Johnson are on the rise, while Deal and Oxendine are slipping.

State Rep. Keith Heard, D-Athens, announced a key endorsement today from the Georgia Association of Educators.

GAE Director of Government Relations Marcus Downs said in a news release:

(S)ince every decision concerning the operation of our schools is made by elected officials, it is imperative that education employees support candidates who will make children and public education a high priority. Keith G. Heard will work incredibly hard to make sure that every child has an equal opportunity for a quality education in Georgia’s public schools. Educators have a history of very high turnout on Election Day, and our children are depending on our active political involvement. Teachers are always advocates for their students, in the classroom and on Election Day. They will help elect a friend of education, Keith G. Heard.”

His primary opponent, Holly Ward, is an education consultant. That has to sting.

President Barack Obama got served today by Republican gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer.

Brewer, who recently signed the nation’s toughest immigration law, endorsed Handel for governor of Georgia. As Republicans are seeking to one-up each other on who can make life most miserable for illegal immigrants, Handel is citing her battle with the Obama Administration over whether she can check voters’ citizenship – a process the Justice Department says results in minority citizens being wrongfully kicked off the voter rolls. Attorney General Eric Holder is also considering challenging the Arizona law, which requires police to check criminal suspects' citizenship.

From the Team Handel news release:

In her endorsement, Governor Brewer said: