Let’s talk qualifying.

We’ll have two very interesting Athens-Clarke Commission races to follow: Elton Dodson versus Mike Hamby in District 10 and Red Petrovs versus Ed Robinson in District 6.

I know Petrovs far better than Robinson because I’ve been covering OneAthens and I wasn’t around for the 2004 election. This will be a race of contrasting ideas and styles where there’s a clear-cut choice.

Petrovs is a tough-talking, no-nonsense kind of guy who is conservative, especially fiscally, but is driven by facts and not ideology. His voice would be unique on the commission. He could get stuck with the Chamber of Commerce tag – the kiss of death in recent elections – but he says the chamber’s changed so much since Larry McKinney left that it’s not such an albatross anymore.

Qualifying closed 21 minutes ago. The only real news is we have a Democrat, a 48-year-old attorney named Sherry L. Jackson of Bogart, running against Bill Cowsert.

Josh Lanier finally qualified for U.S. Senate, and two Democrats, Bob Indech and Jim Powell, are running for Public Service Commission (a race that never gets the attention it deserves).

Nobody qualified locally, so nobody is running against Ira, which is a little surprising. It seems like, what with the Nuwabians and Brett Hart and the falling-apart jail, etc., there's lots of mud to throw at him.

A lame qualifying week just got a lot lamer.

Former state Sen. Brian Kemp passed along a note this morning saying he won't be running against Ralph Hudgens in the GOP primary.

"After a great deal of reflection over the last several months I have decided not to seek re-election to the State Senate this year," he said. "Several business opportunities have opened up for me and I have decided it is best for me and my family to pursue those opportunities at this time. I look forward to continuing my public service in the near future."