In farewell, Rep. Kirby urges a retreat from political fringes

Kirby, a Republican from Loganville, made his parting address at the Capitol on Tuesday, even though the session continues for another couple of weeks. Kirby decided not to seek reelection this year.

“It has been an honor to serve,” he said.

Kirby has served in the majority party for his full time in Atlanta but said both sides need to come back toward the center.

“The last couple of years, it seems to have gotten more ‘swampy’ down here, using a term we prefer to talk about (Washington) D.C. and wish it would go back to D.C. It’s not good for us.

“I don’t think it’s too good for our constituents, it’s not good for Georgia when we get too swampy. We don’t need to be there.”

Instead, he urged a return to the middle ground of politics.

“Yeah, I may be center-right — some of you may be center-left — but center, there’s not much room for a swamp,” Kirby said. “When we get way right, way left, there’s a lot of swamp ground in between.

“I think we’ve got to get back to that center and I hope folks going forward do.”

Kirby also reminded his colleagues that none of them received a majority of votes from their districts. Rather, they’re under the Gold Dome after getting a majority of the votes cast on Election Day.

“You represent everybody who voted for your opponent, whether it was in a primary or a general (election),” Kirby said. “You represent everybody that didn’t vote. You represent everybody that’s too young to vote.

“We’ve got to get to the middle, get rid of the swampiness, represent our district — everybody. There are people in my district way left of me and there are people in my district way right of me, believe it or not.

“I’ve got to represent them all, and I hope we do that going forward.”

Voters sent Kirby to Atlanta in a 2012 special election after Rep. Len Walker resigned. Kirby has since been elected to five two-year terms.

He thanked his wife, Rosemary, for her patience during his time in office.

“I couldn’t ask for a better partner,” he said. “She’s my rock that builds my foundation. You don’t see her down here. She doesn’t like politics. She basically thinks we’re all crazy for being here to begin with.

“She may be right half the time, but she believes in this, believes in me. I’d like to say I love you, and I’ll have more time to spend with you.”

In addition to western Walton County, his district includes portions of Barrow, Gwinnett and Rockdale counties. Lines are being redrawn for the upcoming elections, and western Walton will be in District 111.

There won’t be primary elections in the new 111th District. Qualifying for the race earlier this month were former Loganville Mayor Rey Martinez as a Republican and Gwinnett nonprofit director Ryan Cox as a Democrat.