Representatives

from 15 counties in the newly formed 8th Congressional District gathered

Saturday to elect new Republican officers and review rules.

In the recent

redistricting, U.S. Rep. Mac Collins' 3rd District was swallowed into

the new district. Former 3rd District delegates and alternates from Bibb,

Butts, Carol, Coweta, Douglas, Fayette, Harris, Henry, Jasper, Jones,

Lamar, Muscogee, Newton, Pike, Rockdale, Spalding, Troop and Upson counties

traveled to Columbus for the four-plus-hour meeting.

Collins spoke

to the group, welcoming those who were formerly served by other congressmen.

Saying the redistricting map looked like someone had "poured paint

out and it ran here and there," he promised to represent entire counties

despite the fact that most in the large, winding district were split into

multiple congressional districts.

In addition

to Collins, State Sen. Mitch Seabaugh of Coweta County, State Rep. Kathy

Cox of Fayette County, State Rep. Lynn Smith of Coweta, Fayette County

State Court Solicitor Steve Harris and Fayette County Commission Chairman

Greg Dunn served as delegates for their respective counties.

In an upset

victory, Fayette County's Jean Studdard was elected as the 8th District

Chair. She defeated Rob Doll of Muscogee County, who had served as Chair

for the former 3rd District. Studdard worked on U.S. Sen. Paul Coverdell's

staff and is currently working for Collins.

She has been

an active Republican since working for Richard Nixon's gubernatorial California

run in 1962 and has volunteered on numerous campaigns since including

Ronal Reagan, Newt Gingrich, Bob Dole, George Bush and locally, Paul Heard

and Lynn Westmoreland. She has served in numerous capacities in the local

Fayette County Republican Party and is a well-known face to Republican's

throughout Collins' district.

Billy Horne

of Coweta County was elected First Vice Chair and Lane Watts, Fayette

County Republican Party Chair, became the new 4th Vice Chair. Watts was

also selected to serve on the State Committee along with Bill Bonner and

Isaac Tuner, both from Fayette County, and Horne. Barbara Scruggs of Coweta

County will serve as secretary for the large district. All are volunteer

positions.

Minor changes

were made to the District Rules. The Rules Committee recommended deleting

two sections regarding automatic removal from office if a set number of

meetings were missed. After much discussion delegates voted to keep the

automatic removal sections, making one change to allow for absent State

Committeemen to send a proxy.