Oconee County, GA Politics

Norma Lee Sexton Matthews was born in Marshalltown, Iowa December 17, 1930 to Helen and Charles Sexton. She was the second of four children, but would not settle for second to anyone the rest of her life. Among other things, she was the State of Iowa spelling bee champion and the female editor of the Daily Iowan newspaper while attending the University of Iowa. She edited the newspaper in Cooperstown, New York but returned to her native Iowa to marry the Georgia Peach of Meredith Publishing in Dan J. Matthews, Sr. and started on a long road of political exploration and innovation. She started a business called Campaigns, Incorporated which took many of the principals she learned the hard way in her own failed races for the Board of Education and House of Representatives. Along the way Caucuses were held in our house at 518 44th street on the legendary Snake Drive just north of Grand, Presidential candidates came knocking on our door and many hands were grasped and acquaintances made....

Growing up in Iowa certainly had its advantages, especially if your mother was a paid political consultant. In the 1972, my mom helped move the Caucuses to the front of the line, and then she helped co-chair a Senator from neighboring South Dakota to brave the Iowa January winter to finish third to Muskie and Uncommitted en route to George McGovern winning the nomination of the Democratic Party in Miami later on that year. Four years later it was "Go Mo" with Morris Udall, Representative from Arizona and one time professional baseball player and Olympic swimmer. He would have not only been our first Mormon President but also our first President with a glass eye. I found this photo at home last week and then stumbled on to the website of the photographer Keith Wessel from whence it came.

So long ago (1966) and far away in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, my mother started running for Precinct Delegate along with the distinctive green bow tied candidacy of this gentlemen running for U.S. Senator after a long stint as Governor and Zolton Ferency running to replace him. Lucien Nedzi was the candidate for 14th District congressman.