Democrats set to battle for control of Georgia House

ATLANTA - Two veteran Democratic lawmakers will get a chance Tuesday to seek the Speakership of the Georgia House after waiting in the wings for 20 years. <br> <br> But a governor&#39;s office and state Senate now in Republican hands could affect the contest between Representatives Larry Walker of Perry and Terry Coleman of Eastman for control of the last Democratic power base in the Capitol. <br> <br> There are 106 Democrats and 73 Republicans in the newly elected House with one independent. Tuesday&#39;s winner could capture the nomination with 54 votes. <br> <br> Some lawmakers say privately that if the losing Democrat mounts a floor fight in January and makes enough promises to Republicans, the next Speaker might not necessarily be the one who wins the Democratic nomination. <br> <br> Coleman and Walker have been eyeing the Speaker&#39;s job for years. But when longtime Speaker Tom Murphy held the post, there was no vacancy. Murphy lost Tuesday to Republican businessman Bill Heath.

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