Whether you like his politics or not, you have to give Jim Powell credit. The Democratic Public Service Commission candidate is the forgotten man in the runoff, overshadowed by the Senate race, but he’s running harder than anyone out there.

Powell has already spent more time in Athens then any other politician running statewide this year, visiting the Classic City at least a half-dozen times. He touched down at Ben Epps Airport this afternoon en route to Savannah to meet with a small group of supporters, including former mayor Gwen O’Looney and a few young environmental activists.

Holding court in the waiting lounge, Powell said he’d be an advocate for clean energy and clean ethics on the Republican-dominated PSC, the five-member elected body that oversees Georgia Power and natural-gas utilities.

As reported earlier, state Reps. Terry England, R-Auburn, and Tommy Benton, R-Jefferson, are among about a dozen or so representatives openly backing Blue Ridge Republican David Ralston’s challenge of House Speaker Glenn Richardson.

I still haven’t had a chance to talk to Benton or England personally, but I spoke to state Rep. Bob Smith, R-Watkinsville, recently, and he said he’s sitting on the sidelines for the time being. Smith backed Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter, R-Alpharetta, for the top spot in 2004.

The official Democrat line is that they’ll let the GOP sort out the speaker situation in caucus meetings this fall. After all, when one party starts fighting in the sandbox, they make the other side look like grown-ups.