Sanford Bishop: “I am deeply saddened today by the loss of our friend and colleague, Paul Coverdell. His passing is not only a great loss…”

“I am deeply saddened today by the loss of our friend and colleague, Paul Coverdell. His passing is not only a great loss for Georgia and our Nation, it is indeed a personal loss for me. I first met Senator Coverdell in 1974, when he came to Columbus, Georgia, where I lived, and he did his best to recruit me to run as a Republican for the State Senate. Senator Coverdell was not successful in that endeavor, but he impressed upon me his commitment to integrity in government and his commitment to our two-party system. I eventually ran for the legislature 2 years later as a Democrat, and I have served with Paul, I guess now for nearly 20 years, both as a member of the General Assembly and as a member of our State's delegation here in Congress. He and I worked together on a number of issues over the years, and he was an extraordinary leader whose flexibility, his ability and commitment, and his integrity were recognized by anyone who knew him and had the opportunity to work with him.”