CAPITOL POWER: WHO’S WHO AT THE GOLD DOME

CHIEF OF STAFF

Tim Fleming: Kemp didn’t look far when he tapped his new top aide. Fleming first worked for Kemp in 2002 during his successful bid for a state Senate seat, and he later managed Kemp’s unsuccessful campaign for agriculture commissioner in 2006 and his run for governor last year. Fleming inherits one of the most challenging — and powerful — jobs in state government from Chris Riley, the most influential gubernatorial chief of staff of his generation.

HOUSE

David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, speaker: The levelheaded, plain-spoken mountain lawyer has earned high marks for leading a chamber that can be raucous and fractious at times. He faces increasing pressure from the right within his own caucus, but he has managed to maintain control when it matters. Jan Jones, R-Milton, speaker pro tem: She’s seen as a smart, stable leader from a politically important part of metro Atlanta. A former journalist and marketing executive, Jones is the highestranking woman in General Assembly history. Last year, she headed a committee to review how the House and Senate handle sexual harassment issues. Terry England, R-Auburn, House budget chairman: England was Ralston’s choice to take over the money committee, and like his Senate counterpart Hill, he is an extremely hardworking lawmaker who follows the state’s finances closely and knows where pretty much every cent of the state’s $26 billion budget is spent. Jay Powell, R-Camilla, new chairman of the House Rules Committee: Powell, a lawyer, is best known for handling big tax legislation as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. Like Mullis in the Senate, Powell plays a major role in deciding which legislation gets to the floor of the chamber for a vote and which bills die. Bob Trammell,

D-Luthersville, minority leader: An attorney, Trammell was picked to replace Stacey Abrams, the party’s nominee for governor last year. He tended to be more aggressive on some issues than Abrams in that role, but he strongly backed her candidacy for governor. Trammell narrowly won re-election against an opponent who might — or might not have — lived in the district and followed it up by winning a caucus vote to continue leading the Democrats in the House.