Ralston challenged Richardson for top stop last year, lost, and was promptly stripped of his committee chairmanship in a punitive move by Richardson.

Ralston closes the meeting with remarks calling for party unity.  "We've had a tough last few weeks," capped by caucus
elections that can get "tense," he newly minted speaker said.  He pledged to involve everyone fully in the Republican "family". "I will put up with a lot, but I will not put up with backbiting, bickering and these intrafamily tensions very long.  I hope I'm
clear," Ralston proclaimed firmly.

12:45 p.m. - Ralston, in a brief talk with the press, says he looks to keep most committee chairs in place saying the "problem" was at a higher level, not among chairs, and that his caucus has clearly voted for change. "Tomorrow I'm going to start working on the budget," he added. "You made a country boy real happy!," Ralston said in his short speech. "After today, let's go enjoy Christmas."

The GOP turns to nominating a Speaker Pro Tem. The five nominees are Rich Golick (R-Smyrna), Fran MIllar (R-Dunwoody), Jan Jones(R-Milton), Clay Cox (R-Lilburn) and Len Walker (R-Loganville).

1:50 p.m.-Walker began by setting a spiritual tone, noting that "there is evil in the world" and that these are "dangerous and challenging times".  Then he said he seeks to provide leadership that is "invested", that is, "invested" full time in his colleagues' political lives.  He pledged a face-to-face, heart-to-heart relationship to each House Republican via new, small caucuses. Last came "inspiration"; he plans to inspire each legislator to be the "legislator God wants you to be."

1:38 p.m.-Clay Cox started by calling himself one of the "shoe-leather patriots" who in 2004 made up the first House Republican majority since Reconstruction.  He called for refocusing on the conservative agenda:  a pro-business environment and fewer taxes on the fruits of labor. He also denounced a "government takeover" of the health system, perhaps a reference to the federal health bill. He called for the end of entrenched leadership, demanding term limits for the Speaker and Speaker Pro Tem.  Without naming Richardson, however, he defended the party despite "bad things" of the last few weeks and said the GOP must cleave together by responding well.

1:29 p.m. - Majority Whip Jones said she wants to "do something, not be something." The former financial auditor says "this race is not only about competence--competence is the refrain of the technocrat," she said. Instead, she aims for the "magic" that can come from pushing together for the beliefs she says Republicans share:  smaller government that only does what individuals cannot do for themselves; equal opportunities, not equal outcomes; accountability in education; a good business environment through tax and transport; and "valuing life."

1:20 p.m. Millar argued "faith and family" come first for him, and promised he has no "skeletons in the closet." He dwelled on transportation:  "Don't kid yourself, I don't care if you life in Valdosta, in Savannah, 53 percent of the population lives in those ten [metro Atlanta] counties, and they don't get their fair share of funding for transportation," he argued.  He doesn't want Atlanta to die of lack of transport funding.  "It's never been about me, but the issues," he said. Millar has said he has no ambition to run for Speaker or other office.

1:08 p.m. - Golick, a former Governor's floor leader, touted his experience fighting his "primary adversary Richardson on behalf of the governor.  He argues his seat is safe, which he won with 55 percent of the vote in 2008.  Ethics aren't an issue, "I don't believe there's anybody in this race with personal issues," he said. "This election is about experience--who is up to the job?" He's also pledged to win "fair" redistricting in 2010.

12:00 p.m. House Speaker Glenn Richardson, who has been forced to resign from the General Assembly under a cloud of ethical transgressions and blatant infedility, is now making an emotional speech, his last under the Gold Dome. The new speaker will be announced shortly.

Richardson, fighting back tears, said, "I take full responsibility for my failures," and admitted that his poltical unraveling was his own doing. He also said the he should have died, but didn't. "God brought me back, I don't know why," he said.

11:45 a.m. -Bill Hembree has been knocked out in the first round of ballotting-its now between David Ralston and Larry O'Neal. Wendall Willard (R-Sandy Springs) spoke first on behalf of David Ralston (Blue Ridge).  After homilies, Willard addressed Ralston's back taxes, saying Ralston was a victim of embezzlement. Mike Coan (R-Lawrenceville) took the podium next to nominate Bill Hembree (R-Winston), in a speech full of homilies. David Knight (R-Griffin) first touted himself for winning a district with a 30 percent African-American population then proposed his friend Larry O'Neal (R-Bonaire) for the Speaker's gavel, saying O'Neal has a safe seat, has the procedural knowledge to beat Democrats and "will never embarrass us". O'Neal, however, may be tainted by a law he wrote that got Governor Perdue a big tax break.

11: 37 a.m. Ralston took the well, arguing that he wanted ethics reform thirteen months ago. "This house cannot afford business as usual anymore. That day is over."  He sought to convince the Republicans that he's the man to unite the GOP under "strong, steady, calm" leadership. "There's nothing wrong with what this party stands for,"he said, but "we have to take care of our leader. If we can't do that we don't deserve to be in the majority," he said.

11:43 a.m. Hembree's speech touched on his political platform -- a bit-- saying there's a need for better education and economic development, but he came to life declaring an end to Speaker Richardson's strong-arm tactics. "No more Hawks, no more Speaker's PAC," he declared, referring to Richardson's allies and his political action committee. "I'm not seeking this job for personal gain orprestige." "I will not embarrass you," he declared, saying neither he nor his family would use the office for personal gain. He also said he'd help his House colleagues in the 2010 elections, where a split between the Republican establishment and more upstart tea-party types may be brewing.