Robert Paul Hanner (April 19, 1945 – January 2, 2019) was an
American politician and businessman.
Biography
Early years and education
Robert Paul Hanner was born in
Americus, Georgia
Americus is the county seat of Sumter County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 16,230. It is the principal city of the Americus Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Schley an ...
on April 19, 1945 to Jack and Yip Hanner. He attended Parrott Grammar School, Terrell High School,
Gordon Military College in
Barnesville and
Georgia Southwestern State University
Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) is a public university in Americus, Georgia. It is part of the University System of Georgia and offers bachelor's degree programs along with selected master's and specialist degree programs.
History ...
. He served in the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
in 1967 and 1968 in
South Vietnam.
Hanner was a farmer. He was involved in the insurance business and estate planning. He lived in
Parrott, Georgia
Parrott is a town in Terrell County, Georgia, United States. The population was 158 as of the 2010 census. It is part of the Albany, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Parrott was founded in the 1860s by James and John L. Parrott, pi ...
for nearly all of his life.
Political career
Hanner was a member of the
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005. ...
from 1974 to 2013. He was a loyal
Democrat for most of his political career, advancing to the position of committee Chairman during the decades when Democrats exercised majority rule.
Hanner served during a period when House Speaker
Tom Murphy waged a fiercely partisan battle against Republicans, drawing district maps during
reapportionment
Apportionment is the process by which seats in a legislative body are distributed among administrative divisions, such as states or parties, entitled to representation. This page presents the general principles and issues related to apportionme ...
which were criticized as pro-Democrat
gerrymanders.
It was during this period that Congressman
Newt Gingrich remarked that "The Speaker, by raising money and gerrymandering, has sincerely dedicated a part of his career to wiping me out."
Murphy made Hanner his
point man
To take point, walk point, be on point, or be a point man is to assume the first and most exposed position in a combat military formation, that is, the leading soldier or unit advancing through hostile or unsecured territory. The term can be a ...
in this effort, as Chairman of the
House Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment committee, specifically charged with creating the gerrymandered districts.
With the fall of Speaker Murphy, and the shift of power from Democrats to Republicans, Hanner left the Democratic party and switched to the Republicans in 2010.
Death and legacy
Hanner died on January 2, 2019.
See also
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanner, Bob
1945 births
2019 deaths
Members of the Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia (U.S. state) Republicans
Georgia (U.S. state) Democrats
People from Sumter County, Georgia
People from Terrell County, Georgia
Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia Southwestern State University
Gordon State College alumni
Businesspeople from Georgia (U.S. state)
Farmers from Georgia (U.S. state)
21st-century American politicians
20th-century American businesspeople