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Shyam Reddy - Red Clay Democrat Hits The Ground Running
May. 19, 2005 -
Shyam Reddy believes there is no one more qualified than he to be Georgia’s secretary of state. The 30-year-old corporate and securities lawyer at Kilpatrick Stockton LLP works firsthand with the state’s corporate and securities code, and he’s versed in the other key functions of the office: state election law, professional licensure, and historic recordkeeping. His pro-business stance is designed to attract dollars to state coffers. What’s more, the handsome, well-spoken young lawyer has a deep-seated desire to serve.
Shyam (pronounced “Shaam”) in his native tongue but with a southern accent sounds like “Sham”) Reddy, the first-generation American son of Indian immigrants, was born, raised, and schooled in Georgia.
“As far back as I can remember, I knew that one day I would run for office; it was just a matter of timing,” he says.
He became a lawyer, then watched in dismay as Republicans swept the 2000 state election. He got together with a group of colleagues to voice their frustrations – and do something about it. They ended up founding the Red Clay Democrats, a foundation created to serve Georgia’s younger Democratic voters and which, three years after its inception, has received support from former President Jimmy Carter, Georgia governor Roy Barnes, Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor, and other prominent electives. The organization now numbers 1,000 members.
Then Secretary of State Cathy Cox decided to make a run for governor, opening up her seat for 2006. Reddy woke up on the morning of his 30th birthday, and realized this was his big chance.
Reddy’s enthusiasm is profound. “Georgia has eight and a half million people, and I’ve got to connect with every one of them,” he says, in a way that makes you believe it can be as simple and straightforward as turning on a transistor radio.
The candidate isn’t concerned about racial hostility. “Anytime I go anywhere in Georgia, people go out of their way to help, say “hi,” “good morning,” “can I help you?” he says, with obvious affection for his home state.
However, Reddy readily acknowledges the novelty of his candidacy. “No one really knows how I’m going to play out because we’ve never had anyone like me run,” he says. By “like me,” Reddy is referring to minority candidates who are neither black nor Latino. “It’s going to be interesting,” he adds.
Reddy’s service orientation is evident, even just in talking about his campaign.
“I hope that my running will inspire people of color and young people to run- do what they thought was unimaginable,” he says, adding that he wants to be in public service for as long as possible.
“I’ve enjoyed practicing law; being a corporate lawyer for a large law firm has given me invaluable experience. I’ve learned so much about deals and negotiation and relationships, and worked with some of the smartest people you could meet,” he says. “But my calling is public service.”
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