Mike Bowers
In June 1997, Mike Bowers, a candidate for Georgia governor and former Georgia Attorney General admitted to a 15-year affair with a subordinate in the attorney general’s office. Bowers announced that he would resign his position as a major general in the Georgia Air National Guard because of the affair. (Florida Times-Union [Jacksonville, FL], “Governor-hopeful Bowers Admits Decade-Long Affair,” June 6, 1997)

The Florida Times-Union noted that Bowers was “the most ardent defender of Georgia’s morality laws” while carrying on the affair. The paper reported that Bowers “admitted feeling hypocritical” for withdrawing a job offer in 1991 to a lesbian planning to marry another woman.
(Florida Times-Union [Jacksonville, FL], “Governor-hopeful Bowers Admits Decade-Long Affair,” June 6, 1997)

Mistress Revealed Bowers Made Financial Payments to Her, Often By Signing Over State-Paid Expense Checks

In April 1998, Bowers’ mistress, Anne Davis, revealed in a story in George magazine that Bowers made $400-$600 monthly payments to her since their affair began, “often by signing over his state-paid expense checks.”
(Atlanta Journal and Constitution, “Bowers Says He’s Stopped Payments to Ex-Mistress,” April 17, 1998)

Bowers’ wife of 35 years, Bette Rose, defended her husband’s decision to financially support his mistress:

“When she asked Mike for help, he thought that it was the right thing to do, and I concurred. I didn’t think about it until it became an issue (this week). . . . I look forward to the day when Mike and I stop having to apologize for the fact that we kept our marriage together.’’
(Atlanta Journal and Constitution, “Bowers Says He’s Stopped Payments to Ex-Mistress,” April 17, 1998)

Bowers Refused to Heed Fellow Republicans’ Calls to Drop Out of Campaign.

The Atlanta Journal and Constitution quoted several high level Republican officials who suggested that Bowers should drop out of the Governor’s race. Bowers refused:

“I ran the attorney general’s office in open defiance of all the damn politicians in the state. I don’t owe them nothing. They can, every single one, say, ‘Mike, get out,’ but I’m not.”
(Atlanta Journal and Constitution, “Bowers Says He’s Stopped Payments to Ex-Mistress,” April 17, 1998)