User blog:Cbcarter34/Eugene X. Gatling, former governor of Calikota and member of Parliament, dies

Former Calikota premier and member of Parliament Eugene X. (better known as Gene) Gatling passed away this morning at the age of 94, his daughter Katie Gatling-Stringer announced. "Daddy was a harrd working premier and he represent Northwest Calikota with pride during his years in the Sovereignty House of Commons. He was honest and he was a real hard worker as he wanted to make lives better for all Calikotans," she said. Current premier Tony Nelson had some fond memories of the late premier "I remember running for the first time in 2008, and one of members of my campaign staff said that if you want to win this race, you better get a ringing endorsement from Gene Gatling because as a Labor Democrat, he was every Conservate Centrist nightmare. Calikota lost a giant today, and I for one will miss him dearly," Nelson said.

Born in 1922, Gatling ran for the state House of Commons in 1968, but was soundly defeated by Conservative Centrist Michael Butler. In 1976, Gatling was elected as Premier of Calikota by a landslide victory. In 1980, he lost the Labor Democrat nomination, but he ran as an independent, and won reelection in November. In 1984, he won a third term, beating former Lt. Governor and good friend Benson Dubois. In 1988, Gatling was elected to the Sovereignity Parliament and the House of Commons, where he served until 2012, when he retired. His daughter, Katie, now holds his seat in Parliament.

By order of Premier Nelson, the flags around the Premier Mansion and the state Capitol are flying at half-mass in respect of Gatling. Funeral services are incomplete. However, traditional when a premier passes, his/her body lies in state at the state Capitol for three days before the funeral. There's no word if the Gatlings will continue that tradition, or they would do it their way.