DALTON —
On July 20, voters in Georgia’s 9th Congressional District will go to the polls for the third time in three months to choose a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Former state Rep. Tom Graves of Ranger and former state Sen. Lee Hawkins of Gainesville, both Republicans, took the top two spots in an eight-man special election on May 11 to fill the unexpired term of former Republican Rep. Nathan Deal, who resigned earlier this year to concentrate on his campaign for governor.
Graves then defeated Hawkins on June 8 in the special election runoff. Graves was sworn in as a congressman a few days later. But his term ends Dec. 31. He and Hawkins are among the six candidates seeking the Republican nomination in the July 20 primary for the 9th District seat. No Democrat qualified for the post, so the winner of the Republican race should be the person to serve the next full two-year term.
Also on the Republican primary ballot will be former Chickamauga City Council member Steve Tarvin, who finished third in the special election, physicians Bert Loftman and Chris Cates and state Rep. Bobby Reese of Flowery Branch.
Loftman and Cates, however, are not actively campaigning, and Loftman endorsed Graves after the special election.
Reese is the only candidate among the six who did not also run in the special election. He said he chose not to run then because that would have required him to resign from his House seat while the session was still under way.
“I just felt like I’d made a commitment, and we had a lot of important issues to deal with,” he said.
Hawkins and Graves resigned from their seats in the General Assembly to run in the special election.
Graves has already opened district offices in Dalton, Gainesville and LaFayette to handle constituent questions. He has also been appointed assistant House whip by the House Republican leadership.
But Graves’ opponents continue to press him on some of his business dealings, including a lawsuit filed against Graves and state Senate Majority Leader Chip Price, R-Woodstock, for allegedly defaulting on a $2.25 million loan by the Bartow County Bank.
Last week, for instance, Hawkins released a statement noting that Graves had failed to file his personal financial disclosure by May 15 as required by federal law and calling on Graves to release all the documents related to his dealing with the Bartow County Bank since 2007.
Graves has accused Hawkins of mudslinging. He and Price have reportedly countersued the bank for allegedly going back on a promise to refinance the loan.
Election
9th District race still not over
- Local Election News
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And they’re off
Qualifying for local elections got off to a busy start on Wednesday.
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Former Sheriff Stafford running for office again
Former Whitfield County sheriff James E. “Jim” Stafford says he will be a candidate for sheriff this year.
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Qualifying starts Wednesday in Whitfield, Murray
Whitfield and Murray County voters will find out officially this week who will be running for local offices. Qualifying for the July 31 general primary starts Wednesday in both counties and will conclude Friday.
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Miller joins field running for county clerk of Superior Court
Susan Miller says she will run for the Whitfield County clerk of Superior Court this year as a Republican. Miller was defeated four years ago by Republican Melica Kendrick when Miller ran as a Democrat.
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Cope seeks re-election as magistrate judge
Whitfield County Magistrate Court Judge Kaye Cope plans to run for re-election.
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And they’re off
- State Election News
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Qualifying opens next week for state offices
Political and non-partisan candidates hoping to get elected this year will be qualifying next week.
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State Sen. George Hooks won’t seek another term
State Sen. George Hooks will not seek a 17th term in the Georgia legislature.
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APNewsBreak: Chamber to run congressional ads
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is launching ads in Florida, Missouri, Hawaii and Ohio as Democrats struggle to hold Senate seats and their slim majority. The Republican-friendly lobbying group is also targeting 17 House races from New York to Minnesota.
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Newt Gingrich wins Georgia Republican primary
ATLANTA (AP) — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich claimed a decisive victory in the Georgia Republican primary Tuesday, a desperately needed win in his former home state as he looks to make another comeback in the GOP presidential race.
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Ga. officials align with GOP candidates
The Republican speaker of Georgia’s House of Representatives laughed when asked if he had endorsed any GOP candidates for president.
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“Thank God, no,” House Speaker David Ralston said.
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Qualifying opens next week for state offices
- National Election News
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THE RACE: Obama, Romney working to stay on message
President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are being buffeted by crosswinds as Obama fights to keep his job and Romney works to wrest it from him. Both know where they want to go, but getting there is something else.
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Romney, GOP guvs have differing takes on economy
In Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell runs TV ads hailing the state’s business growth. Ohio Gov. John Kasich tells anyone who will listen that 100,000 jobs have been created or retained on his watch. And Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder promotes a state budget that’s on solid ground for the first time in a decade.
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Third party group gives up seeking a candidate
A private organization established to run a third-party candidate in this year’s presidential elections has thrown in the towel, saying no one mustered sufficient support for such an effort.
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Shift on marriage energizes immigration activists
President Barack Obama’s shift to support gay marriage is energizing young Hispanic voters who have been working side-by-side with gay activists in their push for immigration reform. The alliance has been growing nationwide and helping dispel what many say is an outdated notion that Hispanics are less tolerant of gays than the general public.
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Ads highlight cozy campaign-super PAC relationship
Looks like President Barack Obama’s allies got the hint.
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THE RACE: Obama, Romney working to stay on message
