When Murray County voters went to the polls for Tuesday’s runoff elections, one thing was certain: they would have a new person for Magistrate Court Post 2.
And just like in the general primary election, only a few votes separated the top two.
Eric Hooker won on Tuesday with 1,344 votes (51.3 percent), beating out John Waters with 1,276 votes (48.7 percent).
Hooker and Waters, both Murray County natives, finished in the top two spots in a six-way race on July 31, but neither got the 50 percent of the vote plus one needed to claim the seat. Hooker received 23.3 percent of the vote (1,338) then while Waters got 21.4 percent (1,226).
“I’m just excited,” Hooker said. “I’m grateful that the citizens of Murray County chose me. With everything else going on in the county, I hope I can meet or exceed their expectations and I look forward to being able to help these kids. I’ve said all along I’m not in it for a job, I’m in it for the community. Always have been. I’m excited to be able to start a scholarship program for the high school seniors when they graduate with some of my pay from the Magistrate’s office.”
Hooker is a former jailer at the sheriff’s office who also worked at the Chatsworth and Fairmount police departments. He is now a vice president of Big Bob’s of America, a franchise flooring organization with an office in Dalton.
Waters said the first thing he did after seeing the results was call Hooker to congratulate him. In the primary election, Waters finished 112 votes behind Hooker. This time, Waters finished 68 votes behind Hooker. Closing the gap was due to “good, old fashioned hard work,” Waters said.
“I got out and just every day I was doing something related to the election,” Waters said. “I was calling people, knocking on doors, spreading my message.”
Waters served as a corpsman — similar to a medic in the Army — in the U.S. Navy from 1989-1993, where he worked with the Marines and traveled throughout the Caribbean. He has been self-employed in several ventures since 1996, and is currently the owner of Auto Tech in Chatsworth.
Election-Local
August 22, 2012
Hooker edges Waters for court position
- Election-Local
-
-
Kingston says Republican Senate primary will be very focused
U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, calls the federal Affordable Care Act a “train wreck waiting to happen.”
Continued ...
“Business, especially businesses with 50 to 200 employees, don’t know exactly what is expected of them and how to comply with it. They are very apprehensive,” he said. “Just when we need them to be taking risks and expanding and creating jobs, they have this enormous uncertainty that’s weighing them down.” - Whitfield County Republicans to hold county convention
- Chitwood wins again
- Langford defeats incumbent Ensley
- Barton gets second term, new friend
- Charter school amendment on its way to approval
- Victorious Graves returns to D.C.
- Flood edges out incumbent Reed
- Keener edges out McCurdy
- Meadows wins re-election
- Nov 5, 2012
- Tuesday’s ballots not without intrigue
- Nov 4, 2012
- Voters to decide fate of controversial charter schools amendment
- Oct 29, 2012
- Candidate profile: Ensley wants to continue ‘proven’ leadership
- Candidate profile: Langford has wanted to be sheriff since sixth grade
- Oct 28, 2012
- Candidate profiles: Stafford wants restoration of services
-
Kingston says Republican Senate primary will be very focused
Obama Offers Drone Strike Defense
Raw: Heckler Interrupts Obama on Guantanamo
A Slice of Apple History Up for Grabs
Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy
Raw: 80-Year-Old Climbs Mount Everest
Wash. State Man Arrested Following Ricin Scare
Chain-Reaction School Bus Crash Injures About 50
Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness
New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season
Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge
Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe
Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor
School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones
Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage
