Miller concedes PSC runoff; incumbent Eaton keeps seat

After a hotly contested Georgia Public Service Commission runoff, Democrat Lindy Miller conceded the election Wednesday to her Republican opponent, incumbent Chuck Eaton.

The win in Tuesday’s statewide runoff will send Eaton back to the commission to serve his third six-year term. The commission regulates investor-owned electric, natural gas and telecom companies that operate in the state.

“This afternoon I spoke with Commissioner Chuck Eaton, and congratulated him for retaining his seat on the commission,” Miller said in a statement. “I urged him to listen to the voices of nearly half of his constituents and expand our investments in energy efficiency and in renewable energy.”

Eaton captured nearly 52 percent of the vote to Miller’s roughly 48 percent of the roughly 1.4 million votes cast.

“I’m humbled that the people of Georgia have allowed me the opportunity to serve them for another term at the PSC,” Eaton said. “I will continue to do everything possible to make Georgia a great place to live and do business.”

The PSC District 3 race was pushed to a runoff after the general election last month resulted in neither candidate receiving 50 percent of the votes after a Libertarian challenger peeled off nearly 3 percent the vote.

Miller, a businesswoman and former executive at Deloitte, said she emphasized to Eaton — who will represent District 3, which includes Fulton, DeKalb, Rockdale and Clayton counties — the need for greater transparency on the commission.

“I also offered my help in whatever capacity he saw fit to advance the interests of consumers in this state,” Miller said.