County races at center of the action

Commission hopefuls eye slew of vacancies, target incumbents.

A Republican chairman with stiff primary competition. A hotly contested race to succeed a longtime leader. Large fields of candidates trying to officially turn a county blue, and others trying to keep it red a while longer.

Metro Atlanta’s June 9 ballots include a bevy of county commission races that will help shape the future of local governments across the region — whether they set the field for November’s general election or select future officials outright.

In Cobb County, incumbent County Commission Chairman Mike Boyce has drawn two Republican challengers hoping to unseat him.

Larry Savage, a retired auto industry supervisor whose campaign has raised substantially more money than Boyce’s, and Ricci Mason, a retired Cobb police officer, have both criticized the sitting chairman for not cutting property taxes and for what they deem to be fiscal irresponsibility.

The winner of the Republican primary will square off with Democrat and current South Cobb commissioner Lisa Cupid in November. That too could be a dogfight, with Cobb continuing to show signs of turning blue.

“We have an opportunity to come together to make sure that all of Cobb is reflected in how we move forward,” Cupid said during a Thursday night candidate forum.

Cupid’s vacated District 4 commission seat, meanwhile, has drawn interest from seven Democratic candidates. And three Republicans and one Democrat are vying to replace retiring District 2 Commission Bob Ott, a Republican.

Further south in DeKalb County, five Democratic candidates are seeking a primary nod that will allow them to take on Nancy Jester, the County Commission’s last standing Republican, in November’s general election.

But it’s another DeKalb race that’s grown most heated.

Democrats Maryam Ahmad, Emily Halevy and Ted Terry are seeking to replace retiring Super District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon, who has represented the western half of DeKalb since 2004. There’s no Republican candidate in the race, meaning whoever wins the primary — or the subsequent runoff, if necessary — will earn a spot on the commission.

Ahmad, a community activist and public health professional, has put forth a “health first” platform.

Halevy, a digital media executive and smart development advocate, and Terry, the former mayor of Clarkston who dropped out of a U.S. Senate race to pursue a commission seat, have racked up endorsements from local mayors, state legislators and county commissioners.

Terry has published detailed papers about affordable housing, transit, a green new deal, criminal justice reform and voting rights on his website. He said experience matters. “People need to know that our elected officials are prepared and capable,” he said.

Halevy’s platform includes addressing issues like housing, transportation and sustainability. But she hasn’t been shy about criticizing Terry, whether for pursuing the commission seat only after his Senate campaign was flailing or for touting endorsements from people who don’t live in District 6. She said DeKalb has many deep-seated issues that need to be addressed.

“I think it really is important to note that my priorities are consistent and in line with what the County Commission is tasked with doing,” Halevy said, adding: “Clearly [Terry’s] policies are coming from his failed Senate run.”

In Gwinnett County, three incumbent Republicans are leaving the County Commission — and Democrats are looking to take their first majority in decades. All it will take is one November victory.

Democratic Party chair Bianca Keaton said she’s confident that whichever commission candidates emerge from June’s primaries will be victorious this fall. “I know we’re gonna win, it’s not even a question,” she said.

With incumbent Commission Chair Charlotte Nash retiring, folks on both sides of the aisle are lining up to try to replace her. The winner of the Republican primary between engineer George Awuku, former commissioner Marcia Neaton and businessman David Post will square off with whoever emerges from a crowded Democratic field.

That field includes former state Sen. Curt Thompson, longtime local attorney Lee Thompson Jr. and Nicole Love Hendrickson, the founding director of Gwinnett’s community outreach program. Attorney Andy Morgan and restaurateur Desmond Nembhard are also in the running.

Gwinnett’s District 1 commission seat, which represents the Duluth and Suwanee area, is up for grabs as well, with Republicans Laurie McClain and Jacqueline Tseng seeking a primary win to face with lone Democratic candidate

Kirkland Carden in November.

And the race for Gwinnett’s District 3 commission seat — which is being vacated by incumbent Republican Tommy Hunter, some three years after he sparked discord by calling U.S. Rep. John Lewis a “racist pig” on Facebook — is another one to watch. Three Republicans and five Democrats are on primary ballots for the district, which covers a wide swath from Snellville and Grayson to Dacula and Braselton.

Gwinnett Republican Party Chairman Ed Muldrow said there’s hope yet, even in a county that has elected a slew of Democrats, on all levels of government, in recent years.

“Gwinnett is the way it is, and people like living in Gwinnett and are flocking to Gwinnett, because of great conservative ideals that are in place,” Muldrow said.

Other key races

In Clayton and Fulton counties, a number of incumbent commissioners have drawn primary challengers.

In Fulton, Democratic District 4 Commissioner Natalie Hall will try to fend off real estate professional Kathryn Flowers, with the victor facing Republican Barbara Greshman in the fall. And in the contest to represent southside District 6, incumbent Joe Carn faces fellow Democrat and business owner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman. There is no Republican candidate in that race, meaning the winner of the primary vote will take office.

In Clayton County, four Democrats are trying to unseat District 3 Commissioner Felicia Franklin Warner. They include Jodie Chambers, Gerrian Hawes, Timothy Vondell Jefferson and Robert Williams.

Incumbent District 2 Commissioner Gail Hambrick is facing two Democratic challengers: Robb Leatherwood and Robert Johnson.