Chattooga GOP passes accountability rule
A new rule that would allow the Chattooga County Republican Party to qualify county-level candidates according to Republican principles is drawing criticism and fears that candidates will be unfairly excluded by a small group of party members.
What’s known as the accountability rule was passed by the executive committee of the county’s Republican Party in early November and announced on social media by Jennifer Tudor, chair of the Chattooga County Republican Party and a resident of Trion.
“Republican voters deserve truth and transparency,” Tudor said in the post. “The Chattooga County GOP believes that when a candidate is labeled a Republican, they ought to represent the principles of the Republican Party such as limited government, low taxes, the right to life, gun rights, etc.”
Tudor referred people to the Georgia Republican Party platform, a 20-point document that includes multiple conservative positions. Deceptive politicians, she said, should not be allowed to take advantage of “poor, low-information voters.”
She declined an interview request from the Chattanooga Times Free Press but sent a text message.
“I’ll say this … when we seek a job, we’re interviewed, questioned, evaluated, etc.,” Tudor said. “Should we not hold potential politicians to the same or similar standards? After all, we’re designating them to represent our beliefs.”
A similar accountability rule was proposed at the Georgia Republican Party convention in June but died in the rules committee.
The Chattooga County party bylaws establish a five-person county qualifying committee.
The panel’s written approval is required before a candidate is placed on the ballot as a Republican. Tudor did not say whether the committee members have been selected.
Andy Allen is a Republican living in Chattooga County’s Gore community who recently announced his candidacy for Chattooga County’s sole commissioner seat. In a phone call, he said he is against the accountability rule.
“The voters ought to be able to vet whoever is running,” Allen said. “That’s why we have a primary election.”
Allen questions the Republican Party’s authority to establish such a rule and said it is being vetted by a county judge and Georgia’s Secretary of State’s Office, which oversees elections. Emails to the judge, Gary Woods, and the Secretary of State’s Office were not returned before deadline.
“If they have the authority to do it, then yeah, I’ll have to go before them,” Allen said of the qualifying committee.
Republican Blake Elsberry is the sole commissioner of Chattooga County and plans to run for reelection in May, according to his staff.
Buddy Hill is the county’s solicitor general, a part-time elected officer who prosecutes cases for the county in state court.
He said in a phone call that qualifying with the county party isn’t required by law, and as an attorney, he’s prepared to take the county’s Republican Party to court if necessary.
The key word in the relevant statute, Georgia Code 21-2-6, is “or,” he said. The statute says for candidates to qualify for an elected office, they must be certified by the executive committee of a county political party or file a notice of candidacy.
Hill said he doesn’t think the rule is legal or good for the party.
“All that does is divide people,” he said of the rule. “If the Republican Party wants to be a big party, a party of inclusion, they should welcome them to the ticket and let the voters choose.”
In her post, Tudor cited the First Amendment right to free association, which she said means an independent group like a county Republican Party has the right to determine who is a member.
The Pickens County Republican Party passed an accountability rule in August.
Christopher Mora, chair of the Pickens County Republican Party, said on a recent podcast appearance that candidates still have the right to run for office as independents if they aren’t qualified by the county Republican Party.
He said real Republicans don’t need to worry about the new rule and added the rule is necessary because candidates in Georgia call themselves a Republican to get elected, despite beliefs contrary to the party’s platform.
Cynthia Hubler is chair of Chattooga County’s Democratic Party. Since the rule is new and hasn’t been used, she said in a phone call that she’s waiting to see how things will play out. Hubler said she didn’t want to speculate on what could happen, but pointed out the rule is unique and contrary to how her party fields candidates.
“We don’t restrict our candidates because we realize everybody has their personal views,” Hubler said. “It’s up to the voters to decide if they support those views. So we’re not going to restrict our candidates in any way or restrict the voters from making that choice.”
Republicans occupy most of the elected offices in Chattooga County. Hubler noted there are two Democrats holding elected office in the county: Earle Rainwater, coroner, and Eddie Elsberry, chair of the Board of Education.