The biggest Republican activity politically came due to the resignation of Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Gainesville, from his position as the congressman from the 9th District in the U. S. House of Representatives in order to run for governor. This has led to the Secretary of State calling for a special election to replace him.
State Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, resigned from the Georgia House District 12 seat to run for the Congressional seat that is open. This has created a special election to fill the seat that Tom has resigned in the Georgia House of Representatives.
Gordon County is divided in both of these districts. Only the eastern part of the county is involved in the special elections. The 9th Congressional District runs north of Ga. 136 west of I-75. Resaca is in the 9th District as the line runs southeast to the Elks Club on Highway 225. Red Bud is in the 9th District with the line crossing Red Bud Road at Pine Chapel Road at the Craneater Church. The line follows Love Bridge Road at Dews Pond Road with the 9th District being to the east. At Highway 53 the 9th District is east of Union Grove Church Road which the line follows south to Union Grove Road. The remainder of Gordon County is in the 11th Congressional District represented by Congressman Phil Gingrey, R-Marietta.
Georgia House District 12 covers everything east of the Calhoun city limits and south of Resaca and Pine Chapel in Gordon County. The remainder of Gordon County is in Georgia House District 5 and is represented by Rep. John Meadows, R-Calhoun.
The city of Calhoun will not be voting in either of the races in the special election that is being held on May 11. This will be a non-partisan special election but the only Democrat running in the Congressional race withdrew and left one independent running against six Republicans. The Georgia House race for House District 12 has two Republicans and one Democrat running.
In the race for the Congressional seat, Tom Graves has raised the most money and he won the straw poll of the 600 who attended the picnic at Fox Farms. Tom is the local Gordon County based candidate and lives with his family at Ranger.
Dr. Chris Cates of Blairsville came in second in the straw poll. He is a heart surgeon who has spent a lot of time in the last year in Washington fighting against the Obama health care bill.
Dr. Bert Loftman of Jasper is another physician running for the Congressional seat. He is promoting the Fair Tax and has been opposing the Obama heath care bill.
Mr. Steve Tarvin of Chickamauga is a successful businessman who has been in Calhoun several times promoting his campaign for Congress.
Georgia Senator Lee Hawkins of Gainesville is running for the position along with former state senator Bill Stephens of Cummings.
The Independent candidate for the office is Eugene Moon of Gainesville.
In the Georgia House of Representatives special election to replace Tom Graves, Truett Moss II of Calhoun and Rick Jasperse of Jasper are the Republican candidates. Moss won the straw poll at the picnic at Fox Farms. Jerry Nally of Rydal is running for this seat as a Democrat.
There are seven candidates for the Congressional seat and it may be difficult for one candidate to receive a majority vote. In this event there will be a runoff election on June 1 between the top two vote getters in the May 11 special election.
The winners of these two special elections will serve until January of 2011 when the winners of the General Election in November are sworn into office.
The General Election Primaries for both Democrats and Republicans will be held on July 20 with the General Election to be held on November 2. This election will determine who serves the next full two year term for these offices beginning in January of 2011.
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