One week after the GOP primary runoff election, District 50 finally has a self-declared Republican State Senate nominee.
Cornelia attorney and businessman Bo Hatchett declared victory Tuesday in his race against Mt. Airy real estate developer and Habersham County Commission Chair Stacy Hall. With election returns from seven of eight counties in the district certified, Hatchett leads by 37 votes, 12,492 (50.07%) to Hall’s 12,455 votes (49.93%). Stephens County has not certified its election returns and it’s not yet clear when that will happen Still, there is nothing to indicate that the vote totals will change.
“I am grateful to the election commission staffs who diligently made sure every vote was counted,” Hatchett says in a statement issued Tuesday. “Though a recount has been requested by my opponent, our campaign has no reason to believe that a recount would alter the outcome of this race.”
Noting that a full week has passed since the runoff and “more will pass before we will have results from a recount” Hatchett says his campaign feels it’s time to move forward. “We feel that it would be a disservice to our party to sit idly by over the next few weeks, and we feel led to begin our work fighting to turn out the Republican vote in November.”
In his statement, Hatchett expressed gratitude for the support he received from around the district. He thanked voters who supported him and volunteers who helped with his campaign. He also thanked his wife, Ashley, who Hatchett says, “I could not have done this without.” Ashley Hatchett gave birth to the couple’s second daughter in the midst of the long, drawn-out campaign. “She was my biggest supporter and kept our family going while I spent many days and nights on the trail.”
“Lastly, I would like to thank God for allowing me the opportunity to campaign for this seat and for guiding me through every decision during it. I am extremely appreciative to the voters in Georgia’s Senate District 50 for voting me to be the Republican Nominee for Senate District 50.”
This was Hatchett’s first bid for public office. Barring any unforeseen vote changes in Stephens County or in the recount, Hatchett will face Democrat Dee Daley of Rabun County in the November 3 General Election.
