District 50 State Senate Republican candidate Stacy Hall has conceded the race to Bo Hatchett. Hall issued a statement Monday evening regarding the race which was settled following a recount.
“Earlier this evening I called to congratulate Bo Hatchett on his victory as the Republican Candidate for State Senate District 50. With nearly 25,000 votes cast and only 38 votes separating us, today’s recount confirmed it was a very competitive race but it’s time to put the campaign to rest,” Hall states.
Saying he’s “incredibly grateful” to the volunteers who worked on his campaign and those who voted for him, Hall added a special thanks to his wife Ivy and their family “who stood beside me through it all.”
READ Hall’s full statement here
Hatchett campaigning for November
Bo Hatchett, a Cornelia attorney and businessman, bested the Habersham County Commission chair in Monday’s recount, ending up with a win that was one vote higher than when the recount began.
Although Hatchett declared victory on August 18, a week after the runoff, Hall waited to concede until after the recount since the two were separated by a mere 0.14% difference.
“This was a tight race and shows you just how important every single vote is,” says Hatchett.
Originally, there were six candidates in the Republican primary for the District 50 State Senate seat. The crowded field help throw it to a runoff in which Hall took seven of eight counties. It was Hatchett’s huge win in Habersham that propelled him to frontrunner status.
All total, Hatchett and Hall have been on the campaign trail for nearly six months vying for the coveted seat being vacated by Sen. John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa).
“When we signed up, the longest this would have gone would have been early July,” says Hatchett of the campaign that’s been prolonged by a pandemic, runoff, and recount. “We’re very happy that it’s over and we’re looking forward to November.”
Hatchett now goes on to face Democrat Dee Daley at the polls in November. He is heavily favored to retain the seat, given the political makeup of the district.
“I’m very thankful for everyone who voted for me and I’m looking forward to serving everyone in the district,” he says.
Here are the recount totals reported to Now Habersham by election officials in each county included in District 50:
Banks County
Hall 1,399
Hatchett 1,156
TOTAL: 2,555 (Stacy Hall lost 1 vote)
Franklin County
Hall 1,770
Hatchett 926
TOTAL: 2,703 (Stacy Hall picked up 2 votes)
Habersham County
Hall 2,598
Hatchett 4,473
TOTAL: 7,071 (no change)
Hall County
Hall 243
Hatchett 139
TOTAL: 382 (no change)
Jackson County
Hall 1534
Hatchett 1500
TOTAL: 3,034 total (no change)
Stephens County
Hall 1,447
Hatchett 1,152
TOTAL: 2,599 (no change)
Rabun County
Hall 1,587
Hatchett 1,464
TOTAL: 3,051 (no change)
Towns County
Hall 1,872
Hatchett 1,680
TOTAL: 3,552 (Bo Hatchett picked up 2 votes)
