(Georgia Recorder) — The contest to be Georgia’s next attorney general is now a four-way race after attorney and Atlanta state Rep. Tanya Miller announced her candidacy outside the state Capitol Monday.
Miller, who serves as chair of the House Democratic Caucus, touted her background as a prosecutor and civil rights attorney with more than 20 years of experience. She pledged to prioritize pursuing sex traffickers, child predators, scammers, slumlords and other criminals.
She also leveled criticism at Republican Attorney General Chris Carr, who is stepping down to run for governor next year, characterizing him as overprioritizing politics.
“The attorney general is the people’s lawyer,” she said. “And that’s why I’m running, because the people of Georgia need an attorney general who will stand up and fight for them, no matter what, no matter what part of this great state they call home, no matter their politics, no matter their personal beliefs, no matter what. Let’s face it, many Georgians don’t even know what the Attorney General does, because the office has done so little for them, for you, for your family, for your community.”
While President Joe Biden was in office, Carr regularly led or participated in lawsuits challenging that administration’s policies. Democratic attorneys general nationwide are involved in numerous lawsuits against the Trump administration’s actions.
Miller said she will not play politics if elected.
“The attorney general’s job is to be Georgia’s lawyer,” she said. “So whether that means standing against a Washington, D.C., policy or supporting a Washington, D.C., policy, if it helps the people of Georgia, I’m with it. If it hurts the people of Georgia, I’m against it.”
State law requires candidates for attorney general to be members of the state bar for at least seven years, which limits the pool of candidates compared with other statewide offices.
Miller will be up against former House Minority Leader Bob Trammell, an attorney from Luthersville, in the May Democratic primary.
In a text message, Trammell indicated he welcomes the competition.
“That’s the Democratic process and a sign of a vibrant party –– and people wanting fundamental change,” he said. “As I talk to Georgians all over the state, folks are fed up with politicians looking out for big corporations and billionaires, while we pay the price. I’ve spent my life fighting for Georgians because everyone deserves a fair shot to get ahead.”
The winner of that contest will go on to face the GOP’s nominee in November. So far, two Republican state senators have announced their candidacies: Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and Sen. Brian Strickland of McDonough.
In a statement, Strickland said a competitive Democratic primary will only serve to swing voters to the Republican side.
“The Democratic primary for attorney general will turn into a squabble over who will most obstruct President Trump’s conservative agenda that Georgians voted for,” he said. “I welcome a competitive primary because it will highlight for voters the importance of keeping the Georgia attorney general’s office in the hands of a law and order Republican.”
