Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Christian was among the majority of local incumbents who won reelection Tuesday. He celebrated with his wife, Martha, and supporters at an election night gathering in Clarkesville.
Tuesday’s primary in Habersham was marked by a relatively low voter turnout and two significant upsets. Incumbents Don Corbett and Sonny James lost their reelection bids to school board and county commission, respectively.
READ: Two incumbents ousted in Habersham GOP primary
For the rest of the incumbents in this year’s crowded GOP primary, the end of the campaign brought welcomed relief and good news.
Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney
George Christian was re-elected as Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney over Bruce Russell, Jr. with 66% of the votes. Christian received 4297, and Russell got 2128 votes. Christian, who lives in Clayton, is a career prosecutor and has been an Assistant District Attorney, Chief of the Houston County DA Office, the US Attorney’s Office in Macon, where he had extensive experience prosecuting federal criminals.
Russell, a Rabun County native and US Navy veteran, put in a strong bid for a win. He won the vote in Rabun but was unable to pull enough votes in Habersham and Stephens to close the deal. He posted his congratulations and thanks on his official campaign Facebook page Tuesday night.
County Commissioner District 5
Ed Nichols, the incumbent for Habersham County Commissioner District 5 was re-elected by winning 57% of the vote. Dale Green received 1244 votes or 19% and George Locke Arnold won 23% of the votes, or 3735. Nichols campaigned that the County should focus on the needs of Habersham Medical Center, the Habersham Airport, Habersham Industrial Park, SPLOST projects, and an energy efficient annex building for all county administration offices.
Green’s campaign focused on how he feels the Board of Commissioners of Habersham County needs to continue to improve public services like Habersham Medical Center.
Mr. Arnold’s campaign centered on how he feels Habersham County does not have the tax base to support the tax burden and budgets confronting citizens. He said during the campaign that the County needs to address the financial situation at Habersham Medical Center.
Chief Magistrate Judge
Jerry Johnson was elected as Chief Magistrate Judge with an over-whelming 77% of votes, 5085. Souvanh Touralack received 1512 votes, or almost 23%. Johnson told Now Habersham, “I am very excited about being elected Chief Magistrate Judge. I hope we will be moving forward, and I plan on working very hard for the people of Habersham County.”
Judge of Probate Court
Pamela Wooley was re-elected with 54% of the votes, 3629, and her opposition candidates, Lorne Cragg and Jarvis McFarlin, both received about 22% each. Wooley told Now Habersham, “I am very blessed and happy that Habersham voters re-elected me. It was a good race. It was a clean race. I hope voters know there are some things you can change in govern ment, some things are very difficult to change. But I will always do my best.”
Clerk of Superior Court
David Wall, the incumbent was re-elected with almost 70% of the votes, 4662, and Joan Lewallen Jones received 30% of votes, 2056. Wall and Jones did not respond with comments about the election.
Clarkesville City Commission
Tina Courson Evans won the election with 61% of the votes. Her vote count was 193. She is a former Clarkesville City Council member and educator, having served as Director of Student Services in the Clarke County School System. She was first elected to the Clarkesville City Commission in 2007, to fill Joyce Wilbank’s unexpired term. She was re-elected in 2009.
Robert “Bobby” Kilgore received 120 votes, or 38%. Kilgore, is a retired Vice President of a Morgan Stanley in Florida. Bobby ran unsuccessfully against former Mayor Terry Greene in 2013. Kilgore has been a resident of Clarkesville for 7 years, and felt controlled growth for the city is important. He would like to see a workable solution to the Old County Courthouse in Clarkesville.
