51st District State Senate Candidates on FYN’s Candidate Day
Politics May 23, 2016
Steve Gooch and John Williamson speak on FYN’s Candidate Day for the citizens on the eve of the election day.
Advanced Voting Slow in White Co. Where Turnout is Less Than 5 Percent
News, Politics May 13, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. — Advanced voter turnout is slow in White County but Chief Voter Registrar Lisa Manning says it is way ahead of where it was in 2012. But that’s only because there were no contested races in the 2012 General Primary. This year, there are three local races, including sheriff, county commission and school board.
As of 10 a.m. Friday, Chief Voter Registrar Lisa Manning said only 540 ballots had been cast or less than 5 percent of White County’s 13,415 active registered voters.
“The Sheriff’s race is the most heated race,” Manning said. “It’s the one that seems to be drawing the most interest.” Veteran Sheriff Neal Walden is being challenged by Aaron Autry
In the District 4 County Commission race, incumbent Craig Bryant will face Shawn Henderson. In the Board of Education race, incumbent Kendyl Brock Hunter is being challenged by Missy Jarrard.
There is also an election for Ninth District Congress where incumbent Doug Collins of Gainesville has angered many conservatives when he voted for President Barack Obama’s Omnibus bill and supported John Boehner for Speaker of the House. As a result, he has drawn four challengers in former 10th District Congressman Paul Broun, Lanier Tea Part Patriots founder Mike Scupin, White County educator Roger Fitzpatrick and retired Army and National Guard Brigadier General Bernie Fontaine.
The lone state race on the ballot is for State Senate where incumbent Steve Gooch,who many consider an “establishment Republican,” is being challenged for re-election in the 51st District by John Williamson, co-founder of the Gilmer County Tea Party.
Advanced voting takes place at the Mauney Building, 1241 Helen Highway between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday voting will take place tomorrow.
Advanced Voting Underway in White County
News, Politics May 3, 2016
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — Advanced voting for the May 24 General Primary started Monday in White County where voters must decide who will represent them in several federal, state and local offices.
Ninth District Congressman Doug Collins of Gainesville angered many conservatives when he voted for President Barack Obama’s Omnibus bill and supported John Boehner for Speaker of the House. As a result, he has drawn four challengers in former 10th District Congressman Paul Broun, Lanier Tea Part Patriots founder Mike Scupin, White County educator Roger Fitzpatrick and retired Army and National Guard Brigadier General Bernie Fontaine.
State Senator Steve Gooch,who many consider an “establishment Repubican,” is being challenged for re-election in the 51st District by John Williamson, co-founder of the Gilmer County Tea Party.
Incumbent District 1 County Commissioner Terry Goodger will serve another four years after his only challenger, Ron Hood withdrew from the race for medical reasons. In the District 4 race, incumbent Craig Bryant will face Shawn Henderson.
Veteran Sheriff Neal Walden is being challenged by Aaron Autry and incumbent Board of Education Chairwoman Missy Jarrard is up against Kendyl Brock-Hunter.
Advanced voting takes place at the Mauney Building, 1241 Helen Highway between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. There will also be one day of Saturday voting on May 14.
Lumpkin County Republican Party 51st State Senate District, 9th Congressional District, and U.S. Senate Forum
Politics May 1, 2016
Lumpkin County Republican Party Forum 4/30/2016.
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Republican Primary U.S. Senate Candidates Dr. Mary Kay Bacallao and Mr. Derrick Grayson
Republican Primary 51st District State Senate Candidates John Williamson and Steve Gooch
Republican Primary 9th Congressional District Candidates Roger Fitzpatrick, Paul Broun, Bernie Fontaine and Mike Scupin
Union County Republican Party / Union-Towns TEA Party 51st State Senate District, 9th Congressional District, and U.S. Senate Forum
Featured, Featured Stories, Politics May 1, 2016
Union County Republican Party / Union -Towns TEA Party Forum 4/30/2016.
Scroll down to watch video of each forum.
Moderator Brian K. Pritchard
Republican U.S. Senate Candidates Dr. Mary Beth Bacallao and Mr. Derrick Grayson
51st District State Senate Republican Candidates John Williamson and Steve Gooch
Republican 9th District Congressional Candidates Roger Fitzpatrick, Paul Broun, Bernie Fontaine and Mike Scupin
Tuesday is Deadline to Register for May Primary
News, Politics April 24, 2016
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — Much is at stake in state and local elections May 24 but you can’t vote if you’re not registered and the last day to register is Tuesday, April 26.
One of the most important races is in the 9th District where incumbent U.S. Congressman Doug Collins of Gainesville has come under fire from conservatives for his support of President Obama’s Omnibus bill. His challengers include former 10th District Congressman Paul Broun, Lanier Tea Part Patriots founder Mike Scupin, White County educator Roger Fitzpatrick and retired Army and National Guard Brigadier Genreal Bernie Fontaine.
State Senator Steve Gooch of Dahlonega is running for reelection in the 51st District and has drawn a challenger in John Williamson, co-founder of the Gilmer County Tea Party.
Locally, there are key races for Board of Commissioners in District 1 and District 4, Board of Education Chairman and Sheriff.
Terry Goodger will challenge incumbent Ron Hood in the District 1 race and Craig Bryant and Shawn Henderson will vie for the District 4 seat.
Aaron Autry is challenging long-time Sheriff Neal Walden and Kendyl Brock-Hunter will face incumbent Missy Jarrard in the race for Board of Education Chairman.
Fannin County GOP/Republican Meeting 3/21/16
Politics March 22, 2016
Former 10th. District Congressman Paul Broun. Broun is running in the 9th. District Congressional Race.
John Williamson Candidate for State Senate District 51
Sam Snider Candidate for Georgia House District 7
LTPP Hosts Challengers to Congressman Doug Collins
News, Politics March 18, 2016
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Bernard “Bernie” Fontaine, Mike Scupin, Roger Fitzpatrick and Dr. Paul Broun are the challengers to 9th District Congressman Doug Collins in the May 24 Republican primary. Thursday night they were featured speakers at the Lanier Tea Party Patriots (LTPP) meeting.
Fontaine is a Vietnam Veteran and retired Georgia National Guard Brigadier General who holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration and master’s degree in business from Brenau University. He sits on the Board of Directors for NASCAR and is a firefighter in Jasper and Union counties.
Fontaine says, “The federal government is a runaway freight train. The president is taking over and Congress is inert. Obviously things have to change.” Fontaine said his campaign will focus on improving the local and national economy, addressing the nation’s debt and regulatory overreach.
Scupin, the founder of the LTPP said, “My heart isn’t in going to Washington. My heart is in trying to save this nation.” He added that he isn’t likely to introduce a lot of bills. “We don’t need a lot of bills to change things. If I stand up and vote against leadership then leadership isn’t going to let any bill I introduce go to the floor. The only thing I can promise you is if a bill violates the Constitution and God’s law then you’d better believe I’m going to vote against it.”
Fitzpatrick, a former Marine, educator and member of the White County Board of Education, said, “I want to fight for you. I want to fight for me. I want to fight for my children and grandchildren and the prosperity of this nation. I want you to vote for me because I’m a person of integrity. I’m going to do what I tell you I’m going to do.”
Dr. Paul Broun is the former 10th District Congressman who recently moved to Habersham County. He was commissioned as a medical officer and, in 2012, was deployed to Afghanistan to serve wounded soldiers there.
Broun said, “I am absolutely fed up with what is going on in Washington.”I’m fed up with the leadership and the Republican Party. We have been betrayed by John Boehner and Paul Ryan and Doug Collins.” Broun said the greatest example of that betrayal was the passage of the Omnibus bill, which Collins voted for. “That bill fully funds Planned Parenthood. It fully funds Obamacare. It fully funds the president’s amnesty program, the Syrian refugee program and all of the bad policies Barack Obama has put into place.”
Michelle Hall, a candidate for Hall County Superior Court Judge, John Williamson, who is challenging Dist. 51 State Senator Steve Gooch, and Lucretia Hughes, a candidate for state representative in Dist. 116, also attended last night’s meeting.
Williamson Announces for Georgia Senate Seat in the 51st District
Politics March 10, 2016
John Williamson, a 34 year resident of Gilmer County, announced today that he has qualified for the 51st District Senate seat in the May 24th Republican primary. “I am dissatisfied with the paths taken by our legislative leaders, especially with their increased taxation. Rather than sitting back and complaining I decided to take action, to volunteer to be a part of the political process and do what I can to move the ship of state back to common sense Republican ideals. I want to give the voters in the 51st district a choice, one that values transparency; a choice to break away from the entrenched power politics that intimidates us in North Georgia and responds only to the wishes of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the corporations that want to force their values on us and our state. I recognize the difficulties of making a significant change in our state government, but I can promise you that my votes will reflect our shared values.”