Matt Gurtler returns to state House
Election 2018 May 23, 2018
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – FetchYourNews (FYN) announces Matt Gurtler as victor of state House District 8.
District 8 encompasses Towns, Rabun, Union, and a portion of White County in northeast Georgia.
Representative Gurtler was elected in District 8 in 2016 and will return to the state House to serve another term.
FYN is awaiting a statement from the representative.
District 8 House race turns sour in final stretch
Election 2018, News May 14, 2018
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – As the May 22 General Primary election draws near, State House District 8 challenger Mickey Cummings has launched what his opponent, Representative Matt Gurtler, described as a “smear campaign” by resorting to a barrage of published political attacks, geared toward the incumbent’s voting record.
At a public speaking engagement on April 27, in Hiawassee, Cummings said he had no intention of running a negative campaign.
Rep. Matt Gurtler
In a paid advertisement, Cummings claims that Gurtler has “voted against our kids,” while asking, “Don’t our children deserve better?”
Cummings included Gurtler’s voting history, listing “no” to school safety funding, “no” to better training for school resource officers, and “no” to hundreds of thousands of dollars for our local schools.
Gurtler explained that the issues Cummings has chosen to highlight were lumped together within the “all-or-nothing” $26 billion dollar state budget, which Gurtler has repeatedly described as “omnibus, riddled with subsidies, and wasteful spending.”
Gurtler believes the budget should be divided and departmentalized, with separate votes cast for each sector.
Gurtler says Cummings is cherry-picking segments embedded within the bloated budget, hoping to solicit an emotional response from voters.
“What you are seeing are typical establishment tactics, a blanket attack,” Gurtler tells FetchYourNews (FYN), “This election is between me and the establishment. It shows just how deep the swamp goes. They don’t want a dissenting voice in the House. They want an ask-no-questions, yes-man.”
State House leaders, including House Speaker David Ralston, have poured a total of $13,700 into Cummings’ campaign thus far, with Cummings recently announcing a political rally scheduled for May 16, at the Union County Farmers Market, with sitting Governor Nathan Deal and House Speaker David Ralston in attendance.
While negative campaigning is often considered “politics as usual,” it is unprecedented for an acting governor to endorse the opponent of an incumbent within his or her own party.
Mickey Cummings
Time will tell whether Governor Deal’s decision to campaign for Cummings hinders or favors Gurtler’s reelection odds.
Cummings did not return FYN’s request for comment on campaign contributions, nor the upcoming rally.
A debate between the State House candidates will be aired live on FYNTV.com on Tuesday, May 14, at 9:00 a.m.
FYN Chief Executive Officer Brian Pritchard will moderate the State House District 8 debate.
Count on continuing coverage as Election Day approaches.
Nine candidates vie for county offices in May 22 primary
Election 2018, News April 24, 2018
Mickey Cummings
CLEVELAND, Ga. — When the May 22 General Primary election arrives, White County voters will have to choose between two state representative candidates in District 8, three county commission candidates in District 2 and two school board candidates in District 2 and 4.
State Rep. Matt Gurtler (R-Tiger) is running for a second term in the General Assembly against Mickey Cummings, of Union County.
Gurtler is a pro-life, pro-gun incumbent who opposes subsidies and government interference in the free market. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution article reported that Gurtler was once threatened by Gov. Nathan Deal’s aide, Chris Riley, when Gurtler voted against the governor’s budget. Riley allegedly threatened to cut all funding for Gurtler’s district in retaliation.
State Rep. Matt Gurtler
Cummings earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia and a masters degree in agriculture education from Clemson. He served for more than 20 years as Union County’s Extension Agent. He led the effort to develop the Union County Farmers Market that has had a $1 million annual economic impact on the district. He said he is running because the district has been isolated by a lack of leadership on the part of the incumbent.
Incumbent District 2 County Commissioner Lyn Holcomb has two challengers, Mike Boswell and Ricky Farmer. Boswell said he would like to do a better job of promoting agri-tourism and upgrading the county infrastructure.
Farmer said he wants to make sure that any industry attracted to White County does not hurt the small businessman. “Industry is a great thing but we’re a county of mostly small businesses,” he said. “I want industries that will come in and help the small businessman.”
Incumbent Charlie Bryson has drawn a pair of challengers for his District 2 seat on the Board of Education in Carly Adam and John Solmon. Bryson is a fire investigator by profession. Solmon is a small business owner and a member of the Mossy Creek Elementary School Governing Council. Adam is an administrative assistant at Pioneer RESA.
There is an open District 4 seat on the Board of Education where freelance journalist Linda Erbele and Jeannette Gearing, a substitute teacher, are the candidates.
Erbele said she is strongly opposed to school vouchers. “Vouchers don’t help anyone but the people who can already afford private school,” she said. “I will advocate for White County Schools and against vouchers anyway that I can. My goal is simple – to have the best school system in the state as part of a thriving, dynamic community.”
Gearing comes from a family of educators. She has worked as a substitute teacher for eight years and served on several school councils. “I’m very proud of how far our school system has come,” she said. “It has made great strides.” One thing she would like to see is more school counselors. “I believe we need one for each grade,” she said. Gearing feels White County schools are safe and she has mixed feelings about guns in schools: “I like the fact that we have school resource officers in every school. I’m not sold on the idea of teachers with guns.”
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach.If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Rep. Matt Gurtler explains vote against Speaker’s re-election
News, Politics January 31, 2019
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – State Representative Matt Gurler, branded the “rebel” of the Georgia House, was the sole Republican to vote against the re-election of House Speaker David Ralston, Jan. 14. Ralston represents District 7, encompassing parts of Dawson County, Fannin County, and Gilmer County, and has served as Speaker of the House since 2010.
District 8 Rep. Matt Gurtler
“The Speaker’s role is that of a facilitator, to ensure the legislative process is respected,” Gurtler stated, “While I understand the power dynamic that is politics, to say that we need to raise our standards is an understatement. If one individual controls the entire process, does that not undo the framework our government was founded on? A representative government with limited, delegated powers, derived from the people. This applies within the legislative bodies and between the legislative bodies – separation of powers.”
Notably, Gurtler and Ralston butted heads during the 2018 primary election cycle, with Ralston openly supporting Gurtler’s challenger. Despite opposition from state leaders, Gurler was re-elected to serve a second-term representing the citizens of District 8. “As always, my votes are based on principle, merit, and policy, and I simply cannot approve of this type of dictatorial rule,” Gurtler explained,” I’ve seen it and experienced it firsthand. This isn’t surprising. It’s the reality and product of big government, and it’s a big reason why people hate politics. For those reasons, we must take a stand, and that is why I voted against Representative Ralston as I enter my second term, even though I gave him the benefit of the doubt the first time.”
In addition to Gurtler, nine Democratic House members opposed the re-election of Speaker Ralston, with Ralston securing the role with 170 favorable votes.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet, attracting more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Towns, Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, and Murray counties, as well as Clay and Cherokee County in N.C. – FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week, reaching between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page.