Deal escapes GOP opposition, but two Democrats sign up

ATLANTA - Republican Congressman Nathan Deal of Gainesville will apparently face opposition in this year's elections but not from within his own party.

A truck driver from Rising Fawn, John Bradbury, and a retired civil engineer from La Fayette, Bob Longwith, have qualified to seek the Democratic nomination to the 9th District Congressional seat.

Deal drew no opposition in the Republican Primary.

In the 10th District, which includes the eastern side of northeast Georgia, incumbent Charlie Norwood faces no primary opposition and neither does the man who hopes to unseat him, Democrat Terry Holley of Grovetown.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY RACES

As qualifying closed Friday, it appeared the next district attorney of Hall and Dawson counties will emerge from the July Republican Primary as no Democrats qualified - only Republican incumbent Lee Darragh and challenger Lisa Jones. The same is true of the Dahlonega-based Enota (enota) Judicial Circuit, where the only candidates are Republicans - incumbent Stan Gunter and challenger Jim Hallman.

STATE LEGISLATURE

There will be at least six contested primary elections for the state legislative seats from the immediate Gainesville area this summer - but qualifying for all of those posts has been extended by a week by a federal judge. (See separate story.)

There are four candidates for the District 27 State House post: Democrats Arturo Corso and J. Fred Pounds and Republicans Doug Collins of Gainesville and Ralph Taylor all of Gainesvile.

As qualifying closed Friday, there were three candidates for the State Senate District 50 seat: Democrat Jody Cooley of Gainesville, who has no primary opposition, and Republicans Lee Hawkins and Mark Musselwhite, both also from Gainesville.

There are three candidates for the State Senate District 27 seat, all Republicans and all from Cumming: Andrew Miller, Jack Murphy and Todd Tibbetts.

Republican State Senator Nancy Schaefer of Turnerville and former State Senator Carol Jackson of Demorest will meet in the General Election. State Senator Chip Pearson of Dawsonville has no opposition this year.

The State House District 23 seat will be decided in the Republican Primary. The candidates are Mark Hamilton and Stephen Marsden, both of Cumming. For State House District 24, Republicans Tom Knox, the incumbent, and Jason Martin are the only candidates. They are also from Cumming.

Veteran Democratic State Representative Jeannette Jamieson of Toccoa picked up last-minute Republican opposition Friday from Bill Quarterman, a college professor from Toccoa. State House member Charles Jenkins of Blairsville, a Democrat, will square off against Republican Frank Wheeler of Clayton in November.

State Representative Carl Rogers of Gainesville will face Democrat Lydia Sartain in the November General Election. They will be unopposed in the primaries. Two other members of the Hall County delegation - State Representatives Tommy Benton of Jefferson and James Mills of Gainesville - appear headed for new terms in the House since no one qualified to run against them.

The same is true of State Representatives David Ralston of Blue Ridge, Amos Amerson of Dahlonega, and Ben Bridges of Cleveland and State Senator Renee Unterman of Buford.