Qualifying over in Murray County, new candidates to be on the ballot

Politics
qualifying

Murray County qualifying is underway for those who want to make the ballot. Candidates can qualify at the Murray County Senior Center through Friday noon.

According to representatives for the Democratic and Republican parties, the following people have qualified for these positions. FYN will update this list each day until qualifying ends later this week.

Clerk of Superior Court

Donna Flood (R-Incumbent)

Probate Judge

Brett Morrison (R)

John Waters (R-Incumbent)

County Commissioner

Greg Hogan (R-Incumbent)

Howard Ensley (R)

Sheriff

Dekota Boling (R)

Jimmy Davenport (R)

Brian J. Ingle (R)

Keith Pritchett (R)

Tax Commissioner

Billy Childers (R-Incumbent)

Coroner

Jason Gibson (R-Incumbent)

Board of Education 2

Renda Dunn Baggett (R-Incumbent)

Board of Education 3

Aaron Phillips (R-Incumbent)

Board of Education 4

Greg Spivey (R)
Hunter Phillips  (R)
Greg Shoemaker (R-Incumbent)

STATE Qualifying

District 11 State Representative

Rick Jasperse (Incumbent – R)

Charlotte Williamson (R)

Kayla Hollifield (D)

State Senate District 54

Chuck Payne (Incumbent – R)

Dan McEntire (R)

Public Service Commission District 4

Lauren “Bubba” McDonald, Jr. (Incumbent – R)

Nathan Wilson (L)

Daniel Blackman (D)

John Noel (D)

Judge of Superior Court Conasauga Circuit

B. Scott Minter (Incumbent – Non-partisan)

District Attorney Conasauga

Bert Poston (Incumbent – R)

FEDERAL Qualifying

14th District House of Representatives

Click this link to see who has qualified for the seat.

United States Senate – Perdue Seat

James Knox (D)

Jon Ossoff (D)

Teresa Pike Tomlinson (D)

Tricia Carpenter McCracken (D)

Sarah Riggs Amico (D)

Shane Hazel (L)

Marc Keith DeJesus (D)

Maya Dillard Smith (D)

David Perdue (Incumbent – R)

United States Senate – Loeffler Seat (Special Election in November) 

Kelly Loeffler (Incumbent – R)

Doug Collins (R)

A. Wayne Johnson (R)

Kandiss Taylor (R)

Tamara Johnson-Shealey (D)

Matt Lieberman (D)

Joy Felicia Shade (D)

Ed Tarver (D)

Richard Dien Winfield (D)

Al Bartell (I)

Allen Buckley (I)

Brian Slowinski (L)

Derrick E. Grayson (R)

Rod Mack (Write-In)

Qualifying for the presidential preference primary election occurred in Dec. 2019 and will take place on March 24, but the general primary for the state is on May 19, 2020. For the general primary, early voting begins on April 27.

UPDATE: Qualifying closed in Gordon County

Election 2020

Gordon County qualifying is underway for those who want to make the ballot. Candidates can qualify at the courthouse through Friday noon.

According to representatives for the Shea Hicks, Chairperson for the Board of Elections and Voter Registration, the following people have qualified for these positions. FYN will update this list each day until qualifying ends later this week.

Clerk or Superior Court

Grant Walraven (R-Incumbent)

Probate Judge

John R. “Ritchie” Parker (non-partisan-Incumbent)

Magistrate Judge

James Pat Rasbury (R-Incumbent)

Commissioner District 1

L. Bud Owens (R-Incumbent)

Commissioner District 3

Norris Sexton (R-Incumbent)

Robert “Rob” Ballard (R)

Ronald Bruce Potts, Jr. (R)

Commissioner District 5

Kevin L. Cunningham(R-Incumbent)

Sheriff

Mitch Ralston (R-Incumbent)

Tax Commissioner

Scott Clements (R-Incumbent)

Coroner

James Carver (R-Incumbent)

Ken Padgett (R)

Board of Education 2

Jason Hendrix (R-Incumbent)

Board of Education 4

Rod Brehm (R)

Bobby E. Hall (R-Incumbent)

Board of Education 6

Samuel Terrill Jewell (R)

Christie Owens Fox (R)

Byron Reeves (R)

Qualifying is underway in Gordon County

Election 2020

Gordon County qualifying is underway for those who want to make the ballot. Candidates can qualify at the courthouse through Friday noon.

According to representatives for the Shea Hicks, Chairperson for the Board of Elections and Voter Registration, the following people have qualified for these positions. FYN will update this list each day until qualifying ends later this week.

Clerk or Superior Court

Grant Walraven (R-Incumbent)

Probate Judge

Magistrate Judge

James Pat Rasbury (R-Incumbent)

Commissioner District 1

For County Commissioner District 1

  1. L. Bud Owens (R-Incumbent)

Commissioner District 2

Commissioner District 3

Norris Sexton (R-Incumbent)

Robert “Rob” Ballard (Republican)

Commissioner District 4

Commissioner District 5

Kevin L. Cunningham(R-Incumbent)

Commissioner District 2

Sheriff

Mitch Ralston (R-Incumbent)

Tax Commissioner

Scott Clements (R-Incumbent)

Coroner

James Carver (R-Incumbent)

Board of Education 1

Board of Education 2

Board of Education 3

Board of Education 4

Rod Brehm (Republican)

Bobby E. Hall (R-Incumbent)

Georgia Election Run-Off Results

Election 2018

 2018 Georgia Election Run-Off Results

Tonight marks the run-offs for election races in Georgia, these results are unofficial until approved by the Secretary of State.

 

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 756,016 votes   51.97%

John Barrow (D) – 698,770 votes   48.03%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 749,805 votes   51.83%

Lindy Miller (D) – 696,957 votes   48.17%

 

Check for local results by county here:

 

Gilmer

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,337 votes   83.13%

John Barrow (D) – 880 votes   16.87%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 4,250 votes   81.79%

Lindy Miller (D) – 946 votes   18.21%

 

Pickens

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,408 votes   84.01%

John Barrow (D) – 839 votes   15.99%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 4,325 votes   82.70%

Lindy Miller (D) – 905   17.30%

 

Fannin

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 3,522 votes   81.89%

John Barrow (D) – 779 votes   18.11%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,454 votes   80.57%

Lindy Miller (D) – 833 votes   19.43%

 

Dawson

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 3,985 votes   85.83%

John Barrow (D) – 658 votes   14.17%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,939 votes   85.02%

Lindy Miller (D) – 694 votes   14.98%

 

White

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,063 votes   82.78%

John Barrow (D) – 845 votes   17.22%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,960 votes   80.82%

Lindy Miller (D) – 940 votes   19.18%

 

Union

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,246 votes   80.92%

John Barrow (D) – 1,001 votes   19.08%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 4,108 votes   78.65%

Lindy Miller (D) – 1,115 votes   21.35%

 

Towns

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 2,161 votes   79.95%

John Barrow (D) – 542 votes   20.05%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 2,105 votes   78.22%

Lindy Miller (D) – 586 votes   21.78%

 

Murray

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 2,699 votes   88.99%

John Barrow (D) – 334 votes   11.01%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 2,691 votes   88.84%

Lindy Miller (D) – 338 votes   11.16%

 

Lumpkin

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 3,378 votes   78.47%

John Barrow (D) – 927 votes   21.53%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,337 votes   77.89%

Lindy Miller (D) – 947 votes   22.11%

Georgia Governor Candidate Visits FYNTV

Election, Politics

BKP Interviews GA Candidate for Governor, and Secretary of State Brian Kemp. Among many topics, Kemp discusses immigration, Georgia voting machines, paper ballots, pay for law enforcement, and what Kemp’s opinion of the negotiations to bring Amazon HQ2 for Georgia.

Ads in Fannin Focus do not show up correctly in Sheriff Candidates Campaign Financial Reports

Featured, Featured Stories, News

Mark Thomason, the publisher of the Fannin Focus has been in the news a lot lately. This is an unrelated story to Thomason’s arrest, “Journalist Jailed”. It does, however go with the big picture of Thomason’s publication the Fannin Focus, “Intent on Integrity”. Read the story and you decide.

FYN has a copy of every Fannin Focus issue since primary election qualifying. We have reviewed each page for all campaign advertising. We also have a copy of the Fannin Focus advertising rate sheet. We have cross referenced the ads with the rate sheet. We have all the documents to support this article. FYN files the following report on three Fannin County Sheriff Republican Party Candidates, Johnny Scearce, Jack Taylor and Larry Bennett.

Fannin Sheriff Candidates Political Ad Reporting in Fannin Focus

#FanninCartel Defined

“A coalition or cooperative arrangement between political parties intended to promote a mutual interest”. Did this happen in the Fannin County Sheriff’s race?

Larry Bennett, Republican Candidate for Sheriff placed ads in issues of the Fannin Focus on 3/31, 4/7, 4/14 and 4/28. According to the Fannin Focus advertising rate sheet, the number of ads and the size of the ads Bennett placed should have totalled $1,142.78 in advertising with the Fannin Focus. According to Bennett’s Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report he spent $0 in advertising with the Fannin Focus. Bennett is the former police chief of McCaysville GA.

Jack Taylor Republican Candidate for Sheriff placed ads in issues of the Fannin Focus on 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24, 3/31, 4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12 and 5/19. According to the Fannin Focus advertising rate sheet, number of ads and size of the ads Taylor should have totaled $7,970.63 in advertising with the Fannin Focus. According to Taylor’s Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report he spent $600 in advertising with the Fannin Focus. This left $7,370.63 of unreported spending with the Fannin Focus. Remember all those full page ads Taylor ran in the paper?

Remember the marquee at the Swan Drive-In, “Vote Jack Taylor for Sheriff”? What did Taylor pay Steve Setser, the owner of the Drive-In, for the advertising? Taylor listed Setser on his Campaign Contribution Disclosure, but in the space where a candidate has to give the amount of the contribution, Taylor wrote “Setser“ but would not give a price or “no charge” (You can legally donate goods or services to a candidate {In-Kind} but the candidate must describe the donation and place a value on their campaign disclosure). In-Kind contribution values must comply with campaign finance laws. Setser is required to place a value on his contribution. Steve Setser also donated $463 for T-Shirts and $300 for flyers to the Taylor campaign.

Jack Taylor Swan

Now, that brings us to Johnny Scearce. Scearce is currently the Blue Ridge City Police Chief. Scearce has run for Fannin County Sheriff several times and is used to filling out a “Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report”. One would assume that Scearce would understand he has to list everyone who contributes to his campaign and show all outlets where he has spent money.  According to Scearce’s Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report filed on 6/30, he showed $0 left in his campaign account.

Johnny Scearce Republican Candidate for Sheriff placed ads in issues of the Fannin Focus on 3/17, 3/31, 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12 and 5/19. According to the Fannin Focus advertising rate sheet, the number of ads and size of ads Scearce placed should have cost $4,946.89 in advertising with the Fannin Focus. According to Scearce’s Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report he spent $0 in advertising with the Fannin Focus.

johnny brenda 3johnny full page 3

Scearce hired  Kendell Goss as Campaign Marketing Manager. Scearce paid Goss $3,369.00 and listed it as advertising. Sources tell FYN, Goss handled the campaign website, prepared speeches, and campaign video along with other marketing materials.

Let’s just suppose Goss used some of the money to place ads in the Fannin Focus…it still would have to be disclosed! Scearce disclosed that he spent money directly three times with The News Observer and once with WPPI – FM so why wouldn’t he disclose any money paid to the Fannin Focus or place the ad directly himself?

There is no disclosure on who paid for the ads. We could not find one Johnny Scearce or Larry Bennett ad in the Fannin Focus that discloses “Paid for By.” One could understand if the publisher missed one ad but it seems he missed them all! Why not show who is paying for the campaign ads, it’s a campaign finance rule?

Sheriff Dane Kirby spent $0 with the Fannin Focus and placed no ads in its paper.

The publisher of the Fannin Focus is Mark Thomason. If Thomason decided to give the advertising to the candidates for free, the Fannin Focus would still have to be listed on the candidates campaign finance reports with an “In-Kind” amount. If an “In-Kind” was the desired result to benefit the above listed candidates by Thomason, the amounts have far exceeded the campaign contribution limits.

Some questions…Did Mark Thomason extend $13,460.30 of free advertising to three Fannin County Sheriff candidates? Why just the Sheriff candidates? Could they have been in cahoots (colluding or conspiring together secretly)? Wonder how the other candidates who paid for their ads must feel? Wonder what the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission will think?

Click to read campaign finance reports.

Johnny Scearce 6302016

Jack Taylor 6302016

Larry Bennett 6302016

 

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Related story: Fannin Focus Mark Thomason Arrested, Journalist or Vendetta

 

 

 

State National with Jennifer Hazelton 6/21/16

GMFTO

Political Analyst Jennifer Hazelton joins BKP for a walk through the elections, candidates, and VP possibilities.

https://youtu.be/6tFz57J0Etc

State National 5/31/16

GMFTO

Gorillas and Government

 

https://youtu.be/BNLoMqZd8Lg

State National 5/10/16

Opinion

Political hopes and woes.

https://youtu.be/qvO89BbxfvE

State n National 5/5/16

Opinion

Assessing the Political Globe

https://youtu.be/TpKk11Ncg1Q

Morning Monologue 4/7/16

Election, Politics

See BKP’s full Morning Monologue with Doug Collins and the 9th District.
You can also see the interview on its own further below.

https://youtu.be/otHtNSucMXc

https://youtu.be/0v-rFHYVfRI

Dr Paul Broun 4/5/16

Election, Politics

Candidate Dr. Paul Broun talks 9th District Congressional Elections and Voting.

https://youtu.be/vVLEKCuIQX0

Morning Monologue 3/31/16

Opinion

The American Hustle…

https://youtu.be/5PhvZbfjXTs

Morning Monologue 3/16/16

Business

Who is out? Who is in? Where’s the nominee?

Elections and primaries dot the land as America marches toward its next presidency, no matter what it brings.

https://youtu.be/eBqKos_6hhY

Morning Monologue 2/3/16

Opinion

Rush Limbaugh wrong about his Iowa Assessment and Political outrage in Congress.

https://youtu.be/53woYoa57tM

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