This is the first of a week-long series of posts on East Cobb News about candidates in the May 22 primaries where there are contested party races. In the East Cobb area, there are five such contested races. To start here is information about those vying for Georgia State House District 37.
There are three Democrats on the May 22 primary ballot, with the winner facing Republican incumbent Sam Teasley, who has no GOP opposition.
District 37 includes portions of Northeast Cobb (see map above) as well as a good bit of the city of Marietta and some of West Cobb.
Bill Bolton is an engineering consultant who lives in East Cobb. On his website, he has laid out details on a number of issues, and wants to limit resources for the implementation of Obamacare, educate the children of immigrants “and work with them and their families to return to their countries,” reduce drug crimes to misdemeanors and support the creation of casinos in Georgia under the state lottery.
“I am a Democrat and I want my party to change. Obviously, I am not a Republican but I have been labeled as a libertarian in prior races,” said Bolton, who has previously run for governor and for mayor of Marietta. He also ran for the 37th district seat in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
Here’s more from Bolton about other issues.
Ragin Edwards of East Cobb was a candidate in the 2017 6th Congressional District special election. A global sales operations manager for a technology firm, Edwards is a graduate of Pope High School and Georgia Tech.
On her campaign website Edwards said she is running for what she calls “common sense gun reform,” improving education in Georgia, tax legislation to benefit middle-class families and state Medicaid expansion, among other issues (more on her platform here).
Her campaign slogan is “Truth and Transparency Now!” and she calls herself “the voice for the unheard.” Here’s more from Edwards about her candidacy.
Mary Frances Williams has lived in the city of Marietta all her life, and her late father, Howard Atherton, served as Marietta mayor and in the legislature.
A social worker, she has been a lobbyist for various family and children’s non-profits at the state capitol. Williams’ priorities include better funding of public education, improving access to health care and transportation issues. Here’s more from Williams on those and other issues.
On her Facebook page she said while she applauds Gov. Nathan Deal’s decision to fully fund Quality Basic Education, “the Quality Basic Education formula is 33 years old and needs to be modernized. When elected, I look forward to working to update the way public education is funded in Georgia.”
Teasley is the vice chairman of the House Republican Caucus and was first elected to represent District 37 in 2010. He serves on the following committees: Banks and Banking; Education; Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications; Ethics; Insurance; and Ways and Means.
A realtor, Teasley believes in limited government and his campaign website indicates that his top priorities are job creation, education and government accountability.
Related coverage
- Advance voting in East Cobb all this week
- See what’s on your sample ballot
- Who’s running for office in East Cobb
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