Cobb Republican Women’s Club candidate forums start Tuesday

Tuesday night is the first of several rounds of Cobb Republican Women’s Club candidate forums for several state and local races in the May 22 GOP primary.

(Tonight, GOP Georgia Secretary of State candidates will have a forum at Lassiter High School starting at 7.)

The first of the Cobb Republican Women’s Club forums includes candidates for governor and Congress (including the 6th House District seat held by U.S. Rep. Karen Handel) on Tuesday.

The forum lasts from 7-9 p.m. in the Cobb Board of Commissioners 2nd floor meeting room, 100 Cherokee St., in downtown Marietta. TV coverage will be provided by Channel 23, the Cobb government cable access channel (on Comcast), as well as livestreaming at cobbcounty.org.

The same time venue, and television/streaming availability will be in place for the other forums. On Wednesday, the offices include lieutenant governor, secretary of state and more legislative offices, including State. Sen. District 32 held by Kay Kirkpatrick of East Cobb.

Handel and Kirkpatrick were the only Republicans to qualify in their respective races, and will have Democratic opposition in November.

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• East Cobb candidates in May primaries, general election

Next Tuesday, April 17, forums for a number of East Cobb-area offices will take place, including House seats held by the following Republican incumbents who have qualified to run: 37 (Sam Teasley), 43 (Sharon Cooper), 44 (Don Parsons), 45 (Matt Dollar) and 46 (John Carson), as well as Post 4 Cobb Board of Education (David Chastain).

Only two have primary opponents. Cooper is being challenged by business owner Kevin W. James, and Parsons by retiree Homer Crothers. The other state house members and Chastain will have Democratic opposition in November.

The final forum on April 18 includes candidates for Cobb commission, Cobb school board Post 6 and other statewide offices and judicial posts.

The Cobb GOP District 3 primary includes two-term incumbent JoAnn Birrell and software account manager Tom Cheek. Scott Sweeney, who has represented Post 6 (Walton and Wheeler districts) for two terms, has no primary opposition. Democrats have qualified to run for both of those seats.

Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt said there will be no replays of the forums on television or streaming.

If you haven’t registered to vote in the primary, the deadline is April 24. Here’s more about how to do that, and information about advance voting and absentee balloting, which is already underway.

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