Cobb Board of Education candidate John Cristadoro said Friday that a number of prominent business, community, educational and political leaders have endorsed his campaign for the East Cobb-based Post 5 seat.
They include former Cobb commissioner and Georgia Public Service commissioner Stan Wise, Superior Plumbing CEO Jay Cunningham and former Cobb Republican Party chairs Scott Johnson and Rose Wing.
Cristadoro is a Republican with two children in the Walton attendance zone who is seeking the seat currently held by GOP school board vice chairman David Banks, who has not said said if he will be seeking a fifth term next year.
The Post 5 seat includes the Walton, Wheeler and Pope attendance zones. Democrat Laura Judge, also a parent in the Walton zone, has announced her candidacy.
Cristadoro is a first-time candidate but has compiled a lengthy list of influential supporters he’s calling his “campaign leadership team.”
They include John Loud, CEO of Loud Security Systems and a former chairman of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and Scott Sweeney, a former school board member from East Cobb who’s the current chairman of the Georgia Board of Education.
Cunningham is one of four current members of the Cobb County School District’s Finance and Technology Committee that conducts oversight of the education SPLOST to endorse Cristadoro.
The others are Shane Spink, a community leader in the Sprayberry High School area and Wayne Brown, an engineer, both appointed by Post 4 Republican school board member David Chastain.
Lesley Litt, business executive, was appointed by Republican Brad Wheeler and Cunningham by Republican Randy Scamihorn.
The seats held by Banks, Wheeler, Scamihorn and Democrat Tre’ Hutchins will be up for election in 2024.
As East Cobb News first reported earlier this month, Cristadoro has raised nearly $30,000—loaning his campaign $10,000—for what’s expected to be an expensive campaign. Judge has raised nearly $9,000.
In his release Friday, Cristadoro said of his new supporters that “I am very honored these known leaders have chosen to join our campaign team. They will be very beneficial in assisting our campaign goal to keep the Cobb County School District strong and a recognized leader in academics.”
- Stan Wise—Former Ga. Public Commissioner, Cobb County Commissioner
- Jay Cunningham—CEO of Superior Plumbing, CCSD F & T Committee
- Scott Johnson—Served on Georgia Board of Education; previous Chairman of Cobb GOP
- Shane Spink—F & T Committee Member for CCSD and businessman
- Alice Stouder—Former Cobb school district assistant superintendent
- Wayne Brown—Member of CCSD F & T Committee
- Lawson Kirkland—Senior V.P. in the banking industry
- Peter Heinzleman—Former CEO of Cobb EMC and current business owner
- Lesley Litt—Immediate Past Chair of CCSD F & T Committee and CEO of CrystalFlex
- Hilda Wilkins—Retired Cobb school principal and Director of Accreditation for Cobb Schools
- Dan Joy—Principal with Rule Joy Tramell & Rule Architecture Design
- Dan Payrow—President of R.S. Andrews
- Rose Wing—Attorney and former Cobb assistant district attorney and previous Cobb GOP Chair
- Tracy Cullo—Chair of East Cobb Republican Women’s Club
- Simone Thomas—East Cobb Community resident and community activist
- Irey Sanders—Regional V.P of Brasfield & Gorrie
- Pam & Tom Reardon—Cobb Republican activists
- Bob Kilinski—Regional Operating Partner Keller Williams International
- Jeff Chassner—Chief Sales Officer at New Realm
- Lewis Lampley—Senior Clinical Research at Boston Scientific
- Stephanie Joseph—East Cobb Resident and community activist.
- Ryan Casey—Owner of Paper Connexion
- Michael Trent—CEO of Trent Consulting and youth baseball coach
Related:
- Federal judge sides with Cobb school district in redistricting lawsuit
- Cobb school board member fined for campaign finance violations
- Interim Cobb Elections director appointed as search continues
- Cobb school board Post 5 candidates file financial disclosure reports
- Cupid kicks off re-election campaign for Cobb Commission Chairwoman
- U.S. Rep. McCormick endorses DeSantis in GOP presidential race
- Cobb school board hires law firm in redistricting lawsuit
- Cobb school board candidate: ‘You have to be passionate to do this’
- East Cobb advocate declares intent to run for school board
- Banks undecided about seeking re-election to Cobb school board
- Post 5 school board candidate reveals steering committee
- East Cobb News Politics & Elections page
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