The Candidates
Ga. House 112
Lee Anderson
Bill Jackson
Tom Simpson
Columbia County Commision, Dist 3
David Titus
Lee Brooks
Columbia County Commision, Dist 5
Diane Ford
Harold Mays
U.S. Senate
Paul Broun
Clint Day
Bruce Hatfield
Johnny Isakson
Guy Millner
Dean Parkison
Ga. House Dist. 115
Jack Connell
Robert W. Hunter III
Richmond Co. State Court Solicitor
Sheryl Jolly
Joe R. Neal Jr.
Augusta Judicial Circuit, Superior Court Judge
Neal W. Dickert
Michael Eubanks
Bettieanne Childers Hart
Larry I. Smith
Columbia Co. Sheriff
Bill Hensley
Clay Whittle
Ga. Senate District 24
Dick Manion
Charles Allen, Jr.
Joey Brush
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The Georgia Primaries:
Candidate Biographies
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Ga. House 112 REPUBLICANS
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| Name: Lee Anderson | Ballot number: 60 | Age: 39 |
| Occupation: Farmer and businessman |
| Education: Graduate of Harlem High School; attended
Brewton-Parker College and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College; |
| Previous political experience: Columbia County school trustee, 1984 to 1992 |
| Top issue:
Family values. ``The family home needs to be strengthened again. Children need
both their mother and their daddy to raise them and have a good solid influence
on them to where, later in life, they will become a mature, solid adult.'' |
| Name: Bill Jackson | Ballot number: 61 | Age: 63 |
| Occupation: Self-employed businessman |
| Education: Graduate of Evans High School and Augusta Vocational
School |
| Previous political experience: Represented Georgia's 77th and 83rd
districts in the General Assembly from 1978 to 1990; chairman of Columbia County
school board from 1968 to 1972. |
| Top issue:
Reforming the criminal justice system.
``Our judges are handicapped. We need to work with them and the district
attorneys and see if there's something that handicaps victims of crime from
getting a decent and fair time in court.'' |
| Name: Tom Simpson | Ballot number: 62 | Age: 37 |
| Occupation: General manager, Herrli
Homes Inc., and owner of two farms. |
| Education: Graduate of Augusta College, with
bachelor of science in economics. |
| Previous political experience: Ran
unsuccessfully for state House District 120 seat in 1994 and for Georgia's 10th
Congressional District seat in 1990 |
| Top issue:
Improving education. ``I want to
wage a real war on drugs and rebuild and renew our schools and bring some
discipline back to the classroom.'' |
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Columbia Co. Commission, District 3 REPUBLICANS
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| Name: David Titus | Ballot number: 80 | Age: 58 |
| Occupation: Retired; manages family
investments |
| Education: Master of science in education administration from
University of Southern California; bachelor of arts in business education, Idaho
State University; graduate of Jerome High School, Jerome, Idaho |
| Previous political experience: Has represented District 3 since 1992 |
| Top issue:
Family values. Economic
development and transportation. ``Along with economic development comes a lesser
burden on property owners. That's the end goal, because if we don't do that,
taxes will be going up.'' |
| Name: Lee Brooks | Ballot number: 79 | Age: 44 |
| Occupation: Director of training,
Wackenhut Services Inc. |
| Education: Master of business administration, Brenau
University; bachelor of science in business administration, Paine College |
| Previous political experience: Ran unsuccessfully for the District 3 seat in 1992. |
| Top issue:
Infrastructure expansion into District 3. ``Without that, that end of the
county really cannot grow. It really can't support a lot of housing development
or industry development.'' |
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Columbia Co. Commission, District 5 REPUBLICANS
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| Name: Diane Ford | Ballot number: 84 | Age: 43 |
| Occupation: Owner, Hollins Radiator
Service |
| Education: Graduate of Butler High School; attended Augusta Technical
Institute |
| Previous political experience: Has represented District 5 since 1992 |
| Top issue:
Managed growth. ``We need to extend water and sewage, improve and expand
the road system and expand our tax base. If anybody asks you who's the person who
loves the water and sewage system, it's me. I'm Ms. Water and Sewage.'' |
| Name: Harold Mays | Ballot number: 85 | Age: 69 |
| Occupation: Founder and owner of several
automotive and truck dealerships and sales and service companies |
| Education: Graduate of Louisville Academy |
| Previous political experience: None. |
| Top issue:
Effective use of tax dollars. ``I want every decision made by the county
commission to be a good decision based on good information, and for every tax
dollar spent, taxpayers should get a dollar value in return.''
|
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U.S. Senate REPUBLICANS
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| Name: Paul Broun | Age: 50 |
| Occupation: Physician |
| Education: University of Georgia; Medical College of Georgia |
| Previous political experience: Ran for Congress from Georgia's 3rd District in 1990 and 1992 |
| Top issue:
Tax reform. Wants to eliminate the Internal Revenue Service and slash the income
tax rate. ``If 10 percent is good enough for the Lord, it should be good enough
for Uncle Sam.''
|
| Name: Clint Day | Age: 38 |
| Occupation: Owns investment company |
| Education: Florida
State University |
| Previous political experience: Elected to state senate in
1992 |
| Top issue:
Tax reform. Advocates a 17 percent flat tax with deductions for home
mortgage interest and charitable contributions; eliminate the inheritance and
capital gains taxes. |
| Name: Bruce Hatfield | Age: 48 |
| Occupation: Runs temporary employment agency |
| Education: Ohio State University, University of Texas, Troy State
University |
| Previous political experience: None |
| Top issue:
Tax reform. Would eliminate
the IRS and institute a national retail sales tax to replace the income tax. |
| Name: Johnny Isakson
| Age: 51 |
| Occupation: President of Northside Realty |
| Education: University of Georgia |
| Previous political experience: Elected to Georgia House of
Representatives in 1976, ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 1990 |
| Top issue:
Tax
reform. Would eliminate estate and inheritance taxes and reduce by 50 percent the
capital gains tax. Prefers a ``flatter and simpler'' income tax system with
deductions for mortgage interest and charitable contributions. |
| Name: Guy Millner
| Age: 60 |
| Occupation: founder of Norrell Corp. |
| Education: Florida State University |
| Previous political experience: Republican nominee for governor in 1994 |
| Top issue:
Tax reform. Would eliminate the estate tax, cut capital gains. ``Whether
it is a flat tax or a national sales tax, I will fight for tax reform...'' |
| Name: Dean Parkison
| Age: 69 |
| Occupation: Retired drug-store owner |
| Education: Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss. |
| Previous political experience: Ran for U.S. Senate in 1978, 1980, 1986 and 1992 |
| Top issue:
Tax reform. ``I would not favor changing our present tax system until we
have adopted a definite system of repaying our national debt.'' |
|
Georgia House District 115 DEMOCRATS
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| Name: Jack Connell | Ballot number: 26 | Age: 76 |
| Occupation: Business management and development |
| Education: Graduated from Richmond Academy; North Georgia College, two years. |
| Previous political experience: Two terms on Augusta City Council; 28 years in the
Georgia General Assembly; 10 terms as speaker pro-tem; two terms as Democratic
majority whip |
| Top issue:
Crime. ``The most important issue the public is
interested in is that we take care of the crime problem in this country. That
means keeping the prisoners in jail with no early releases and that they serve
the time they have been sentenced. Of course, education is always of prime
interest, and the state has addressed this, and with my vote they will continue
to train our young people.'' |
| Name: Robert W. Hunter III | Ballot number: 27 | Age: 42 |
| Occupation: Attorney and Richmond County State Court Solicitor |
| Education: Law degree from the University of Georgia; bachelor's degree in Economics from
Davidson College, Davidson, N.C. |
| Previous political experience: State Court
Solicitor, 8 years |
| Top issue:
`It is time for a representative whose
concern is for the betterment of the district and not for their Atlanta
interests. Working in local government during consolidation and dealing with the
state's criminal justice system has shown me that there is much work to be done
in Atlanta to make life better for us here.'' |
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Richmond County State Court Solicitor, Democratic Primary
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| Name: Sheryl Jolly | Ballot number: 56 | Age: 36 |
| Occupation: Chief assistant solicitor for Richmond County |
| Education: Graduated Georgia College and Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law |
| Previous legal experience: worked for solicitor's office since January
1989, the last two years as chief assistant solicitor; worked two years as
assistant district attorney; private practice for two year |
| Top issue:
Punishment for repeat drunken driving and domestic violence offenses. In cases
where victims were seriously injured because of drunken driving or domestic
violence, Ms. Jolly would recommend a maximum sentence. However, less jail time
should be recommended to the judge in other cases, such as the 14-day jail
sentence the solicitor's office currently recommends for a second-offense of
drunken driving when there's been no accident or other aggravated circumstances.
Anyone convicted of either crime should undergo mandatory counseling. ``We don't
have the jail space in Richmond County ... to house all the people who get
charged with these types of crimes in addition to all the others.'' |
| Name: Joe R. Neal Jr. | Ballot number: 57 | Age: 27 |
| Occupation: Private attorney |
| Education: Graduated University of Georgia and Mercer Law School |
| Previous legal experience: Worked as assistant district attorney three years, the
last year prosecuted murder cases |
| Top issue:
Punishment for repeat drunken driving and domestic violence offenses.
Supports a policy of sending all violators to jail for maximum 12-month
sentences. ``I think it is important to establish a policy to lock these people
up. If you don't stop (drunken drivers) someone down the line will be killed. And
domestic violence often escalates into murder. I know, I've prosecuted these
types of murder cases. |
|
Augusta Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judgeship, Non-partisan
|
| Name: Neal W. Dickert | Ballot number: 147 | Age: 49 |
| Occupation: Managing partner in firm Hull, Towill, Norman & Barrett |
| Education: Graduated from Wofford College, master's degree from University of
South Carolina, and law degree from University of South Carolina |
| Previous legal & political experience: Has practiced law since 1974; experience
in mediation for about 1« years; non-partisan chairman of the Richmond County
Board of Elections from 1981-1990 |
| Best candidate because:
Mr. Dickert points to his years of trial experience and
experience of presiding over mediation of civil cases and his long record of
community and civic service. ``I really enjoy the law ... serving and
contributing to the community. I think this gives me an opportunity to help make
the community better.'' |
| Name: Michael Eubanks | Ballot number: 148 | Age: 49 |
| Occupation: Partner in firm Eubanks & Bond |
| Education: Graduated from University of Georgia, Phi Beta Kappa and University of
Georgia School of Law |
| Previous legal & political experience: Has practiced law since 1974; district
attorney from 1989-92 and Richmond County State Court solicitor from 1985-88;
challenged Judge J. Carlisle Overstreet for seat on the bench four years ago |
| Best candidate because:
``I have a great deal of domestic relations (judges new
to the bench handle domestic relations court matters), 16 to 17 years experience
in that field. I also believe that in the community I have a fair and honest
reputation and am know as a very hard-nosed, law and order individual.'' |
Name: Bettieanne
Childers Hart | Ballot number: 149 | Age: 47 |
| Occupation: Augusta Judicial Circuit Superior Court judge |
| Education: Graduated from Spelman College, master's degree from Boston University, and law degree from the University of Denver Law School |
| Previous legal & political experience: since 1980, practiced with legal
services, district attorney's office and private practice; served two terms in
Georgia House of Representatives in 116th District from 1992-95. |
| Best candidate because:
Judge Hart enjoys the challenge and the knowledge she can
make a difference in people's life, especially for children. ``As a judge, you
bring to the bench your qualifications, as an attorney your experience. But your
view from the bench is different because the buck stops with you. You listen to
both sides and you have to make a decision. In family court, you're dealing with
basic human interests and needs. I take that responsibility very seriously.'' |
| Name: Larry I. Smith | Ballot number: 150 | Age: 45 |
| Occupation: Partner in firm Thompson & Smith |
| Education: Graduated from Augusta State University and from University of Georgia School of Law |
| Previous legal & political experience: Has practiced law in federal and state courts since 1977 |
| Best candidate because:
Mr. Smith said he knows the courtroom and its rules from his years of trial experience and has a strong grasp of the law. ``For trial lawyers, being a judge is the highest calling lawyers have. I want to help build consistency in the law, and have the opportunity to relate to average citizens - more of an opportunity than in any other branch of government. It's a place where the law can be alive.''
|
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Columbia County Sheriff REPUBLICANS
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| Name: Bill Hensley | Ballot number: 69 | Age: 61 |
| Occupation: Businessman |
| Education: Graduate of Hephzibah High School. Attended Augusta College. |
| Previous political experience: Unsuccessful 1995 bid for Columbia County sheriff. |
| Top Issue:
Fiscal responsibility. ``Millions of dollars have been spent
unnecessarily and Jeburk's escape is going to make it even more money.'' |
| Name: Clay Whittle | Ballot number: 70 | Age: 36 |
| Occupation: Sheriff |
| Education: Richmond Academy |
| Previous political experience: Elected to first term in 1995. |
| Top Issue:
Community policing; The whole purpose is to better interact with the community to meet their needs. We work the citizens of Columbia County. It's our job to make sure they get the service they want. ``So we can better interact with our community. Our whole purpose is to make Columbia County a safer place.'' |
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Georgia Senate District 24 REPUBLICANS
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| Name: Dick Manion | Ballot number: 57 | Age: 66 |
| Occupation: Retired Army Colonel and businessman |
| Education: Bachelor's degree in economics from Cornell University and a masters
in political science from New York University. |
| Previous political experience: Columbia County party chairman from 1993-96; served on state committee
of Georgia Republican party. |
| Top Issue:
Juvenile crime: ``It flops into the
classroom and affects education. I think we need to get a handle on these kids. I
want to prevent them from becoming adult criminals.'' |
| Name: Charles Allen, Jr. | Ballot number: 55 | Age: 52 |
| Occupation: consultant |
| Education: Graduated from Evans High School. Attended Augusta
College. |
| Previous political experience: Columbia County Commissioner, 1980-87. |
| Top Issue:
Rock solid and responsive representation to the people. ``I've worked
alongside people in the 24th District for 30 years. I know them well and we're in
tune.''
|
| Name: Joey Brush | Ballot number: 56 | Age: 40 |
| Occupation: Construction business and
real estate. |
| Education: Graduated from Richmond Academy. Graduated from Southern
Tech with a degree in civil engineering. |
| Previous political experience: Served in
state house, 1990-92 and 1994-96. |
| Top Issue:
Education: ``That's my passion. I'd
like to see all state education money sent to local systems in a block grant. Let
local school boards decide how they want to spend it.'' |
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