John Barge and Democrat Valarie Wilson have scheduled a joint appearance for Thursday in Tucker, and there's every indication that the Republican state school superintendent will endorse her as his successor.
Barge, since he lost his Republican primary challenge to Gov. Nathan Deal, has been something of a free agent. And there's a bit of history, too. Barge defeated Republican Richard Woods, now the GOP nominee, for the job in the 2010 primary. The incumbent disagrees with Woods on such issues as Common Core -- which Woods opposes.
At this point, Wilson’s campaign is promising only a “special announcement,” that will also feature “additional members of the educational community.” But with less than two weeks before the Nov. 4 election, there is little other reason for the pair to come together.
As reported earlier this morning, an 11Alive/SurveyUSA poll shows the school superintendent to be extremely tight, with Republican Richard Woods of Irwin County holding a 46-44 percent lead well within the margin of error.
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