Incumbent faces runoff in Gwinnett commission race
Gwinnett County Commissioner Mike Beaudreau faces an Aug. 21 GOP primary runoff election after failing to get more than half the vote in a crowded field of District 3 candidates.
Beaudreau will face former planning commissioner and fellow Republican Tommy Hunter in a race that at times has been overshadowed by corruption allegations involving other commissioners. No Democrat is running for the post.
In the District 1 County Commission race, Suwanee City Councilman Jace Brooks defeated Duluth accountant Laurie McClain.
Beaudreau, seeking his third term on the commission, won 47 percent of the District 3 vote Tuesday. Hunter gained 22 percent to advance to the runoff, besting former Snellville Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer (21 percent) and Dacula businessman Mike Korom (10 percent).
On Wednesday the incumbent put a positive spin on the results.
"We got almost 10,000 votes," Beaudreau said. "It was a great day for us."
But the fact that he drew three challengers and won less than half the vote suggests many voters are skeptical of an incumbent at a time when Gwinnett has been rocked by scandal.
Two years ago Commissioner Kevin Kenerly resigned after a grand jury indicted him on a charge of bribery (the charge is still pending). Chairman Charles Bannister resigned that same year to avoid a perjury charge from the grand jury, which investigated dubious land deals.
And in May Commissioner Shirley Lasseter stepped down after admitting she accepted $36,500 from an undercover FBI agent in exchange for her vote on a real estate development. Lasseter pleaded guilty to bribery and is cooperating in an ongoing federal corruption investigation.
Beaudreau has not been implicated in any wrongdoing and touts his support of last year's changes to county ethics and land-buying rules. But some of his constituents say they're ready for a change.
John Glenn of Dacula voted for Korom Tuesday because "he wasn't an insider." He cited a string of controversies — including a new trash plan, the Gwinnett Braves stadium and a recent debate over commercial flights at Briscoe Field — that have soured him on Beaudreau.
But Beaudreau, a national accounts manager for Ricoh Corp., still has plenty of supporters.
"I think he's got the interest of the county at heart," said Ken Lowery of Grayson, who voted for Beaudreau. "He just wants to do the right thing."
Beaudreau said he will continue to stress creating jobs in his campaign and as a commissioner.
Hunter is an engineering consultant and former county construction manager. He said he'll focus on Gwinnett's transportation problems and securing a long-term alternative water source.
"We need people with actual experience, as opposed to political experience," Hunter said. "When I start talking about these issues, I'm talking from a position of knowledge."
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
