Who's who in the race to fill the state Senate seat in east Cobb

Tom Price’s ascension from congressman to health and human services secretary set off a domino effect that’s playing out most prominently in Cobb and Fulton counties.

The Roswell Republican's Senate confirmation triggered a race to fill the open seat, which drew interest from a wide-ranging list of 18 candidates.

State Sen. Judson Hill, R-Marietta, among those vying to represent Georgia's 6th District and the first Republican to enter, vacated his position in pursuit of the opportunity setting off a second special election.

Nearly 178,000 people live in Senate District 32, which stretches from east Cobb to Sandy Springs. An affluent Atlanta suburb and popular area to raise a family, the median income is more than $93,000 and the median age is 41 years.

Qualifying ended Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. and attracted eight candidates.

The special election to replace Hill will be April 18, the same day as the federal special election to replace Price. A runoff, if needed, is scheduled for May 16.

March 20 is the last day to register and be eligible to vote. Advance in-person voting begins March 27.

Below is the list of who is in the running.

REPUBLICANS

Hamilton Beck: A consultant with Huron Consulting Group with accounting degrees from Kennesaw State University, according to his LinkedIn page.

Matt Campbell: A railroad conductor with a career in transportation, Campbell picked up an endorsement from state Sen. Brandon Beach, a Republican from Alpharetta and chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Roy Daniels: A physician who is running to be the “voice of common sense as the state reacts to the new health care policy” that he believes will “finally address out-of-control health care costs,” according to his campaign website. Daniels opposes abortion rights and is a strong gun rights advocate.

Kay Kirkpatrick: Kirkpatrick, an orthopedic surgeon, promises to strengthen Georgia’s ability to respond in disaster and emergency situations. She’s the district coordinator for the Medical Association of Georgia’s Medical Reserve Corps and a former president of Resurgens Orthopedics.

Gus Makris: As a tax lawyer for Turner Broadcasting, Makris believes “additional aggressive tax reform should be thoughtfully considered.” He is an active member of the Republican Party and has served in governor-appointed commissions. His website features a campaign video.

DEMOCRATS

Exton Howard: The 35-year-old media director is pushing for transparency in government and Medicaid expansion. He takes a strong stance in support of Planned Parenthood.

Christine Triebsch: The family law and juvenile justice attorney has shared the stage with Jon Ossoff, the documentary filmmaker and apparent Democratic front-runner in the 6th District race, at a campaign event.

Bob Wiskind: The only doctor in the race who is a Democrat, Wiskind is focused on child health issues and Medicaid expansion. Wiskind is also the leader of the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.