North Fulton and Cherokee voters will choose next month between seven candidates to replace their former state senator, who left office earlier this year to become the treasurer of the United States.
President Donald Trump appointed state Sen. Brandon Beach, an Alpharetta Republican, to become the United States treasurer, a role he assumed in May.
Six Republicans and one Democrat are running for the chance to serve the rest of Beach’s term, which goes through January of 2027.
The special election will be held Aug. 26, with a runoff, if necessary, scheduled for Sept. 23. Early voting begins Aug. 4.
The Republican-leaning district stretches from northern Fulton County into Cherokee County. Beach easily defeated a Democratic challenger last year, with 70% of the vote.
With seven candidates, it is almost certain the race will go to a runoff between the top two vote-getters. Georgia law requires candidates to receive more than 50% of the vote to win a race outright.
All six Republican candidates cite cutting taxes at the top of their to-do list if elected.
Credit: Maya Prabhu
Credit: Maya Prabhu
Steve West, who resigned from the Cherokee County Commission in May to pursue his Senate candidacy, said he has made a lot of state-level contacts in his decade in office. West, 64, said he would work with state officials to roll back the state income tax rate with the aim of eliminating it.
West said he also wants to expand on the state’s new school voucher scholarship program that gives money to students who are zoned to attend low-performing public schools.
“I don’t know how long it would take, but I’d like to start getting to the point of universal school choice,” said West, who owns a steel and metal fabrication company.
Republican candidate Jason Dickerson has accused West of being behind an attack website accusing Dickerson of a list of things, including pocketing taxpayer money from a COVID-era government loan and threatening to shoot his neighbor’s dog. West denied the charge. The website claims to be paid for by American Made Independent Committee Inc.
Dickerson, 49, declined to comment on the website’s allegations.
Dickerson, a Canton native who is making his first run for office, said his time campaigning has increased his awareness of the issues facing the district’s senior citizens. Specifically, he said, seniors need affordable housing and relief of property taxes.
“Everyone is telling me the same thing — we need to get property tax assessments under control, protect our senior property tax exemptions and eliminate the state income tax,” said Dickerson, who works in investment management.
Credit: Abbie Franklin Photographer
Credit: Abbie Franklin Photographer
Tax relief, especially for the district’s elderly, is also top of mind for Lance Calvert, another first-time candidate running as a Republican. Calvert, who lives in Ball Ground, said voters have told him they may need to move because they can’t keep up with rising property taxes.
“I don’t think anybody should lose their home from a property-tax increase,” said Calvert, 49. “We’ve got to do something about property taxes now, like yesterday.”
Brian Will, a Republican who recently resigned from the Alpharetta City Council to pursue his Senate campaign, also said he wants to tackle cutting taxes but looks to mirror federal policies targeting “fraud, waste and abuse” to pay for it.
Will, 60, said making government more efficient would help fund a universal school voucher program and eliminate the state income tax.
“I have a weird ability to break down budgets in Excel spreadsheets and find how to fix money (issues),” said Will, an entrepreneur. “It made such a big difference in Alpharetta.”
Credit: Maya Prabhu
Credit: Maya Prabhu
Career firefighter/paramedic Brice Futch is a first-time candidate running as a Republican for the open Senate seat. The North Canton resident also said he wants a universal education voucher program.
“There is no industry in the world that does better without competition,” said Futch, 32. “We believe that universal school choice is pro-teacher, pro-school and pro-student.”
Stephanie Donegan, a Republican from Milton, did not respond to requests for comment.
Some Democratic political operatives say the number of Republicans in the race could split conservative support and give Debra Shigley a chance to flip the Senate seat.
Credit: Kevin Lowery, Weymouth Watson
Credit: Kevin Lowery, Weymouth Watson
Shigley, who unsuccessfully ran for a Milton-based seat last year, said if elected, she would work to make life more affordable for Georgians.
A former practicing attorney and mother of five, Shigley said it’s expensive to raise a family in Georgia.
“I understand what families are going through,” said Shigley, 46. “Families want to build the best life for their kids, and affordability is a huge issue in that.”
Staff reporter Phoebe Quinton contributed to this report.
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