Crowded field vies for metro Senate seat in Nov. 18 special election
Voters in Fulton and Cobb counties will vote next week on who should finish the term of former state Sen. Jason Esteves, who resigned earlier this year to focus on his campaign for governor.
Six candidates are vying for the Senate District 35 seat, which leans Democratic and spans from South Fulton to Smyrna. The race lured retired state Rep. Roger Bruce, an Atlanta Democrat, back into politics less than a year after he retired.
Bruce, who did not seek reelection last year after serving 22 years in the House, is facing former Cobb County Board of Education member Jaha Howard, also a Democrat. Four other candidates — two Democrats, a Republican and an independent — are all seeking office for the first time.
The special election will be held Tuesday, and a runoff, if needed, would take place Dec. 16.
Bruce said one reason he decided to run is because he believes the time between Esteves’ resignation and the special election wasn’t enough for voters to vet a candidate and “pick someone long term.” If elected, he said he likely wouldn’t seek another term in 2026.
“We’ve had these town hall meetings where you have all the candidates up on the stage, and you have two minutes to answer the question,” he said. “You’re just getting sound bites. You’re not getting real substantive answers to questions.”
Howard, a Smyrna resident, first ran for state Senate in 2017, also to fill the unfinished term of a senator who resigned to run for governor, losing in a runoff. Since then, he’s served one term on the Cobb school board. He’s also unsuccessfully run for state school superintendent and County Commission.
A pediatric dentist, Howard said the tone of national politics during the last year convinced him to make another run for office.
The day before the filing deadline for those wanting to seek office, Bruce announced endorsements from several Georgia Democrats, including former Gov. Roy Barnes, but Howard is undeterred.
“I think it’s offensive to voters for the establishment to already deem someone as the person that is who they’ve chosen and qualifying is still underway. What message does that send?” Howard said.
All of the candidates stressed affordability and safety among the primary needs of their neighbors, though their approach varies.
Erica-Denise Solomon, a South Fulton Democrat and communications consultant, said her previous career in journalism compelled her to run for office so she could help Georgians on a broader scale.
If elected, she said she’d want to work to boost state programs that work with police departments to provide mental health, disability and addiction services. The state established the framework for implementing those programs, but law enforcement agencies are not required to participate.
“I want to make it a more statewide issue to ensure the safety of people with special needs, especially people who have autism that are driving,” said Solomon, a South Carolina native. “That way, everyone can make it home safely.”
John Williams, a Louisiana native who lives in unincorporated Smyrna, said running for office was a logical next step after raising children and holding community service roles in Cobb County for the past few decades. Williams said he’s helmed drug-free school programs, was active with his children’s PTA boards and in mentorship programs.
“I wanted to continue to serve,” the small business owner said. “I felt like I could be of benefit because of the things I’ve done in the past.”
A College Park native, Corenza Morris said he’s spent much of his life living and working in the district he’s seeking to represent. A former College Park police officer, if elected, Morris would be the only independent lawmaker in the Legislature.
“I ran as an independent to fully represent the entire district, from the top of Smyrna down to West Atlanta, all the way down to South Fulton, to fully represent our people,” said Morris, who owns an ice cream shop in Smyrna. “When we have issues going on at the (Gold) Dome, it doesn’t matter who presented the bill. What matters is, does it benefit our people?”
Josh Tolbert, a Smyrna Republican, said he’s struggled with having first-term state Rep. Gabriel Sanchez, a Democratic Socialist, as the House member representing his district. Often, Tolbert said, Republicans haven’t challenged Democratic candidates in the Senate district.
“I think that candidates running unopposed tend become complacent and lazy — and I’m not saying about anybody in particular — I’m just saying in general, you tend you only need to cater to your side of aisle,” said Tolbert, an Alabama native. “You don’t care necessarily a lot about the guy in the middle and certainly not about the guy on the other side.”
About the Author
Maya T. Prabhu covers the Georgia Senate and statewide issues as a government reporter for The AJC. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in northern Virginia, Maya attended Spelman College and then the University of Maryland for a master's degree. She writes about social issues, the criminal justice system and legislative politics.
