Four running for Colton Moore’s northwest Georgia Senate district
Three Republicans and one Democrat are vying for a northwest Georgia state Senate seat in a special election Tuesday.
Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, resigned from his Senate District 53 post to run for the congressional seat vacated by Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene. It’s a reliably Republican district — Moore won reelection in 2024 with 79% of the vote.
Republicans Denise Pierce Burns, Blake Elsberry and Lanny Thomas, and Democrat John Bentley (Jack) Zibluk are vying for the seat.
Early voting began Feb. 16 and will end Friday. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, the race would go to a runoff election April 7.
Here’s a closer look at the candidates.
Denise Burns
Burns is a longtime activist who chaired the Republican Party of Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. She’s a northwest Georgia native who says she’s spent years “working with grassroots conservatives and building relationships across our communities.” She’s also worked in hospitality and food service, and her family runs a small farm.
If elected, Burns said her priority will be “protecting the values and way of life that make Northwest Georgia special.
“That includes working to rein in rising property taxes or eliminate them entirely, protecting small farms and local agriculture from unnecessary regulations, defending election integrity and supporting parents’ rights in education,” she said. “I also want to ensure our communities have a strong voice at the State Capitol and that decisions affecting our region are made with the interests of local families and businesses in mind.”
Blake Elsberry
Elsberry, a Republican, is the former sole commissioner of Chattooga County. He lost a bid for reelection in 2024 and last year came under scrutiny for his role in awarding a contract to a Tennessee firm that was supposed to provide broadband internet but never did.
Chattooga County later sued the firm, accusing it of breach of contract, misrepresentation and fraud. The company admitted the allegations and agreed to repay about $333,000. The GBI later charged a managing member of the firm with one count of felony theft by taking.
In an email to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Elsberry said he did nothing wrong and cooperated with the investigation, which is closed. He said he has been “cleared of any wrongdoing.”
A spokesperson for the GBI confirmed the arrest of the company official and said the investigation “is completed and has been turned over to the district attorney’s office.”
As commissioner, Elsberry said he guided the county through “significant financial strain” but left office with a $3 million surplus. He also cited his involvement in the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission and other groups.
“If elected, a few of my top priorities will be reducing the tax burden on hardworking Georgians, expanding access to quality healthcare and supporting Georgia’s farmers while also investing in the next generation of agricultural leaders,” he said.
Lanny Thomas
Thomas, a Republican, is mayor of Trion and a former City Council member. Among other things, he also cited his experience with the Georgia Municipal Association and the Summerville Rotary Club.
Thomas said he’s lived in the 53rd District his entire life and has strong relationships with other elected officials and leaders in the region. If elected, he said he would work to eliminate the state income tax.
“I will support and work to help all involved in public safety in order to keep our communities safe,” Thomas said. “I will work to help our children in grades K-3 to become better readers. I will continue my efforts to put mental illness awareness to the forefront.”
Jack Zibluk
The lone Democrat in the race, Zibluk is a communications professor at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. He said he’s a third generation public servant — his grandfather was a police officer and his parents were city workers.
Zibluk said his priorities include “nuts and bolts” issues like affordable health care and housing, economic development, infrastructure and “realistic, responsible” regulation of data centers. He said he would focus on policies that benefit constituents’ needs regardless of their political or social views.
Zibluk said he brings a fresh perspective as a “relative newcomer” to politics.
“I often say, I haven’t been around long enough to be tainted or corrupted,” he said.
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.
