Richardson wins Georgia House runoff over MAGA hopeful Pearson
Former Columbia County Commissioner Gary Richardson defeated conservative activist C.J. Pearson in a runoff special election between the two Republicans to fill a seat in the Georgia House.
With the endorsement of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, Richardson won the solidly conservative Augusta-based seat against Pearson, a 21-year-old social media influencer who aligned himself with former President Donald Trump’s brand.
Richardson, the CEO of the Sparkle Express Car Wash chain, campaigned as a conservative businessman who prioritized the economy, police funding and opposing the “woke agenda.” He won about 60% of the vote, according to unofficial results.
The runoff election was marred by a technical problem with voting equipment that state election officials said affected 130 voters, but election workers used backup procedures so that voting wasn’t interrupted, according to the secretary of state’s office.
Officials in Columbia County called for a hand recount to double-check the results.
Richardson will complete the term of former state Rep. Barry Fleming, a Republican from Harlem whom Kemp appointed to become a superior court judge. House District 125 includes parts of Columbia and McDuffie counties.
Richardson and Pearson will face off again in two months for a full two-year term. Both Republican candidates filed paperwork last week to run in the May 21 general primary. The winner will face Democrat Kay Turner, a cosmetology instructor who doesn’t have an opponent in the primary.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
