Albany area candidates sign up to run in primary, general election contests

ALBANY – A contest for the only Georgia House seat fully within Dougherty County will be competitive in the fall with the entrance of a Republican candidate, who jumped into the race Friday on the final day of the qualifying period.

Brenda Battle, who works as a catastrophic insurance adjuster, filled out the paperwork to seek the District 153 seat on Friday and is the only Republican in the running.

Democratic incumbent David Sampson, an Albany businessman, and Democratic challengers Joshua Anthony and Tracy Taylor are the candidates for that party’s May 21 primary. Anthony is a college student, and Taylor is a firefighter with the city of Albany who was the 2022 Republican candidate in the district.

“I am a native of Albany, and I have returned after having been gone a long time,” Battle said.

As someone who has the perspective of living away from the city for some time, the candidate said she sees the need for improvements. In her job, Battle works primarily with worker compensation issues as well as claims involving serious bodily injuries and death. She also is serving a third two-year term on the Albany Utilities Board.

“I see things I don’t really like,” she said. “This is the Good Life City, (and I’m) reminded that we should be working together and get along. I don’t like high taxes, as most people (don’t). I don’t like the price of groceries.”

While she won’t face a primary opponent, Battle said it will be a “pretty tough” race in the November general election.

Sampson won in 2022 with a little more than 65% of the vote in a district that trends heavily Democratic.

“It will be a challenge, but I’m up for a challenge,” she said. “I don’t give up easily because change can be good.

“A lot of things going on here are just lack of engagement, lack of communication. I see division created by lack of communication, not caring for each other.”

Other Republican representatives who qualified in local House districts include Mike Cheokas in District 151, Bill Yearta in District 152 and Gerald Greene in District 154. Othellius Cato qualified as a Democratic challenger for Greene in District 154 on Friday.

District 12 state Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, a Dawson Democrat, qualified to seek another term.

In Dougherty County, incumbent School Board members who qualified are Robert Youngblood in District 1, Velvet Edwards Poole in District 3 and James Bush in District 5, all Democrats. Challengers in board races are David Maschke, a former board member who qualified as a Republican in District 1, and Wanda Mallard, a Democrat, in District 5.

Dougherty County District 1 County Commissioner Ed Newsome, a Republican, will be challenged by Larry G. Harris, and two Democratic candidates qualified in District 5, incumbent Gloria Gaines and Thomia Tonya Thomas.

Democrat Phyllis N. Johnson qualified for Clerk of Superior Court, seeking to replace the retiring Evonne Mull, and incumbent Democrats who also qualified are Probate Court Judge Leisa Green Blount and State Court Judge John M. Stephenson.

Rounding out the Democratic candidates for the May 31 ballot were candidates for Dougherty County sheriff: Chief Deputy Terron Hayes and former Albany Police Department investigator Keithen Hall, who is currently a captain with the Albany State University Police Department. Coroner Michael Fowler also has qualified to seek another term.

In Lee County, Republican incumbent Sheriff Reggie Rachals qualified and will face Dean F. Gore in the primary race. Other Republicans who qualified were incumbent Superior Court Clerk Sara Reeves, incumbent Coroner Hill Mackey, Wendy L. David for tax commissioner to succeed Susan Smith, who did not seek re-election, and County Commissioners Luke Singletary, Chris Guarnieri and George E. Walls Sr.

Nonpartisan candidates are Probate Court Judge Melanie Gahring Rathel, Chief Magistrate Court Judge Jim Thurman, District 2 School Board incumbent Claire B. Lang, District 4 School Board incumbent Jamie McDowell and District 5 School Board member Fran Walls.

Mary Egler qualified in School Board District 5.

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