New state attorney general to be decided for Georgia

By PAYTON TOWNS III

The new attorney general for Georgia will either be a current member from the house of representatives or a current member in the Georgia State Senate.

Democrat Tanya Miller, who is a member of Georgia House of Representatives representing District 62, and Republican Brian  Strickland, who is representing District 42 in the Georgia State Senate, will be vying for attorney general after Chris Carr did not seek re-election for the position, choosing instead to run for Governor of Georgia, though he was eliminated in the primary.

The AG advises the governor and other state agencies, boards and commissions. The AG’s office can represent state departments in civil court, represent the state in the Supreme Court of the United States and his office can review and prepare state contracts and legal agreements. Across the state, the AG’s office can oversee agencies that  go up against human trafficking, gang activity and Medicaid fraud. This office also does capital felony appeals before the Supreme Court of the state as well as prosecuting public corruption and illegal acts when it comes to state business.  

Miller won by a big margin over Robert Trammell gaining 461,643 votes (84.6 percent) to his 83,983 (15.4 percent) in the Democratic primary on May 19. 

Strickland did not have much of a problem either, receiving 366,251 votes (71.9 percent) as his opponent Bill Cowsert who received 143,260 (28.1 percent).

Miller has more than two decades of courtroom experience as a prosecutor and assistant district attorney in Fulton County and served as an attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice.  

Strickland is an attorney and partner in a local law firm in Atlanta. 

Miller wants to focus on enforcing the law and supporting law enforcement with training and programs to help solve crimes and prevent them. She wants to focus on programs that will divert nonviolent, first time offenders from the prison system while reducing recidivism and putting formerly incarcerated people on the right path to jobs. 

Strickland wants to protect and hold those who have committed crimes accountable for their actions. He said the attorney general should focus on those who commit violent crimes, those running organized criminal networks, gangs, human trafficking, fentanyl distribution, consumer fraud, identity theft, elder abuse and scamming those who are vulnerable.