The 2010 special election for the 9th congressional district of Georgia was held on May 11, 2010, to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Republican U.S. Representative Nathan Deal, who wished to concentrate on his campaign for Governor of Georgia. As no candidate received a majority in the special election, a runoff was held on June 8, 2010. The special election had originally been scheduled for April 27, but was postponed for the benefit of military and overseas voters.[1]
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Background
editNathan Deal announced he was running for governor on May 1, 2009,[2] and announced on March 1 that he would resign from Congress effective March 8 to pursue his candidacy.[3] He was, however, persuaded to postpone his resignation until after voting on the Senate health care reform bill and health care reconciliation bill.[4] On March 21, less than 10 minutes after the final vote, he officially resigned.[5]
Candidates
editThe following candidates have qualified for the ballot:[6]
Republicans
edit- Chris Cates, cardiologist and Emory University medical professor
- Tom Graves, State Representative in District 12
- Lee Hawkins, State Senator in District 49
- Bert Loftman, neurosurgeon
- Bill Stephens, Vice President of Southern Highlands LLC and former Georgia State Senate Majority Leader
- Steve Tarvin, CEO of Crystal Springs Print Works Inc.
Democrat
edit- Mike Freeman, Episcopal minister
Independent
edit- Eugene Moon, marketing manager for Gainesville Welding and Rendering Equipment Inc.
Special election results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Graves | 18,316 | 35.4 | |
| Republican | Lee Hawkins | 12,012 | 23.2 | |
| Republican | Steve Tarvin | 7,940 | 15.3 | |
| Republican | Chris Cates | 6,137 | 11.8 | |
| Democratic | Mike Freeman | 2,891 | 5.6 | |
| Republican | Bill Stephens | 2,084 | 4.0 | |
| Republican | Bert Loftman | 1,292 | 2.5 | |
| Independent | Eugene Moon | 1,125 | 2.2 | |
| Total votes | 51,797 | 100 | ||
Run-off Results
editNo candidate won a majority of votes on May 11, so a runoff election was held between the two leading candidates, Lee Hawkins and Tom Graves.[7]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Graves | 22,694 | 56.45 | |
| Republican | Lee Hawkins | 17,509 | 43.55 | |
| Total votes | 40,203 | 100 | ||
References
edit- ^ "Ga. special election moved to May". Politico. March 24, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ Bill Torpy (August 1, 2009). "Congressman Deal steps up for governor's race". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ "Georgia GOP Rep. Nathan Deal leaving House for governor race". Boston Herald. March 1, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ Montopoli, Brian (March 4, 2010). "GOP Rep. Nathan Deal Postpones Retirement to Fight Health Bill". CBS News. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ 2010 Congressional Record, Vol. 156, Page H2169 and H2170
- ^ "Qualified Candidates for Congressional District 9". Georgia Secretary of State. April 29, 2010. Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
- ^ "6/8/2010 - Summary". Sos.georgia.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
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