The Athens-Clarke County Democratic Committee approved a slate of endorsed candidates in nonpartisan races last week that is more notable for whom committee members excluded than whom they approved.
Democrats did not give Commission District 6 candidate Stephanie Johnson their blessing at a contentious Apr. 25 meeting, despite Johnson and her supporters’ pleas to ignore a lengthy condemnation of Johnson from ACC Commissioner Jesse Houle.
Houle, who was out of town for a conference, sent post holders an email expressing “many deep concerns” about Johnson. The current District 6 commissioner is not running for re-election and is supporting Rashe Malcolm despite what Houle described as “numerous differences” with Malcolm on policy.
“It is imperative to understand and to share that Stephanie is being backed strongly by Republicans, including prominent individual MAGA folks as well as the GOP itself and its affiliate shell organizations,” Houle wrote in the email. “Her campaign is in alignment with the Republican Party’s agenda, as it aligns both with their issue stances and also their efforts to undermine the credibility of local Democratic leaders, and even the government itself, through misinformation and hyperbole.”
Houle showed that Athens GOP Chairman Gordon Rhoden promoted Johnson’s campaign kickoff event in his newsletter. In addition, she was a featured speaker at local Republicans’ Apr. 8 meeting alongside fellow commission candidates Sidney Waters and Jason Jacobs, and candidate for sheriff Tommy Dorsey, who is running against incumbent John Q. Williams in the May 21 Democratic primary. Johnson, Waters, Jacobs and independent candidate for district attorney Kalki Yalamanchili were also invited to participate in a forum organized by conservative group Athens Classic, while their opponents Malcolm, Commissioner Carol Myers, Commissioner Melissa Link and DA Deborah Gonzalez were not.
Houle went on to say that Johnson echoed Republican talking points on crime and the commission’s 2019 resolution embracing immigrants. A group called “Athens for All” that is tied to Republicans—but whose name echoes the now-defunct progressive group Athens for Everyone that Houle was a part of—sent a mailer to voters on Johnson’s behalf. The P.O. Box for Athens for All is shared with the UGA fraternity Alpha Gamma Rho’s building fund, which is headed by Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper, a Republican. Houle noted that the mailer shares many stylistic similarities to Johnson’s campaign website.
“The things that are listed in that email are not accurate,” Johnson told the Democratic gathering. She explained her Republican support by saying, “What you call Republicans, I call family. What you call Republicans, I call classmates.”
When ballots were counted, Johnson received just seven of 31 votes. Malcolm received 28.
Under Democrats’ bylaws, an endorsement required a two-thirds vote of post holders, or 21 votes. Post holders could vote to endorse one candidate, multiple candidates or none at all. Myers received 29 votes, Link received 26 and District 2 school board challenger Kirrena Gallagher received 25, while incumbent Claudia Butts fell just shy with 20. Jacobs, Waters and school board candidate Mary Bagby did not seek Democrats’ endorsement.
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