Kalki Yalamanchili was emphatic in telling Oconee County Republicans at the party’s meeting late last month that he does not want to run as a Republican or as a Democrat in seeking the position as district attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit.
In his 30-minute presentation, Yalamanchili said repeatedly — at least seven times — that he did not view the office of district attorney as a partisan one.
He said he has spoken so far before Republicans, but he also has introduced himself at a Democratic Party meeting in Athens-Clarke County and said he intends to do the same at a future Oconee County Democratic Party meeting.
“I really want to get out and do town hall type events, and go meet people where they are,” Yalamanchili said. “And remove the filter, of this person’s a Republican, this person’s a Democrat.”
Despite that nonpartisan pitch, Yalamanchili was warmly received by the Oconee County Republican Party, and party chair Kathy Hurley made it very clear she was supportive of Yalamanchili’s candidacy.
To get his name on the ballot in November, Yalamanchili said he will begin in January obtaining signatures on petitions, and Hurley told Yalamanchili at the end of the meeting she would send out his materials to party members and “as you know more about your petition signature drive, we’ll make sure everybody is aware of that.”
Yalamanchili was preceded by Oconee County attorney Kevin Epps, who continued his documentation of a long list of prosecutorial problems in the office of District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez, a Democrat.
Epps, who said he was a Republican, also made an impassioned endorsement of Yalamanchili, saying that he was not acting as a partisan but as someone who is concerned about public safety in the community.
For more, visit Oconee County Observations.
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