Republican Party Leader And Candidates Say Hard Worked Needed

Oconee County Republican Party Chair Tammy Gilland told those gathered for the Grand Opening of the 2018 Campaign Headquarters last week that the local party is excited about the election season but is aware that much work needs to be done.

Gilland said party members need to make a lot of phone calls and knock on lots of doors to “spread the word about the great candidates that we have.”

Many of those candidates were present for the opening of the headquarters at the Barber Creek Office Park off Mars Hill Road, and they echoed Gilland’s sense of excitement and the need for hard work.

“As one race does well, everybody else does well,” Congressman Jody Hice told those gathered. “So this is not about any one race. It is about all of them.”

University of Georgia Political Science Professor Charles Bullock will speak about the upcoming election at the party’s meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce, 55 Nancy Drive in Watkinsville.

Gilland has removed the restrictions on recording and note-taking of the meeting she imposed on Monday. The meeting will not include a business session and will adjourn after Bullock has spoken, she said today Wednesday.

In other political news, seven candidates have qualified for the Nov. 6 nonpartisan election for Watkinsville City Council. Filing deadline was Wednesday.

The candidates are incumbent Marci Campbell and Scott Brannon for Post 3, incumbent Christine Tucker and Mike Link for Post 4, and incumbent Dan Matthews, Lee Morgan and Bill Mayberry for Post 5.

For more on this story, with a video of the speakers at the Open House, go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Congressman Jody Hice.