Cherokee Republicans Schedule Candidate Forums

CANTON, GA — The Cherokee County Republican Party and Cherokee County Republican Women are joining forces to sponsor a series of forums to allow you to get to know the candidates running for local and state offices.

The forums kick off at 6 p.m. Monday, March 12 and will run through Monday, April 23. Local journalists from the Cherokee Tribune and WLJA radio will pose questions to the candidates, as well as take questions from audience members.

“The forums are a wonderful opportunity for the voters to meet the candidates and hear their answers to questions from the press and the audience," said Cherokee Clerk of Courts Patty Baker, president of the Cherokee County Republican Women.

Cherokee County Republican Party Chairman Don Ware added he hopes the community will take advantage of thee forums, which are free and open to the public (For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here).

“I thoroughly believe this is a great opportunity for our voters to become informed on the candidates running for office,” he added. “I believe that our two groups, the Cherokee County Republican Women and the Cherokee County Republican Party, have been and will continue to work hard alongside of one another to educate our voters about candidates, government and issues that pertain to us as Georgians and Americans.”

In addition to local offices, the forums will have participation by state Republican candidates, including those for governor and lieutenant governor. CCRW Candidate Forum Chairman Pat Wallace said that there are more than 25 state and local offices up for election, but so far several do not have opposition. She said that forums will be scheduled to allow those with opposition to have a chance to discuss the issues.

Readers should note there will not be a forum on Monday, April 2, as that date is the start of the Cherokee county School District's spring break.

Here's the tentative schedule for the candidate forum:

March 12

• Cherokee County Commissioner District 4: Steve Divine and Corey Ragsdale
• Solicitor General of Cherokee County: Todd Hayes and Sarah Hobson
• Cherokee County School Board District 4: Rick Steiner (incumbent) and Donna Kosicki

March 19

• Cherokee County Commission Chair: Harry Johnston and Stanley Townsend
• Cherokee County School Board District 6: Michael Chapman (incumbent) and Scott Phillips

March 26

• Republican candidates for Georgia Public Service Commission: Tricia Pridemore and John Hitchins
• Insurance commissioner: Tracey Jordan, Jim Beck and Jay Florence

April 9

• Blue Ridge Circuit Superior Court judge: Tony Baker and Benson Chambers
• State Court of Appeals: Ken Hodges and Ken Shigley

April 16

• Republican candidates for lieutenant governor: Geoff Duncan, Rick Jeffares and David Shafer
• Republican candidates for governor: Casey Cagle, Hunter Hill, Brian Kemp, Clay Tippins, Marc Alan Urbach, Michael Williams and Eddie Hayes

April 23

• State schools superintendent: Richard Woods (incumbent), Dr.Sonia Francis-Rolle and John Barge
• Secretary of state: David Belle-Isle, Buzz Brockway, Josh McKoon and Brad Raffensperger

All forums will be held in the Historic Courthouse at 100 Main Street in downtown Canton.

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