Columbia Countians announce plan to run for state House, sheriff's office in 2024
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
A pair of Augusta-area public officials have revealed their plans to seek higher office in 2024.
On Thursday, departing Columbia County District 3 Commissioner Gary Richardson declared his candidacy in the race for the District 125 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. Incumbent Rep. Barry Fleming was appointed late Wednesday by Gov. Brian Kemp to replace retiring Superior Court Judge James Blanchard Jr. on the Columbia Judicial Circuit bench.
Kemp has not yet named a temporary replacement to assume Fleming’s House seat until the general election Nov. 5. Georgia’s general primary and nonpartisan elections will be May 21.
Also Wednesday, former Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Patrick Clayton announced his intention to run for Columbia County sheriff against incumbent Sheriff Clay Whittle. Clayton retired in December, replaced in the post by Col. Calvin Chew.
Replacing Richardson: Two candidates running for Columbia County District 3
Richardson is finishing his term-limited eight years on the Columbia County Board of Commissioners, five of those years as the board’s vice-chairman.
“As your next state representative, I pledge that I’ll serve in Atlanta with the same dedication, enthusiasm and integrity as Rep. Fleming,” Richardson said in a prepared statement.
Richardson owns and operates the Sparkle Express Car Wash chain, with nine of its 10 locations in Columbia and Richmond counties. He won his commission seat in 2015 in a runoff forced by a five-candidate field.
Clayton, a longtime Columbia County resident, became Richmond County’s chief deputy in 2013. He has held previous law enforcement positions with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and as chief of the Richmond County Board of Education Police.
“There are many issues in this election, but I intend on focusing on the main issues that I believe are directly affecting you citizens and taxpayers,” Clayton said in a prepared statement, suggesting “a lack of accessibility, visibility, accountability, fiscal conservatism and operational tempo” under Whittle’s leadership as sheriff.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Columbia County candidates eye Georgia House, county sheriff seats
