East Cobb House contest key to control of Cobb delegation

Nov. 4—In September, state Rep. John Carson, R-northeast Cobb, told the Cobb Republican faithful that control of Cobb's legislative delegation rests on two State House races.

One of them, Carson said, is in east Cobb's House District 43, where Republican Anna Tillman and Democrat Solomon Adesanya are vying to replace state Rep. Sharon Cooper, R-east Cobb.

(Cooper, meanwhile, was drawn out of District 43 and into District 45 this year, and is hoping to replace state Rep. Mitchell Kaye, R-east Cobb, who isn't seeking reelection for the seat formerly held by Republican Matt Dollar.)

The other key race for Republicans — the House District 35 contest between Republican Robert Trim and Democrat Lisa Campbell — was examined in last week's MDJ.

"I want you to understand that if we're going to have control of the Cobb County Delegation, it's going to come down to two seats. Robert Trim in Kennesaw and Anna Tillman in (District) 43," Carson said.

Cobb's legislative delegation is composed of 21 members — 15 state representatives, and six state senators — and Democrats currently hold a one-seat majority in the House. Control of the delegation means not just electing its chair, but the appointment of two of the five posts on Cobb's Board of Elections, among other benefits.

But when new district maps take effect Jan. 1, the delegation will drop to 20 members, with several vacant seats up for grabs. Next week's elections are based on those new maps.

As of the final disclosure deadline, Tillman holds the lead in fundraising in the District 43 race, bringing in over $32,800 to date. Adesanya, by comparison, reported raising $20,153.

But even with the fundraising advantage, Tillman will have an uphill battle in a district where Democrats are projected to have a 10-point advantage, according to a Princeton University analysis. That qualifies as a relatively close margin in Cobb this year, where most districts have been drawn with an overwhelming partisan lean.

Tillman, a retired geologist, has spent $26,522, with $6,292 left in the bank.

Thus far, Tillman has loaned her campaign $4,500. Other supporters include Georgia House Majority Leader Jon Burns, R-Newington ($3,000), Bill Cox of Alpharetta ($2,900), the Insurance and Financial Advisors Political Action Committee ($3000), the Cobb Republican Party ($2,100), the 11th Congressional District Republican Party ($1,600), state Rep. Don Parsons, R-east Cobb, and Carson himself ($2,000).

Across the aisle, Adesanya, a restaurateur, has loaned himself $6,000 in his bid, and Fair Fight, Stacey Abrams' political organization, has donated $3,000.

Also donating to his campaign are Marietta car dealer DE Oba Auto Sales ($2,000), Theresa Preston-Werner of California ($1,000), Emmanuel Adebayo of Chicago ($1,000), Samuel Adesanya of Mableton ($1,000), and former Democratic legislative candidate Luisa Wakeman ($500).

Cobb's new 20-seat delegation presents the possibility of an even split if Democrats don't win both races in districts 43 and 35, said state Rep. Erick Allen, D-Smyrna, the delegation's outgoing chair.

"As long as we pick up those two, then we will still have a one-seat majority in the delegation," he said.

And if they don't?

"Then people are going to have to get in a room ... and figure it out," Allen said, chuckling. "You've got to elect a chair, and you've got to pass your own rules. If we don't do either, then everything just kind of defaults back to the House rules, which means that you won't be able to get any local legislation done unless it's with 100% of the delegation."