Elected officials across southeast Georia have publicly announced their support for former Congressman John Barrow who is running for Secretary of State in Georgia.
The self-identified blue dog Democrat served in Congress for a number of years before he was ousted by Republican Rick Allen in Georgia’s 12th Congressional district in 2014.
Barrow was not among the recent recipeints of an endorsement by former President Barack Obama, who endorsed 81 candidates in 13 states last week. Rumors have swirled with some saying Barrow didn’t want the endorsement while others have said Obama wouldn’t have offered it, given Barrow’s middle-of-the-road voting record while in office.
Even still, Barrow garnered a number of endorsements from local officials from both sides of the aisle in GA-12’s more rural counties.
Appling County(GA -12)
- Lewis Parker, Appling County Commission Chair
- Sarah Boatright, Appling County Commissioner
- Theodore Wilkerson, Appling County Commissioner
- Esco Hall, Baxley City Councilperson
- John Fogarty, Former Graham City Councilperson
Bulloch County (GA-12)
- Noel Brown, Bulloch County Sheriff
- Brooklet Mayor Bill Hendrix
- Former Statesboro Mayor Joe Brannen
- Phil Boyum, Statesboro City Councilperson
- Roy Thompson, Bulloch County Commission Chair
- Ray Mosley, Bulloch County Commissioner
- Anthony Simmons, Bulloch County Commissioner
Burke County (GA-12)
- Alfonzo Williams, Burke County Sheriff
- Greg Coursey, Former Burke County Sheriff
- Keysville Mayor Linda Walker Wilkes Davis (overlaps into Jefferson Co)
- Maggie Cartwright, Former Keysville Mayor
- Lucious Abrams, Burke County Commissioner
- Terri Kelly, Burke County Commissioner
- Augustus Palmer III, Waynesboro Police Chief
Candler County(GA-12)
- Homer Bell, Former Candler County Sheriff
- Glyn Thrift, Candler County Commission Chair
- H. V. Lanier, Former Candler County Commissioner
Coffee County (GA-12)
- Doyle Wooten, Coffee County Sheriff
- Charles “Scooter Bill” Dean, Coffee County Commissioner
- Oscar Paulk, Coffee County Commissioner
Effingham County (GA-12/partial)
- Jimmy McDuffie, Effingham County Sheriff
- Dusty Zeigler, Former Effingham County Commission Chair
Emanuel County (GA-12)
- Tyson Stephens, Emanuel County Sheriff
- Swainsboro Mayor Charles Schwabe
- John E. Parker, Swainsboro City Councilperson
- Johnny Ray Stafford, Swainsboro City Councilperson
- James Canady, Emanuel County Commissioner
- Dessie Davis, Emanuel County Commissioner
Evans County(GA-12)
- Randall Tippins, Evans County Sheriff
- Eddie Bradley, Former Evans County Sheriff
Jeff Davis County (GA-12)
- Wayne Hall, Former Jeff Davis County Commissioner
Jefferson County
- Gary Hutchins, Jefferson County Sheriff
- Herman Baker, Former Wadley Mayor
- Mitchell McGraw, Jefferson County Commission Chair
- William Rabun, Former Jefferson County Commission Chair
- Johnny Davis, Jefferson County Commissioner
- Tommy New, Jefferson County Commissioner
- Gonice Davis, Jefferson County Commissioner
- Isaiah Thomas, Former Jefferson County Commissioner
- James W. Miller, Louisville Police Chief
Jenkins County (GA-12)
- Robert Oglesby, Jenkins County Sheriff
- Dwayne Herrington, Millen Police Chief
- Millen Mayor King Rocker
- Robin Scott, Millen City Councilperson
- Jerry Henry, Jenkins County Commission Chair
- Pam Dwight, Jenkins County Commissioner
Laurens County (GA-12)
- Dublin Mayor Phil Best
- Gary Johnson, Dublin City Councilperson
- D. M. Mullis, Former Laurens County Commissioner
Long County(GA-12)
- Craig Nobles, Long County Sheriff
Montgomery County (GA-12)
- Former Uvalda Mayor, Former Montgomery County Interim Sheriff Mark Moses
- John Carpenter, Montgomery County Commissioner
- Vernon Sumner, Montgomery County Commissioner
- Clarence Thomas, Montgomery County Commissioner
Screven County (GA-12)
- Mike Kile, Screven County Sheriff
- Will Boyd, Screven County Commission Chair
- Stan Sheppard, Former Screven County Commissioner
- J. C. Warren, Former Screven County Commissioner
Tattnall County (GA-12)
- Jean Bridges, Former Glennville Mayor
- Dennis Strickland, Glennville City Councilperson
- Eddie Rewis, Former Reidsville Mayor
- Jackie Trim, Tattnall County Commission Chair
- Bubba Burkhalter, Tattnall County Commissioner
- Eddie Kennedy, Tattnall County Commissioner
- G. W. Thompson, Tattnall County Commissioner
- Daniel Shuman, Former Tattnall County Commissioner
Toombs County (GA-12)
- Reverend Alfred Cason, Toombs County Commissioner
- Darriel Nobles, Toombs County Commissioner
- Raymond Turner, Vidalia City Councilperson
Treutlen County (GA-12)
- Tommy Corbin, Treutlen County Sheriff
Washington County
- Thomas Smith, Washington County Sheriff
- Sandersville Mayor Jimmy Andrews
- Frank Simmons, Washington County Commissioner
Wheeler County (GA-12)
- Rochelle Culver, Wheeler County Commissioner
In addition to the endorsements in South Georgia, Barrow has also garnered a number of endorsements from the Augusta metropolis, former Governor Roy Barnes, the majority of Democrat state legislators, and all four sitting Democrat Congressmen from Georgia. You can see the full list here.