By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 12, 2020 | Politics are changing in Gwinnett. The next chairman of the Gwinnett County Commission will not be born and raised in Harbins, Pinckneyville, Buford, Lawrenceville or Snellville. The next chairman will either be a native of Providence, R.I, Akron, Ohio, or possibly even Jamaica.
We refer to Nicole Love Hendrickson, born in Providence, David Post, from Akron, or Desmond Nembhard, from Jamaica. Being a native of Gwinnett is no longer a necessity for election.
Commission Chair Candidate Ms. Hendrickson, when complete returns are in, might not even face a runoff, in a surprisingly strong race. Incomplete returns shows her with 49.49 percent of the vote. Unofficial totals may be available by Friday.
While individual results were sometimes surprising, the one take-away from the voting is how much Gwinnett has become more Democratic. Generally, there were approximately two Democrats voting for every Republican. For president, 35,108 people voted for Donald Trump, while 65,058 Democratic votes were cast, with 55,158 being for Joe Biden. In county wide race after race, the 65/35 split was often seen. The General Election will tell if the Democrats are as close to the 1984 Republican sweep.
The most surprising element of the primary for me was the solid School Board victory of Dr. Tarece Johnson over Louise Radloff, a whopping 68/32 percent victory. (With no Republican running for that seat, that means Dr. Johnson will win that post outright.) One reason for her victory, some say, is that because there are so many new Democratic voters this year who hold no allegiance to anyone, or even do not know of Ms. Radloff’s accomplishment as the longest serving School Board member in Georgia.
That Radloff loss may spell trouble for the two Republican nominees for the Gwinnett School Board, unless enough Democrats recognize the solid years of service that Carol Boyce and Mary Kay Murphy have put in guiding the School Board.
Another race that was surprising was Tamela Adkins winning a Superior Court seat over veteran Judge Randy Rich. She won handily, a 60/40 victory.
While in the 7th District Congressional race, Dr. Rick McCormick won the GOP nomination without a runoff, he faces stiffer odds against the Democratic nominee again because of the few Republicans turning out in the primary. Meanwhile, with complete returns not in yet, it appears that Carolyn Bourdeaux (46 percent) is in a run off against Brenda Lopez Romero (15 percent) for the Democratic nomination. You remember that Ms. Bourdeaux lost the 2018 election by about 300 votes, so she should be the odds-on favorite to win the General Election, because of the higher number of Democrats turning out for the primary. Assuming the late count gives her the primary nomination, she will face an all-out assault by Republican McCormick, with his heavily pro-Trump support.
Another surprise was the 37 percent vote in the Post 3 County Commission race for Democrat Derrick Wilson of Centerville. Either John Moye or Jasper Watkins, both with 17 percent, will be his run-off opponent, depending on the final totals. Mr. Wilson, a bookkeeper and graduate of Abilene Christian University, now becomes the odds-on favorite to take this seat. On the Republican side of the runoff, Ben Archer (with 48 percent) faces Matt Dereimer (27 percent).
Overall, the 2020 results show many new faces coming on strong in holding offices for Gwinnett. For now, on to the August 11 runoff.
Gwinnett Elections Director Kristi Royston says that counting of absentee ballots will probably be finished on Friday. Elections officials are updating the county site with new totals each day. To see that site, go to this summary.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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