Primary Results July 20th
7/25/2010

Goreham wins, but District 3 heads to runoff
by Katy Ruth Camp
krcamp@mdjonline.com
COBB COUNTY - Commissioner Helen Goreham will keep her District 1 seat in west Cobb for a third term, but residents of Northeast Cobb will have to wait until an Aug. 10 runoff to determine whether JoAnn Birrell or Earl Stine will be their next District 3 commissioner.

Goreham defeated former Kennesaw Mayor Leonard Church by 8.42 percent, or 1,599 votes. Goreham received 10,299 votes, or 54.21 percent, while Church received 8,700 votes, or 45.79 percent, at the district's 49 precincts.

Goreham said she ran the race with the same views and stances as the other, and that she is happy to keep her seat as commissioner.

"I feel very good and very happy about the results," Goreham said. "I'll keep on going and keep on serving the great people of Cobb County. And they really are great ... This campaign was a little different than the others in the fact that I was running against an opponent with an anti-incumbency out there and the anti-government m ovement due to the issues at the federal level. But I'm just happy to keep serving."

Church, who is no stranger to west Cobb politics after running for mayor of Kennesaw three times and winning twice before vying to become commissioner, said he enjoyed campaigning for the seat and is considering another run to be the mayor of Kennesaw.

"It's not my first campaign, so I knew what to expect. So I didn't go into it blindly. Waiting for the results to come in was stressful, but it was a good campaign, a good fight. I have no regrets. People spoke, and this is what they came up with," Church said. " I would have given my heart for District 1, I love this county and that's what I was trying to do."

Newly elected Chairman Tim Lee held the District 3 seat for almost two terms before dropping his seat to campaign for county chairman. Whoever wins the District 3 seat will be sworn in as commissioner in January since Thea Powell was appointed interim c ommissioner by the board in April.

The leader in the polls with 5,481 votes, or 35.54 percent, was JoAnn Birrell. She said she would have liked to have won outright on Tuesday night, but "I'll take a runoff instead of losing altogether."

"With three in the race, I knew that was the talk, but I'm grateful to have a room full of supporters here no matter what happened tonight and I've really enjoyed campaigning, Birrell said. "We'll get back out there tomorrow, putting up signs, making phone calls. I've got blisters on my hands from those signs - that Georgia red clay is like cement! But I've met so many wonderful people and have had so much fun running this campaign. I'd do it all over again, no matter what."

Earl Stine, who will join Birrell in the runoff, said at his election night watch party off Barrett Parkway that he was also ready to "get back out there."

Stine received 5,179 votes, or 33.59 percent.

"Since I've never run for political office, I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's been a lot of fun and a lot of work," Stine said. "I've done a lot of walking, a lot of knocking on doors, and if nothing else, I've met a lot of nice people who've been very warm and genuine. We have some great people in this county, and I don't think I really realized that until I ran. So I'm glad I did. But we still have a lot of work to do."

Stine said he will continue putting out more signs and making phone calls. But Stine said constituents will not be hearing any robocalls from his campaign.

"I'd rather hear from a candidate personally than a recorded message. I don't think anyone likes those," Stine said.

The third candidate in the District 3 race was architect Stephen Moon, who just barely lost a runoff spot. Moon received 4,760 votes, or 30.87 percent.

Moon said he will remain active in homeowner issues and that the close margins of votes for the thr ee candidates was encouraging.

"I think we ran a great race. The votes were split almost a third and a third and a third. I wish them well and I will still be active in homeowner issues and before the zoning meetings, representing the homeowners," Moon said. "I hope we get a District 3 Commissioner who is concerned about homeowner issues, because that's what my campaign's been about."
Thanks for reading!
The Marietta Daily Journal

MDJ article