For the second year in a row Democrat Deborah Gonzalez faced off against Republican Houston Gaines.
But this time, the results were very different. Challenger Gaines toppled Representative Gonzalez in Tuesday night’s battle. We spoke with Gaines at his campaign celebration at Athens Hyatt Place downtown. He believes his bipartisan support will bode well during his tenure at the State Capitol.
“‘Bipartisan’ has become this bad, ugly word, and I’ve embraced it. People know where I stand, they know I’m conservative,” Gaines said, “but they know they can trust me. They know they can believe in me.”
We also spoke with Deborah Gonzalez from her base at Athens’ Little Kings Shuffle Club. She said she was grateful for the support of everyone who voted for her, donated to the campaign, volunteered and offered their support.
“The gratitude that I have for every single one of them—sometimes it’s not just the check that they give, sometimes it’s the thought or the care. And then somebody comes to you and says, ‘Because of you, I voted, and I got my daughter to vote,” Gonzalez said.
The Georgia General Assembly members will be sworn in in January at the state capitol.
