While Clarke County voters will join those in Oconee County in heading back to the polls in December to decide the next Western Circuit District Attorney, other local races were decided Tuesday night.
Though District 117 candidate Mokah Jasmine Johnson did not get the votes necessary to oust Republican incumbent Houston Gaines, she says she is encouraged by the support she received.
“The overwhelming amount of support that came out really showed me that Athens-Clarke County sees me and they see the work that I’ve been doing, even though we might have some people who are against some of the things that I do as far as calling it radical, but there’s a lot of people that support and more people that understand than I expected. And I did win Athens-Clarke County, so I am grateful for that.”
She experienced a racist attack during the campaign while taking part in a candidate forum on Zoom, but she says also found many defenders.
“I didn’t expect for so many people to stand up because it’s easier for you to hide. And when you do speak out, you might be speaking out for the right thing but you’re also putting yourself in a place of discomfort at times, and there was a lot of people that were willing to do that.”
And Johnson says there is still plenty of work to be done.
“I’m gonna continue doing my working with the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement and continue to push back against the School-to-Prison Pipeline, but as far as my next political move, I will be announcing that at a later time.”
