Sheree Ralston took 45.02 percent of the House District (HD) 7 special election vote on Tuesday night, followed by Johnny Chastain with 39.28 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results. That sets the two candidates up for a runoff.
That’s a bad result for Kemp-endorsed Sheree Ralston since Chastain is likely to pick up votes from conservative supporters who backed the other three candidates on Tuesday, according to Atlanta Tea-Party President Debbie Dooley.
“It’s going to surprise a lot of folks that Sheree Ralston, that David Ralston’s widow, is actually in a runoff,” Dooley told The Georgia Star.
Sheree Ralston is the widow of late Speaker David Ralston who held the district at the time of his death; Dooley said that gives Sheree Ralston some of the advantages of incumbency. She and Chastain, a banker, could outspend the other candidates.
Navy veteran Justin Heitman came in third with 7.42 percent of the vote, radio host Brian Pritchard came in fourth with 6.16 percent of the vote, and Gilmer County GOP Chair Richie Stone came in last with 2.12 percent of the vote.
According to unofficial Tuesday night results, Sheree Ralston had 3,582 votes while Chastain had 3,125. Heitman had 590 votes, Pritchard had 490 votes, and Stone had 169.
Dooley thinks Pritchard’s supporters, at least, will back Chastain in the runoff.
However, Pritchard told The Star on Tuesday evening that it isn’t that simple.
“I have not heard from Chastain. Sheree Ralston did call me,” he said.
“I’ve not made a decision yet, waiting to see how interested Chastain is in our supporter’s vote,” Pritchard said, noting that some of his supporters are already asking him which of the two candidates he will back.
“I will have to hear Chastain’s full dedication to representing the district before I ask our voters to support him,” he said.
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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Sheree Ralston” by Sheree Ralston. Photo “Johnny Chastain” by Johnny Chastain.
