By DON PITTMAN First published in the March 19 edition.

Dade Democrats

(LEFT) - Don Townsend

A recent Dade Democratic Party meeting confirmed two new candidates who hope to run on the party’s ticket. Carnell Galloway from Sand Mountain announced his intention to seek the County Chair position, and Don Townsend, who announced his intentions earlier, said he will also run as a Democrat. The announcements set up a battle for the position in the upcoming primary between the two.

Former Sheriff Phillip Street also sent word to the meeting via his sister Donna, that he was still contemplating a run for the Sheriff position.

“He said he would announce his intention by the first week in April,” Donna Street said.

The Democrats have also been discussing questions that they could include on their primary ballot on July 15. Both parties have the opportunity in the upcoming primaries to ask voters non-binding questionss. Democratic party chair Eddie Pittman said that the group was thinking of many questions they might present.

“We are thinking of asking whether or not County Commissioners need to be elected at–large, among many other questions,” Pittman said.

They will be going over the possibility of questions on the ballot in the coming weeks, and are looking for input from anyone who has good ideas for the inquiries.

“We are very excited about our candidates. Some are still mulling the decision to run and we are not going to steal their thunder. They can announce their candidacies when they are ready,” Eddie Pittman said.

“I think we will have strong candidates for every race open in Dade this year.”

Recently, Sheriff Patrick Cannon, who ran on the Democratic ticket for his first term in office switched to the Republican ticket. Pittman said that he figured this to be some kind of political strategy on the Sheriff’s part, and that it caught his party off guard because the Sheriff had not voiced any problems with the party before the move.

“A lot of Democrats feel betrayed and lied to by the Sheriff regarding his decision to switch parties. He came to the Democrats and asked for our help getting elected. We trusted him,” Pittman said.

Call Eddie Pittman at (706) 657-5677 if you have questions, or would like more information about the party.

Dade Republicans

(LEFT) - Sheriff Candidate Tim McDonald was on hand at the Republican Convention last Saturday.

The Dade County Republican Party met for its annual convention March 15. According to organizers, this convention was the largest ever held in Dade County during a year where there was no election of officers and no organizational issues.

Some of the candidates who are running on the Republican ticket were at the meeting, but there were some surprising no shows as well.

Sheriff Patrick Cannon, who recently switched to the Republican Party from the Democrats, was not at the meeting, but his rival Tim McDonald was.

“I think it’s very important to support your party and who you are affiliated with,” McDonald said.

McDonald said he was at the meeting to get a feel for the group, and to share new ideas that he had about the Sheriff’s position.

McDonald said that he believed it was a core Republican value to save every tax dollar possible.

“I’m going to start a work crew in Dade County, and the prisoners are going to pick up litter, and I’ve got an idea for community cemeteries that can be maintained by prisoners and people who are on community service,” he said. “I want to give something back to the citizens.”

Alan Bradford, who recently announced his intentions to seek the Republican endorsement for the Dade County Executive job, was also not present at the meeting. David Young and Christopher Thornton, who are both seeking the South Dade District Commissioner position, were the only other candidates at the meeting.

“I think it’s a shame more of these candidates didn’t show up to support the party,” Republican Jim Tinker said.

The Georgia Republican Party meets in odd number years to reorganize all party levels by electing officers. They meet in Presidential Election Years to elect delegates and alternates to the Republican National Convention. Each Congressional District chooses three alternates and three delegates and at the State Convention an additional at–large number of delegates are chosen.

During Saturday’s county convention, the Dade County Republican Party chose its delegates and alternates for the District Convention to be held in White County, April 18-19, and for the State Convention to be held in Columbus, May 16-17.

The Dade County Republican Party also unanimously passed the following resolution: “We, the Dade County Republican Party wish to thank President George W. Bush for eight years of service to our country and to the Republican Party. Further, let it be known that the Dade County Republican Party fully endorses the national candidate for President of the United States of America.”

The Dade County Republican Party meets every third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at Randy’s Restaurant in Trenton.

District Convention April 18 - 19 White County, GA (near Helen)

Delegates

1. Christopher Thornton

2. Bill Adams

3. Patrick Cannon

4. Regina Parris

5. Donna Thornton

6. Monda Wooten

7. Ann Brown

Alternates

1. Ben Brandon

2. Diane Adams

3. J. Kelly Rowell

4. Carol Rowell

5. Connie Therrien

6. John Deffenbaugh

State Convention May 16 - 17 Columbus, GA

Delegates

1. Angela Young

2. David Young

3. Christopher Thornton

4. Patrick Cannon

5. Monda Wooten

Alternates

1. Charley Garner

2. Ben Brandon

3. Jill Brandon

4. Donna Thornton

5. Ann Brown

Editors Note: It has been confirmed that Sheriff Patrick Cannon showed up late for the Republican Convention and briefly addressed the group toward the end of the meeting. Melenda Bryson was also in attendance.

The Sentinel regrets the confusion these omissions caused, and is happy to make the clarification.