As of Wednesday, August 1, 2012
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Gwinnett Daily Post
Staff Photo: Brendan Sullivan Republican candidate Jace Brooks, center, awaits the results of the District 1 Board of Commissioners race with his friends Melvin Everson, far left, Dick Goodman, Kelly Kelkenberg, right, at the Hampton Inn in Lawrenceville on Tuesday.
ELECTION CENTRAL
Visit our special election section for complete coverage of the 2012 primaries, HERE.
Hoping to gain back residents' trust, a former Suwanee City Councilman was expected to narrowly win a seat on the Gwinnett Board of Commission.
Jace Brooks held a nine-point lead over Laurie McClain in the quest to represent District 1 of the BOC.
Brooks bested McClain 6,598 to 5,614, according to the unofficial tally. Brooks admitted that it was closer than he expected.
McClain said she was excited that the race was close, but couldn't have predicted before Tuesday if it would have been a landslide or a tight race.
McClain said she wouldn't give up until the final numbers were in.
"I don't ever give up," she said.
Voters' trust was a key issue in the campaign after former District 1 Commissioner Shirley Lasseter resigned after she pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge.
Lasseter resigned in late May when she admitted to accepting a total of $36,500 in bribes in exchange for her vote in favor of a proposed pawn shop on Boggs Road near Duluth.
McClain campaigned on ways the government could encourage job creation in the county. McClain said as a 35-year resident of Gwinnett, she's not loyal to a particular community, such as Brooks being linked to Suwanee since he was a City Councilman there for about 10 years.
McClain, an accountant and Duluth resident, said her top issue was to review and analyze incentives to bring more higher paying jobs to the county.
Brooks, a financial planner and Suwanee resident, ran on his experience on the Suwanee Council when the city was honored by Money Magazine as a top 10 city to live, and its "fiscal responsibility" of lowering taxes.
District 1 spans the Interstate 85 corridor in northern Gwinnett from east of Norcross to Sugar Hill.
More like this story
- Brooks expected to join BOC soon ( August 4, 2012 )
- In Commission race, Brooks' donations nearly triple McClain's ( July 14, 2012 )
- Suwanee's Brooks joins BOC ( September 23, 2012 )
- Commissioner Lasseter to retire from politics ( February 27, 2012 )
- POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: McClain, Korom announce commission campaigns ( December 10, 2011 )
Comments
Cleanupguy 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Sanity has prevailed over District 1 - a hearty congratulations, Jace! Sorry Teepee, this effectively puts an end to your Briscoe pipe dream.
Katrina 9 months, 3 weeks ago
I read somewhere that Brooks was pro airport expansion--hope that's wrong! And now we're just one runoff away from removing Beaudreau from office, too!
Cleanupguy 9 months, 3 weeks ago
He actually communicated with us beforehand, and said that he had considered it until he saw the whatcha call available facts. His opponent (on Fly Gwinnett Forward) was resistant to communicate, blowing off the question (she was on "Fly Gwinnett Forward") by saying that she didn't agree with the proposal (that the public never saw) as written. Again, Jace is relatively open and thoughtful, and will likely be owned by no special interests (tea pottys, developers, politicians, etc.).
Katrina 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Cleanupguy, Thanks for the clarification. I'm glad he won! Now, if we can just get Beaudreau voted out!!!
teelee 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Don't throw away your yard sign just yet Cleanupgal, only takes three votes. It's just a matter of time and money talks.
Cleanupguy 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Sorry Tiny single-issue Teepee - flattered that you find me attractive, but I don't roll that way, and if you count the votes your pipe dream is DOA. Didja notice that Henry County has picked up the gauntlet? At least one other on the BOC has seen the light, and that makes it 4-1.
anolis 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Ms McClain got spanked...LOL Back to Duluth with Shirley!!!!
JohnPDunn 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Good choise District One. Jace is a good man.
Dubbin 9 months, 3 weeks ago
I received a well written reply from Brooks regarding the airport (McClain never did answer me). He basically said that he went into the situation with an open mind but that the lack of economic data to support the plan would have lead him to vote no well before the political circus began. I have no way of knowing if this is true or not but based on his tenure in Suwannee he seems like a careful, consensus builder that wouldn't rock the boat if public opinion were clearly against an issue. Here's hoping he'll be a big step up from Shirley.
Cleanupguy 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Shirley staunchly refused most contact with her constituents, before during and after her election. She was clearly brought in as Bannister's sock puppet (ordained as his Vice-Chairman on day one) and acted that way till the end. Jace has already shown himself to clearly be the anti-Lasseter.
kevin 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Too bad we are going backwards in making the voter educated. Too bad they elected a politician instead of a private citizen with brains in accounting, something that is NOT on the present BOC. No wonder the present BOC has a hard time cutting and balancing their budget without raising taxes, which is now on the way to reality. You just elected a "yes" vote for higher property taxes!
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