In the campaign to replace Jason Carter as the new state Senator representing Dis- trict 42, a lot of talk has been making the rounds on who is the more progressive can- didate: Kyle Williams or Elena Parent.
The two are vying for the Democratic nomination on May 20 and will then face Republican Greg Williams in November. District 42 is heavily Democratic and includes Decatur, Avondale Estates and portions of DeKalb County including neighborhoods from Buford Highway to DeKalb Avenue such as North Druid Hills, Morningside, Druid Hills, East Lake, Kirkwood and Edgewood. So it’s fair to say whomever wins on May 20 will win the state Senate seat.
The GA Voice is endorsing Kyle Williams in this race. We believe he holds the values and ideals and the work ethic to make a great state Senator and fill the shoes of Jason Carter admirably.
While Elena Parent has the backing of all the Democratic Caucus thanks to her term in the state House from 2010 to 2012, those are not the only people she will be representing. Big names backing you do not necessarily translate to being an effective legislator to the “small” people who live and work in the district.
Williams is a 10-year resident and working attorney in Decatur. He has served on numerous boards and neighborhood groups and has shown the ability through a grass-roots campaign—albeit an expensive one—that he is reaching the actual voters and residents who live in the district by receiving endorsements from school teachers, local environmentalists, moms and dads, business owners and neighborhood advocates.
And, yes, several LGBT groups and individuals are backing Williams—Georgia Equality (a group in which he served as board chair), the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, the Stonewall Democrats as well as openly gay state Reps. Simone Bell and Keisha Waites.
In their endorsement of Williams, the Stonewall Democrats—who endorsed Parent in 2010—said Williams “has deep connections to the district, and has been a visible and active presence locally pushing a variety of progressive causes, including LGBT rights. We believe the moment has
met the candidate and that Kyle’s leadership and activism will serve the voters of District 42 well in the state senate. He is a tenacious advocate who works well with others and these traits will make him an effective senator and voice for a new generation of progressive Georgians.”
Georgia is in a place right now where our stories—the stories of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people—are being listened to by local, state and federal lawmakers representing our state. We have reached a point in our movement, with a federal class-action lawsuit filed to overturn the anti-gay same-sex marriage ban, and everyone around the country paying attention to what happens here, where it is important to continue this momentum. We believe an openly gay man in our General Assembly—the first openly gay man in the state Senate—is important to realizing our goals for full equality in a Red State.
We know there are dozens of issues facing District 42 and we believe Williams, chair of the Decatur Education Foundation, member of the Private Bank of Decatur Advisory Board, treasurer of the Decatur Business Association and a local Rotary Club member is well qualified to handle these issues. He knows his community, he knows his constituents, he knows Georgia.
GEORGIA EQUALITY ENDORSEMENTS
STATE HOUSE
DISTRICT 39 – Erica R. Thomas (D)
DISTRICT 54 – Bob Gibeling (D)
DISTRICT 58 – Simone Bell (D)
DISTRICT 60 – Keisha Waites (D)
DISTRICT 74 – Roberta Abdul-Salaam (D)
DISTRICT 85 – Karla Drenner (D)
DISTRICT 86 – Michele Henson (D)
DISTRICT 91 – Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D)
DISTRICT 105 – Tim Hur (D)
DISTRICT 113 – Pam Dickerson (D)
STATE SENATE
DISTRICT 22 – Harold V. Jones II (D)
DISTRICT 36 – Nan Orrock (D)
DISTRICT 38 – Horacena Tate (D)
DISTRICT 42 – Kyle Williams (D)
DISTRICT 44 – Gail Davenport (D)
STATE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY – Alisha Thomas Morgan (D)
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY – Allen Fort (R)
FULTON COUNTY COMMISSION
DISTRICT 2 – Eric Broadwell (R)
DISTRICT 4 – Joan Garner (D)
DISTRICT 5 – Brenda Muhammad (D)
DISTRICT 7 – Robert Pitts (D)
GEORGIA STONEWALL DEMOCRATS ENDORSEMENTS
STATE HOUSE
Tim Hur for State Representative District 105
David Wilkerson for State Representative District 33
Stacey Evans for State Representative District 40
Sheila Jones for State Representative District 53
Pat Gardner for State Representative District 57
Simone Bell for State Representative District 58
Margaret Kaiser for State Representative District 59
Keisha Waites for State Representative District 60
Karla Drenner for State Representative District 85
Michele Henson for State Representative District 86
Billy Mitchell for State Representative District 88
Dee Dawkins-Haigler for State Representative District 91
Dar’shun Kendrick for State Representative District 93
Pedro Marin for State Representative District 96
Pam Dickerson for State Representative District 113
Spencer Frye for State Representative District 118
STATE SENATE
Harold Jones for State Senate District 22
Kyle Williams for State Senate District 42
Curt Thompson for State Senate District 5
Nan Orrock for State Senate District 36
Horacena Tate for State Senate District 38
Vincent Fort for State Senate District 39
Gail Davenport for State Senate District 44
FULTON COUNTY COMMISSION
John Eaves for Chairman
Joan Garner for Fulton County Commission District 4