Five state House races on the ballot in Macon on Election Day. Here’s who won each.
Results are in for Macon-Bibb County races for state House representatives after all precincts reported to the Georgia secretary of state.
Ten candidates were in the running across the five seats, including incumbents and new faces. Here are the winning legislators representing Middle Georgia.
District 142
Macon native and incumbent District 142 Rep. Miriam Paris (D) will go on to serve her eighth year in the role. Paris held an advantage of about 20% with 90% of the vote in Wednesday morning.
Most bills she endorsed in the past year expanded educational resources for low income individuals, and bolstered medical access for women.
Paris was previously elected to the state Senate in 2011 and was the president of Macon City Council.
District 143
After serving in multiple Bibb County boards and committees such as the Macon Water Authority, Anissa Jones (D) won over District 143 voters as their new state house representative. Jones held an advantage of more than 23% with 94% of votes counted Wednesday morning.
Jones is confident in her “comprehensive understanding of local issues” that address climate change and support health care professionals, “even in the most remote areas of our district,” she told The Telegraph.
District 144
Conservative businessman and incumbent District 144 Rep. Dale Washburn (R) has secured his third term in the role. Washburn had an advantage of more than 40% with 79% of votes counted Wednesday morning.
With over 45 years of experience in real estate, Washburn has passed bills that give more rights and less taxation of private property owners.
Washburn also believes in decreasing abortion access and increasing access to guns, according to his campaign website.
District 145
Tangie Herring (D), a public school teacher of around 30 years, will represent the recently created state House District 145, which covers parts of a handful of Middle Georgia counties including Bibb. Data from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office showed Herring had a lead of about 1% with all precincts in the district reporting early Wednesday morning.
Herring has been a driving force behind revitalization efforts in Macon and Atlanta, especially for low income and marginalized communities with her youth-centered organization, the Y Not Us Foundation.
“Long-term, my vision is to address economic disparities by increasing access to job training, healthcare and affordable housing,” Herring told The Telegraph.
Republican candidate Noah Harbuck told The Telegraph he would call for a recount if he’s confirmed to have lost when votes are finalized.
“It’s not going to be a hopeful recount,” Harbuck said Wednesday. “It’s just something we have to do because of how close it was.”
The deadline for Macon-Bibb County’s Board of Elections to certify results is Tuesday, Nov. 12. Candidates can request a recount within two days after results are certified.
District 149
Floyd Griffin (D) secured a win over one-term incumbent Ken Vance (R) as the new representative for state House District 149. Griffin had a vote advantage of about 11% with 88% of votes in Wednesday morning.
Among Griffin’s top three priorities of improving quality healthcare, education and public safety, he would also back bills that support reproductive rights and survivors or domestic violence.
As a son of entrepreneurs who uplifted Black families in Middle Georgia, Griffin told The Telegraph he will lean on his parents’ priorities to enhance equitable and inclusive opportunities for all residents regardless of race or class.
This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 1:17 AM.