Rebecca Keaton, center, shares the good news with Angie Cunningham, left, and Peggy Young as she pulls away from John Skelton to win the office of Cobb Superior Court Clerk.
Staff/Todd Hull
Staff/Todd Hull
In the race for Superior Court clerk, Keaton won 16,347 votes (62%) over John H. Skelton’s 10,007 votes (38%). Although this was the Republican primary runoff, no Democrats qualified to be on the November ballot.
Keaton and Kimberly Carroll, her deputy clerk, were with friends and supporters at Johnnie McCracken’s pub near the Marietta Square Tuesday night.
“All these people who’ve helped me, I couldn’t do it without them,” Keaton said. Her first order of business, she said, will be an audit of the clerk’s office to see where the money is going.
“The computer system now is not unified, and I understand there is money to improve it and get on board with other county agencies,” Keaton said.
Skelton, whose supporters gathered at the home of William and Marla Blackstone in west Cobb, expressed deep displeasure at what he perceived as Keaton’s negative campaign tactics.
“I ran a positive campaign I’m proud of. I can look my family in the eye tomorrow and say ‘I didn’t say bad things about people solely to get elected.’ Ms. Keaton did. But it is what it is,” he said. “I’ve learned some things, and I feel like I’m a better person for it. … I congratulate her for her win. Politics is for adults, and we’re all adults here. … I’m disappointed the discourse sank to such a depth. I just wasn’t willing to put on my scuba gear and go that low.”
Skelton, who was asked to run by the current clerk, Jay C. Stephenson, raised about $5,000, according to his June 30 disclosure. Stephenson’s deputy clerk, Elva Dornbusch, would have remained as deputy if Skelton were elected.
Keaton, though, denied that she ran a negative campaign against Skelton. She raised about $9,000 and loaned her campaign $52,000, according to the June 30 disclosure reports, and she was endorsed by such well-known Cobb Republicans as Attorney General Sam Olens and Sheriff Neil Warren.
“It’s a partisan race,” Keaton said. “We’re in a two-party system. He’s a Democrat and ran as a Republican. I simply exposed that. I called him out on it. I’m a strong Republican. He accused me of lying, but I haven’t lied. He’s a very nice guy. My only issues are partisan, and I think he’s disappointed he didn’t win.
“If anyone has been nasty, it’s him. He’s accused me of being a career politician, just because I ran once before and lost,” Keaton said. She was also the top vote-getter in the July 31 three-way race that included Joan Davis. In that vote, Keaton took 48 percent, while Skelton won 39 percent of the vote.
Sheriff Warren was among the revelers joining Keaton at McCracken’s on Tuesday night.
“I’ve known Rebecca for a number of years. I’ve watched her try cases. She’s hard working, and a hard conservative,” Warren said. “She’s very qualified. She understands the concept of a Constitutional officer, and I just know she’ll do an outstanding job.”
In the nonpartisan runoff for a seat on the Cobb State Court bench, Marsha Lake won 19,206 votes (61%) over Larry Burke’s 12,327 votes (39%).
Lake also led in the four-person primary on July 31, with 39%.
“We’ve worked very, very hard, and I think our prayers have been answered. We could not be happier,” Lake said from her home in Kennesaw, where supporters came and went throughout the night.
She said that since March, her campaign has knocked on more than 15,000 doors. Her June 30 financial report showed donations of $9,000 and a personal loan to her campaign of $20,000.
“We took a very different approach. I wanted to go out and introduce myself to the community and what I stood for, and I believe that has paid off,” Lake said.
Burke offered his congratulations to Lake late Tuesday.
“We ran a good, honest campaign but just came up a little short,” Burke said. “I offer her my congratulations, and I’ll certainly be supportive of her and all the other judges here in Cobb.”
Burke’s June 30 report showed donations of nearly $10,000.
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Rebecca you ran a great campaign and Skelton not so much so. The County was plastered with Keaton signs. You lined up a very impressive list of endorsements. My advice now it to move slow and watch what you say very carefully.
The Clerks office is not broken. There is experienced staff there who make things work. The computers may be somewhat outdated but at one time we were cutting edge for Georgia if not the entire nation. Stop the rhetoric. It is time to get in and do the job and making a bunch of changes on day one is not the way to do it.
Take some time and feel your way around. Temper your comments. For instance, instead of saying "I want an audit first thing to find out where the money is." You could have said, "My number one priority as Clerk is to modernize the computer systems. I will endeavor to wrap my hands around the budget as I believe some funds available to the Department are not being utilzed in the best manner possible. I committ myself to an open and honest assessment of the department's budget and personnel and look forward to looking for ways to improve the department and to utilize the talent and experience we have in place."
Sounds a litter better than "I want an audit". You have a wonderful opportunity Rebecca. Take a couple of deep breaths and take your time.
If the criterion for such a judgment is the end result, then,yes, you are right. However, if the end does not justify the means, then you are dead wrong. If Skelton did not run a great campaign based on the fact that he lost, then, yes, you're right. This is the only way I know to render your judgment accurate.
Now, prove to me that the end justifies the means. That winning at any cost is all that matters. That libelling your opponent is the way to go, and if you don't go that way, you didn't run a great campaign.
There are a number of things about Keaton that Skelton could have brought to public light that would have worked in his favor. But he chose to take the high road. And you fault him for that? It would have more accurate if you had said, "Rebecca, you ran an effective campaign; Skelton not so much."
You quoted to the MDJ “I ran a positive campaign I’m proud of. I can look my family in the eye tomorrow and say ‘I didn’t say bad things about people solely to get elected.
Mr. Skelton, I’m sorry you lost but give it a rest. (Ask God to help you) If you really care about the county as you say you do, then why don’t you extend an open hand to Ms. Keaton for support and you and your brother Steve can find peace.
and then we have the one the people voted in. a career politician... who funded her own campaign to the tune of over half the annual salary of the position. One who says she ran once and lost, but we know it's more times than that. One that has dreams of having Government employees utilizing social media and texting as part of their jobs. One that believes that she needs to 'follow the money'. One that bought herself an election.
Cobb County. You have voted. You obviously didn't research the candidates. The position. The responsibilities of the position. You made a choice. Please do me a favor those who voted this career politician into this position. Stay home home November 6th. We do not need you to vote emotion. We need voters who vote fact.
Becks. Becca. Becky. You touched the emotions of some constituents. You're not conservative. You don't walk the walk and you surely do not talk the talk. Another Darn RINO.
Also, I don't know how you can deny that you ran a negative campaign during the election. Just look in the MDJ archives about the setting up of bogus websites of your opponent's name. That wasn't shady now, was it?
Calling John Skelton a democrat is like calling the pope Protestant. Ridiculous! Keaton is still posturing.
Cobb just elected an Obama democrat, Kimberly Carroll, as the Chief Deputy. What's the proof? Kim said so on her Facebook page. So there you go, Cobb voters who thought you were voting against a democrat, you just elected an Obama supporter.
I guess, going around the clerk's office (during office hours) against county rules with Elva Dornbusch telling employees they are going to lose their jobs if they dont vote for him is as low and dirty as one can get. The voters have spoke start acting like an adult and stop whining.