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Holcomb Prevails in House District 81

Boedeker conceded defeat Tuesday, complimenting his opponent on a well-run campaign.

 

Chris Boedeker conceded defeat in an unorthodox race for House District 81, which covers Brookhaven, Tucker and North Druid Hills.

Rep. Scott Holcomb seemed to prevail with 8,700 votes and 56 percent of the vote; Boedeker received 6,824 votes and 44 percent of the votes, according to an unofficial tally by DeKalb County elections.

The vote total doesn’t include mailed-in absentee votes.

The race included mudslinging, including House Democrats accusing Boedeker of suggesting Holcomb used illegal drugs. Incumbent Holcomb didn’t return phone calls election night.

Boedeker conceded “mistakes” he made in his time running for any office.

“I don’t want to get into specifics,” he said. “Yeah, we wanted a focused message.”

Holcomb wasn't as vague or as forgiving Wednesday morning about the campaigning of his opponent.

"I'm proud of the campaign I ran and I'm very thankful to my amazing team.  I also want to thank the voters for re-electing me and for rejecting the negative, corrosive, and dishonest campaign of my opponent."

Boedeker complimented his opponent, who is considered a rising star in the state’s Democratic Party. Controversy arose in the Democratic primary when House District 81 was merged.

Legislator Elena Parent’s and Holcomb’s districts were merged into one single District 81 by legislative Republicans when Georgia's legislative maps were redrawn to conform to the new Census numbers. Parent stepped down voluntarily.

“He ran a clearly sharp, professional campaign and it really worked out,” Boedeker said in defeat.

The race was never really close Tuesday, with Holcomb coming out with 56 percent of the vote in early election tallies.

In the GOP primary, it got ugly. Against primary opponent Carla Roberts, that contest was filled with accusations flying back and forth from both sides. Boedeker tried to have Roberts disqualified from the race by saying she wasn't a legal resident, a charge that was dismissed. Roberts claimed intimidation.

Related Topics: House District 81, Scott Bodeker, and Scott Holcomb

Julia Nelsen Sellers

10:30 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

"Legislator Elena Parent’s and Holcomb’s districts were merged into one single District 81 by legislative Republicans when Georgia's legislative maps were redrawn to conform to the new Census numbers." Patch not fully factual the neighborhood formally in district 81 off Clairmont Road and part of the Wakefield Forest neighborhood (in DECA) were redrawn to House District 83, Mary Margaret Oliver. Just to be factual.

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Jason Massad

10:35 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Thanks for that level of detail, Julia. I think the idea we were going for was that largely the two districts were merged and two popular democratic legislators were forced to choose who would run.

Jeff Schoenberg

11:15 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Holcomb ran a good campaign, but credit should also go to the voters of the 81st District. They did what citizens should do. They thought for themselves and made the better choice. Ugly political games didn't win this election, and neither did the weaker candidate. If every voter would take their duties as seriously, we would greatly improve the quality of elected officials and the tone of our elections, too. Great work voters!!!

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dan

12:28 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Hi jeff, so by me voting republican and believing in Bodeker as my representative I'm somehow not to be taken seriously and not doing what a citizen should do?

Dr. John C. Tayor

12:04 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Elena Parent's district and Scott Holcomb's districts were NOT like Jason said, "redrawn to conform to the new census figures."
It was redrawn "to eliminate one of two strong Democratic districts" in the Georgia House. Politics.
--Dr. John C. Taylor

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Eddie E.

2:16 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Dr. John,
And that's the TRUTH!
There was certainly no reason to 'pair' any Districts inside of 285. Of course, the interest of former Senator sebaugh was to eliminate as many ITP Democrats as possible.
If the reapportionment commission had been worried about 'conforming to census figures' why were no Cobb, Gwinnett or North Fulton republican districts 'paired'?

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Jason Massad

2:17 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

That's definitely a point of view since Republicans redrew the boundaries.

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Nancy McPherson-Ives

2:48 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

The redistricting process was handled far more fairly than the Dems reapportioned ten years ago. Then, the 80th was divvied up forcing a run between Fran Millar and J. Max Davis, Sr.

Cheryl Miller

12:44 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

dan, if you are okay with your candidate telling vicious lies about his opponent then you should be taken seriously - seriously in need of help. Personally, I'm glad that the voters paid attention to more than just the political party affiliation on the ballot because the decisions that need to be made in this country are so important that we should all want the most honest and qualified person in office, not the one with the particular label we've been led to believe that we prefer.

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dan

2:21 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

So taking post-election jabs at the losing candidate almost half of us voted for is how you bridge an already divisive district?? Point being, you, dems, and especially our rep Holcomb should not write-off half of us who voted republican as being "seriously in need of help" if he's truly to represent us, and we're all truly to get anything worthwhile accomplished for DeKalb.

Cheryl Miller

12:46 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Tucker has been split into three or more portions, obviously making it more difficult for us to work together for the best interest of our community. We're already divided between two counties. What will they do to us next??

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Eddie E.

2:17 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

At least you are too far away to be drawn into the looming milton county mess!

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Nancy McPherson-Ives

2:50 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Eddie,

You will have little to worry about - Brookhaven will escape Milton, if it comes to fruition. The GOP missed a super-majority so Milton is where it was - legislative purgatory.

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