Anti-airport commercialization commissioners lose Paulding election

Paulding County Airport. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

Paulding County Airport. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

Three Paulding commissioners who oppose commercialization of the county's airport have lost races to keep their seats.

The development signals a potential shift in dynamics in the years-long debate over whether Paulding should host metro Atlanta's second commercial airport, as the Paulding airport authority looks at reapplying for commercial certification.

On Tuesday, anti-commercialization commissioners Todd Pownall and Tony Crowe lost in Republican runoffs to challengers Sandy Kaecher and Brian Stover. There are no Democratic challengers to Kaecher and Stover.

Anti-commercialization commissioner Vernon Collett earlier this year lost the Republican primary election to candidate Chuck Hart, who will face Democratic candidate Taurus Madric-Morris in the general election in November.

Recent developments: