Republicans retain 2 seats in Georgia Legislature in special elections

Georgia’s state Capitol

Georgia’s state Capitol

Republicans Brian Strickland and Geoffrey Cauble won special elections Tuesday to represent Henry County in the Georgia Senate and House.

They defeated three candidates each, winning a majority of the vote and avoiding a runoff, according to unofficial election results.

Strickland, an attorney who resigned from his House seat to run for the Senate, was victorious in a race to replace former Sen. Rick Jeffares, a Republican who is running for lieutenant governor. Strickland earned 62 percent of the vote against Democrat Phyllis Hatcher and Republicans Ed Toney and Nelva Lee.

Cauble, a general contractor, will replace Strickland in the state House. Cauble won with 51 percent of the vote against Democrats El-Mahdi Holly and Tarji Leonard Dunn, as well as Republican Larry Morey.

As soon as they’re sworn into office, Strickland and Cauble will join the Georgia General Assembly, which started its annual legislative session Monday.

Senate District 17 covers parts of Henry, Newton and Rockdale counties; House District 111 is in Henry County.