House District 37
GEOGRAPHIC AREA
- County: Cobb County
- Metro Area/Region: Atlanta Area
- Cities/Towns/Areas: Marietta, Fair Oaks
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
- Population: 55,808
- Median Household Income: $55,100
- Education:
- Completed High School 39.7%
- Completed College/Beyond 46.6%
- Race:
- White 55.7%
- Black 20.9%
- Hispanic 16.6%
- Asian 5.0%
POLITICAL AREA
- Congressional District(s): GA-6, GA-11
- GA Senate District: SD 6, SD 32, SD 33, SD 37
Presidential Elections
| 2016 | Clinton 48.89% | Trump 46.46% | Margin=D+2.4% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Obama 43.83% | Romney, 54.52% | Margin=R+10.7% |
DISTRICT ELECTION RESULTS
| Year | Candidate | Percentage | Vote Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Sam Teasley (R) |
56.93% | 13,965 |
| Bill Bolton (D) |
43.07% | 10,567 | |
| 2014 | Sam Teasley (R) |
62.5% | 10,054 |
| Bill Bolton (D) |
37.5% | 6,038 | |
| 2012 | Sam Teasley (R) |
59.5% | 13,427 |
| Bill Bolton (D) |
40.5% | 9,137 |
CANDIDATES
- Incumbent: Sam Teasley (R)
- Campaign Website: www.samteasley.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/VoteSamTeasley
- Twitter: @Sam_Teasley
Democratic Candidates
- Candidate: Bill Bolton
- Campaign Website: bolton37.org
- Facebook: N/A
- Twitter: N/A
- Candidate: Regain Edwards
- Campaign Website: raginedwards.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/Ragin2018/
- Twitter: twitter.com/ragin2018
- Candidate: Mary Frances Williams
- Campaign Website: maryfranceswilliamsforHD37.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/MaryFrances4HD37
- Twitter: N/A
FOLLOW THE MONEY
In 2016, incumbent Sam Teasley outspent Democrat Bill Bolton by $75,699 to $2,450. In 2014, Teasley outspent Bolton $64,864 to $610. In 2012, Teasley outspent Bolton $65,376 to $1,200.
NOTES AND SUMMARY
Incumbent Sam Teasley (R) was the sponsor of a RFRA, or the “religious liberty” bill, which allows businesses and individuals to refuse service to LGBT individuals. He has significantly outspent his Democratic opponent Bill Bolton in the last three election cycles. He has extremely high ratings from the NRA and the American Conservative Union.
Three Democratic Opponents
- Bill Bolton (D): Has run the last three cycles. Has sometimes been identified as a Libertarian rather than a Democrat. Believes the Democratic party has been “absconded” by the elite of the party. Stances include: Limit Obamacare's penalties and legal resources; Educate the children of immigrants and work with them and their families to return to their countries; Make all drug crimes misdemeanors to reduce drug war costs and allow people to prosper and pay taxes; Provide low-wage workers with hourly subsidies instead of raising the minimum wage; Bring casinos to GA under the Georgia Lottery system;Create a Georgia Road Medical System to combat the worst maternal mortality rate in the nation.
- Ragin Edwards (D): Attended Georgia Institute of Technology then studied organizational leadership at the Christian Business College, Nyack College. In DC, she worked in federal and local government, including the civil rights division of the Dept of Energy. Her family has a long history of fighting for civil and human rights.Priorities include: affordable healthcare, veterans benefits, growing and sustaining the middle class, equal protections for minorities and LGBT, environmental protections and affordable education.
- Mary Frances Williams (D): Has a long track record of advocacy for non-profits and progressive causes. Legislative and Policy Consultant and a leading expert on the state budgeting process. “Creates, motivates, and activates state-wide grassroots networks into a lobbying machine.” Directed initiative to pass legislation increasing retirement benefits for members of Public School Employees Retirement System. Convinced budget leaders to restore $3 million to state school nutrition program, when most state programs sustained across-the-board cuts. Recruited and managed coalition of adult adoptees, adoptive parents, adoption attorneys and agencies to pass the Georgia Adoption Reunion Registry legislation.
Hillary Clinton won this district by 2.4 percent.
All statements, answers, and information found within the 159 Georgia Together voter guide were collected via an electronic survey. Due to the sheer volume of information collected and the number of candidates that submitted survey data, all of the information presented in the guide is verbatim per the input from the survey participants (including any spelling or grammatical errors).
Sam Teasley
(R, Incumbent)
TOP 3 PRIORITIES IF ELECTED
No response yet
DO YOU SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PREVENT BUSINESS OWNERS AND EMPLOYERS FROM DENYING SERVICES TO LGBTQ PEOPLE AND OTHERS BASED ON THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT ENDING CASH BAIL FOR LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A NON-PARTISAN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION?
No response yet.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT AN ENGLISH-ONLY CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IF IT WERE ON THE BALLOT?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF WORKERS TO FORM A UNION AND BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY?
No response yet.
DID YOU/DO YOU SUPPORT GUNS ON CAMPUS?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT ELECTRICITY RATE INCREASES TO COMPLETE TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS AT PLANT VOGTLE?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT CHANGING GEORGIA'S VOTING SYSTEM TO A VOTER-MARKED (PEN OR PENCIL) PAPER BALLOT WITH OPTICAL SCANNERS?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF EARLY VOTING?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT PUBLIC VOUCHERS BEING USED FOR PRIVATE AND/OR CHARTER SCHOOLS?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT MEDICAID EXPANSION OR ANOTHER GEORGIA-SPECIFIC PLAN TO EXTEND HEALTH INSURANCE TO LOW-INCOME GEORGIANS?
No response yet.
WILL YOU SUPPORT POLICIES AND LEGISLATION THAT INCREASE ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING ABORTION, AND OPPOSE POLICIES AND LEGISLATION THAT LIMIT OR REDUCE ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING ABORTION?
No response yet.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL SECURITY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RETIREES AND PUT THE PROGRAM ON A MORE STABLE FISCAL PATH?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT A LIVABLE WAGE OF A MINIMUM OF $15 PER HOUR?
No response yet.
Mary Frances Williams (D)
TOP 3 PRIORITIES IF ELECTED
No response yet
DO YOU SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PREVENT BUSINESS OWNERS AND EMPLOYERS FROM DENYING SERVICES TO LGBTQ PEOPLE AND OTHERS BASED ON THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT ENDING CASH BAIL FOR LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A NON-PARTISAN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION?
No response yet.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT AN ENGLISH-ONLY CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IF IT WERE ON THE BALLOT?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF WORKERS TO FORM A UNION AND BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY?
No response yet.
DID YOU/DO YOU SUPPORT GUNS ON CAMPUS?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT ELECTRICITY RATE INCREASES TO COMPLETE TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS AT PLANT VOGTLE?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT CHANGING GEORGIA'S VOTING SYSTEM TO A VOTER-MARKED (PEN OR PENCIL) PAPER BALLOT WITH OPTICAL SCANNERS?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF EARLY VOTING?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT PUBLIC VOUCHERS BEING USED FOR PRIVATE AND/OR CHARTER SCHOOLS?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT MEDICAID EXPANSION OR ANOTHER GEORGIA-SPECIFIC PLAN TO EXTEND HEALTH INSURANCE TO LOW-INCOME GEORGIANS?
No response yet.
WILL YOU SUPPORT POLICIES AND LEGISLATION THAT INCREASE ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING ABORTION, AND OPPOSE POLICIES AND LEGISLATION THAT LIMIT OR REDUCE ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING ABORTION?
No response yet.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL SECURITY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RETIREES AND PUT THE PROGRAM ON A MORE STABLE FISCAL PATH?
No response yet.
DO YOU SUPPORT A LIVABLE WAGE OF A MINIMUM OF $15 PER HOUR?
No response yet.