by Ty Tagami | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA — Jason Dickerson, the Cherokee County businessman who won a special election last month to fill a vacate state Senate seat, swore his oath of office Tuesday.
The lifelong Cherokee County resident took over Senate District 21 during a ceremony at the county courthouse.
Dickerson, a Republican who co-founded a trucking company and leads a private investment firm, succeeds Brandon Beach.
Beach, also a Republican, vacated the position in May after President Donald Trump appointed him U.S. Treasurer.
“I will work to eliminate unnecessary tax burdens, secure our border and elections, and fight for veterans and seniors across the state,” Dickerson said in a statement
Dickerson, who is from Canton, soundly defeated Democrat Debra Shigley in the low turnout special election runoff on Sept. 23. Democrats had hoped Shigley would turn the north metro Atlanta area blue after a strong showing in the Aug. 26 special election that winnowed several GOP candidates. But Dickerson’s final victory secured Republicans’ 33-23 majority in the state Senate.
One of Dickerson’s first official acts was to issue a press release through the Senate press office about the recent death of Mandi Ballinger. She was a fellow Republican from Canton who represented the area in the state House.
“This weekend, I was saddened to learn that Rep. Mandi Ballinger had passed away after a long fight with cancer,” Dickerson said, calling her a devoted public servant, loving wife and caring mother.
Ballinger chaired the House Committee on Judiciary Juvenile. Dickerson said she used that platform to champion a better path for Georgia youths.
No election has been scheduled yet to fill Ballinger’s vacant House seat.
