McLendon knocks off Fraser, elected new DA 

There will be a new district attorney for the Dublin Judicial Circuit in January.

Harold McLendon picked up 53.72 percent of the vote to beat incumbent DA Craig Fraser 5,181 to 4,463 during Tuesday’s primary. 

Also Tuesday, incumbent Superior Court Judge Trey Taylor picked up 7,217 votes (55.92 percent) to challengers Brad Childers’ 3,935 (30.49 percent) and Brandon Faircloth’s 1,755 (13.60 percent). Incumbent state Senator Larry Walker won with 16,610 votes (76.57 percent) against challenger Tori Branum’s 5,082 (23.43 percent). 

McLendon spent the evening watching the results from his office. As it became obvious that he was on the way to becoming the new DA, his supporters encouraged him to make the short walk to the Laurens County Courthouse to begin the celebration. 

“I feel absolutely great. and I’m excited to get to work on this crime problem we have here,” McLendon said. “I was picked to do it, so it’s not like it is something that I don’t know how to do. I’m anxious to get my plan in place.” 

McLendon received 3,930 votes in Laurens County to Fraser’s 3,021. McLendon also received more votes in Johnson County with 727 to Fraser’s 637. Fraser did win Treutlen County, 560 to 362, and Twiggs County, 245 to 162.

McLendon said he pledged from the beginning of the campaign not to attack Fraser on a personal basis. He felt he had done that.

“We are professionals, and we should treat others professionally,” McLendon said. “God got us here. Craig was a friend of mine, and I saw the need to do things differently many, many years ago, but I could not. I realized there was not going to be a change and told him I could work with him, but he said no. At that point there was a line in the sand. We cannot allow this beautiful city we have to go up in rubble, and that’s why I am here.” 

McLendon’s wife, Alice, acknowledged it had been a long campaign.

“He’s going to do a great job,” she said. “Wherever he goes, he leaves a good record. I look forward to him working on the backlog and seeing things that are going to be great for Laurens County and the whole circuit. He’s a good man.” 

She brought up the fact that her husband had run for two other elected offices and lost. It is the DA’s position that God had in mind for her husband, she said. 

“I figure he’ll have a little more mobility here and he’ll be able to help people more in this position,” Alice said. “He’ll do a good job.” 

McLendon called his wife a soldier who lifted him up and inspired him to continue throughout the campaign. 

“She told me I couldn’t stop,” McLendon said. “She has been there throughout the whole process. My girls and boys were great support for me. They lifted me up along with a whole array of people that stood with me through this process and supported me all the way. This feels fantastic looking around at all of this support.”  

He began election day morning waking up around 2:30 a.m. 

“I’ve just been running since then,” McLendon said. 

He planned to enjoy Tuesday night’s victory before seeing his grand baby graduate from kindergarten Wednesday. Come Monday, he plans to be formalizing an early intervention program.

“I want to get people in place and go ahead and start talking about grants to get it done,” McLendon said. “We have so many cases that we have to have some way to get some of them off the calendar. The early intervention program is one of those things we’re going to be doing.” 

Taylor ran against Fraser in the Republican primary four years ago and lost. This time he was the incumbent as a Superior Court judge running against Childers and Faircloth. Taylor was appointed judge by Gov. Brian Kemp last summer after Donny Gillis stepped down. 

“I’m just ready to get to work,” Taylor said. “The campaign trail takes a lot of time and energy, brainpower and so much work. We’re ready to focus on the court and people’s business. We’re just excited and I appreciate the trust that the voters have put in me. 

“I’m excited about what the future holds for the court system. We have a really good team in place. We are making sure that Dublin and these other areas are a safe place to live and raise our communities. We’re making sure the court system works for everybody and that everybody has equal access to justice. We’re forcing the rule of law and being fair when the law allows us to be fair and making sure we have safe communities to raise our families.”

Taylor won Laurens County with 4,890 votes. Childers followed with 2,717 and Faircloth had 986. Taylor picked up 836 votes in Johnson County, with Childers picking up 502 and Faircloth getting 245. Taylor won Treutlen County by gaining 716 votes to Childers’ 218 and Faircloth’s 197. Taylor grabbed 775 voters in Twiggs County, while Childers received 498 and Faircloth gathered 327. 

Taylor was relieved with the results. 

“I slept fine (the night before) because I knew I had executed my game plan,” Taylor said. “I knew I had left nothing on the table and had left it all out on the field. It’s been a lot of hard work, but I think the results speak for itself. What it ultimately says is that the voters are happy with the job that I’m doing. We’re getting the job done, and objectively we’re doing a good job. We’re moving cases and we’re handling the business of the court.” 

Taylor has heard a lot of compliments about his temperament from the bench.

“People have seen me over the last nine months and the way that I’ve interacted and they like that, and that’s what I’m going to keep doing,” Taylor said. “It’s been a working formula so far, and we’re going to keep doing it. … This has been a fantastic night. Everybody here has been so gracious. I have so many friends in this room and everybody has been encouraging and gracious to me.” 

Taylor will return to work with Superior Court Judges Jon Helton and Jud Green, who were re-elected without opposition in Tuesday’s non-partisan election. 

“We have a good working relationship,” Taylor said. “I appreciate them coming alongside me and helping me get acclimated to my new position. They have been fantastic folks to work with. The staff we have here at the courthouse are top notch.” 

Walker acknowledged that he had a big victory over Branum. 

“I’m so appreciative of my family support and all the people that helped me on my campaign,” he said. “It’s very humbling, but I also think it’s a validation of the direction that we’re going with conservative leadership in Georgia. I commend my opponent for working hard. I wish her the best, but I hate that she tried to distort my record. … She said I was not a supporter of the Second Amendment. I do have the NRA endorsement, and I am very pro-Second Amendment. I think it was so over the top that people saw through that.” 

Walker was glad that three out of every four votes went his way.

“Today, I’ll go back to work for the people of Senate District 20 and will continue fighting to move Georgia forward and give good constituent service. I’m available anytime people need assistance with state issues.” 

Walker received 5,013 votes to Branum’s 1,614 in Laurens County. 

He grabbed 1,549 votes to Branum’s 365 in Bleckley County and received 654 to Branum’s 214 in Treutlen County. Walker won 970 to 333 in Dodge County, 502 to 164 in Dooly, 5,843 to 1,614 in Houston County, 1,352 to 525 in Pulaski County and 727 to 223 in Wilcox County. 

“I have a lot of friends in Laurens County and a long history in Laurens County,” Walker said. “I’m excited to continue serving the people. I love getting things done and solving problems and helping folks. I’m glad I got rehired to do that job.” 

Walker will start his fifth term and his 10th legastlative session in 2025. 

“The voters have a decision every two years whether to fire you or not,” he said. “This was a job interview where you are asking voters who they trust to represent them in Atlanta.”

There was one race on the Democratic side for U.S, House of Representatives District 12 where Elizabeth Johnson beat Daniel Jackson 23,332. to 16,224. In Laurens County, Johnson picked up 866 to 795. Johnson will now face incumbent Rick Allen, who was unopposed on the Republican ticket, in November.