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Keisha Waites (File photo)
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HOME > NEWS > LOCAL
By: MATT SCHAFER
COMMENTS |
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Keisha Waites fell short of her history-making aspirations when she lost her race for state House District 61 to Ralph Long III in the Aug. 5 primary runoff.
Waites, who would have been the first openly gay African-American woman elected to a state legislature in the country, garnered 986 votes to Long’s 1,357 votes. The seat was left open when Rep. Bob Holmes (D-Atlanta) announced his retirement earlier this year.
Since there is no Republican challenger, Long will be uncontested in the Nov. 4 election.
After suffering her fifth loss in six years, Waites was resolute in thanking her supporters.
“Thank you for all your hard work. I appreciate it, and it was not in vain,” Waites said in her concession speech at the gay-owned Starlite Cantina in East Point.
She later called to congratulate Long on his victory and said she will return to work on Aug 11.
“This isn’t the result I would have wished for, but I accept it because it was the voters’ decision,” Waites said.
Waites has lost races before — two bids for Atlanta City Council and bids for Fulton County Commission Chair and state Senate — but this was her first time running with the backing of established organizations such as Georgia Equality, the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, All Children Matter and two of the candidates she beat in the July 15 primary.
Waites hopes someone else will take the initiative now that she has broken the ice by campaigning openly outside of traditional gay neighborhoods.
“I would hope that people would take this race and be inspired by it and become involved in the process,” Waites said.
In other races of note:
• Senate District 50: Self-avowed conservative Jim Butterwoth took 62 percent of the vote as he upset incumbent state Sen. Nancy Schaefer (R-Turnerville), who has been very vocal against equal rights for gay Georgians. While Butterworth says he supports “traditional conservative values,” he will not have the Schaefer’s seniority or stature in the party. Schaefer served two terms.
• House District 91: Georgia Equality endorsed Rita Robinzine, but she lost her bid to Rhan Mayo, 55 percent to 45 percent. This seat was left open when state Rep. Stan Watson (D-Decatur) left to run for DeKalb County CEO.
• House District 93: State Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D-Lithonia) beat Malik Douglas with 60 percent of the vote in her fourth election in four months. She won a special election to replace former Rep. Ron Sailor (D-Lithonia) in June and then won her first full term in the Aug. 5 runoff. Dawkins-Haigler was the first candidate endorsed by Georgia Equality this year.
• DeKalb County CEO: Georgia Equality endorsed DeKalb County Commissioner Burrell Ellis over state Rep. Stan Watson (D-Decatur). Ellis went on to win the race with 63 percent of the vote.
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