ELECTION COVERAGE: Fleming wins GOP nomination for State House District 114

Newton County voters favor incumbent state legislators in primary election

COVINGTON, Ga. — Former Newton County Commissioner Tim Fleming handily defeated Morgan County businessman Wendell McNeal to claim the GOP nomination for District 114 in the Georgia House of Representatives.

Fleming is the former chief of staff for Gov. Brian Kemp. He reportedly left the Kemp Administration in September 2020 to enter the private sector. Fleming managed Kemp’s campaign as he became just the second Republican Secretary of State for Georgia. Fleming also spent time as deputy secretary of state.

Before his rise to the state level, Fleming served on the Newton County Board of Commissioners, representing District 5, from 2009-2013. He is currently a partner with Live Oak Public Strategies and owns a real estate investment company in Covington.

A self-proclaimed “conservative warrior,” Fleming garnered 6,772 votes (64.74%) to defeat McNeal for the Republican nomination.

“We need a proven conservative warrior in the State House who isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with the radical left — and win,” Fleming said in his campaign announcement. “Unlike typical politicians, this isn’t a talking point for me. I have taken on Abrams — and won. In the Secretary of State’s Office, I fought to have her shady voter registration group investigated. In 2018, I led the campaign that defeated her at the ballot box. And in the Governor’s Office, I fought to secure the passage of the strongest pro-life law in the country and crushed the left’s attempts to keep Georgia shut down during the pandemic and force masks on us all. Like all good conservatives that stand for what is right, I was attacked and vilified at every turn, but I didn’t back down or apologize.

“I am ready to continue that fight for my community and our values in the State House.”

Fleming had no problem carrying his home county, garnering 4,058 votes (73.53%) to McNeal’s 1,461 (26.47%). Fleming also won Morgan – McNeal's home county — with 2,364 votes to 2,080 votes for McNeal.

In February, Fleming was endorsed by Rep. Dave Belton, R-Buckhead, whose position Fleming would be taking.

Belton, currently representing District 112, announced in December that he would not pursue another term in office.

After district lines were redrawn by the Georgia General Assembly earlier this year, much of the area of District 112 that includes eastern Newton County will become District 114 following the 2022 election cycle.

Fleming will face Democrat nominee Malcolm Adams, who ran unopposed in the primary, in the Nov. 8 General Election.

Election results for other state offices representing portions of Newton County included:

State Senate District 17 - Republican:

Brian Strickland (I) - 72.98%

Brett Mauldin - 27.02%

"Thank you to the citizens of District 17 for trusting me to once again be your Republican nominee for this fall," Strickland told The News. "We were especially proud of the strong support we saw out of Newton County from the folks that I have had the pleasure to serve and work with these past five years. Together, we will win big in the fall and make certain that our region continues to have strong representation at the Gold Dome."

Strickland, of McDonough, garnered 4,921 votes in Newton County (78.33%).

State Senate District 17 - Democrat:

Kacy Morgan - 100% (unopposed)

State Senate District 43 - Republican:

Melanie Williams - 100% (unopposed)

State Senate District 43 - Democrat:

Tonya Anderson (I) - 87.83% (87.4% in Newton County)

Joe Lester - 12.17% (12.6% in Newton County)

State House District 93 - Democrat (unopposed for Nov. 8 General Election):

Doreen Carter (I) - 77.62% (75.12% in Newton County)

Laklieshia Izzard - 22.38% (24.88% in Newton County)

State House District 113 - Democrat (unopposed for Nov. 8 General Election):