Small businessman and community leader Wendell McNeal announced today, Dec. 8, he will run for the District 114 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives in the 2022 Republican Primary election.

The district was created during this year's legislative redistricting process in response to population shifts in the 2020 federal census. It includes northeast, east, southeast and south Newton County; all of Morgan County; and northern Jasper County.

McNeal is a Morgan County resident and has longstanding ties to Newton County. 

The area's current representative, Rep. Dave Belton, R-Buckhead, has announced he will not run for the District 114 seat. 

McNeal said “In Georgia, we are at a crossroads and need bold leadership at the State Capitol to protect our children, safeguard our liberties and values, secure our elections, and block Biden’s big government overreach. We need brave conservatives who understand the battle and will do whatever it takes to win the war. 

"That’s why I’m running for State House. It is time for a fresh perspective from a conservative businessman that is willing to win the future for our conservative values – against all odds.

"I’m no stranger to struggle. After a tragic car accident early in life in which I sustained a severe head injury leaving me unconscious for five days, requiring multiple surgeries and my wearing a helmet for protection to school, I overcame adversity and achieved success through a lot of tenacity and hard work. That tenacity and hard work made me rock-solid — unwilling to bend under pressure — and it has served me well in business. I am ready to bring the same to the State House. 

"Whether it’s protecting human life, cutting taxes, banning CRT, backing law enforcement, cracking down on the left’s election fraud schemes, or stopping cancel culture dead in its’ tracks, I am ready to fight and win against all odds. As your representative, I will not owe anyone anything – except the people of this district. I will fully devote my passion, time, and energy into being a voice for you and win the future. I ask for your prayers and support and look forward to earning your votes,” concluded McNeal.  

McNeal is a successful small businessman and owner of the McNeal Group, a real estate investment company that manages over 45 properties across the region. 

Prior to that, McNeal built a rent-to-own business with several locations, including a store in Covington, that he later sold. 

No stranger to struggle, McNeal was in the car wreck and, two years later, lost his dad in a tragic train traffic accident.

"Wendell was told by teachers and friends that he would not amount to much. Rather than being discouraged, this drove Wendell to work hard to achieve success," a press release stated. 

McNeal graduated high school from Georgia Military College and attended Georgia Southwestern and South Georgia Technical School. 

After completing his education, he went from repairing radios to purchasing his first piece of real estate that soon led him on a long road to a successful self-made business career. 

An active community leader, Wendell has worked to give back to the communities across the district. 

He serves as a reserve deputy for the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office and as a board member of the Boys & Girls Club of North Central Georgia and the Georgia Youth Challenge Academy Foundation which supports the Georgia National Guard Youth Challenge Program. He is active in the local community and supports dozens of charities and events. 

A committed conservative, McNeal has worked hard to elect strong conservatives and served as the vice chair of the Morgan County Republican Party. 

He was proud to nominate President Trump as a delegate at the National Republican Convention in 2020 and to serve as a greeter at President Trump’s White House Christmas Party in 2020, the release stated. 

McNeal is engaged to Karen McCoy and resides in Morgan County.