COVINGTON, Ga. — Newton County Republicans recently chose new leadership while Democrats will select a new chairman early to replace the person who led the party through one of its most successful campaign seasons in recent memory.

County Democrats will elect a replacement for Ryan Barrett, who recently resigned his chairmanship of the Newton County Democratic Party and the 4th Congressional District effective May 1.

Republicans, meanwhile, on April 17 elected three top officers who work side by side on the staff at the same Newton County church.

The GOP elected Brendan Cherry as chairman and John "Dana" Labit as first vice chairman during its county convention April 17.

Cherry, who succeeds Scott Jay, and Labit are pastoral assistants to Senior Pastor Billy Ingram at Canaan Baptist Church on Salem Road.

Party members also elected Lauren Labit, a teacher at the church’s Canaan Baptist Academy, as secretary. 

Church members and associates of Cherry also were elected, including Curtis Woods as second vice chairman, Nathan Key as third vice chairman, and Joy Thomas as treasurer.

Complaints from at least one former elected official and some activists on social media cited the possibility of the new officers’ shared church affiliation possibly dividing the party, among other issues.

However, Cherry said he believed party members had been “spending more time fighting each other.” 

He and others believed a new direction was needed in the party after the local election losses of 2020, he said.

The Maryland native said he had “always been a Republican” but this was his first foray into organized politics. 

“There were no voices pushing what we believe,” Cherry said.

He said Jay and others said they were not seeking re-election and he decided to run after being elected as a precinct chairman in March. 

Cherry said he sensed a “lack of energy” among county party members who had not met in person as a group since last year because of COVID-19.

However, he also said he believed people in any organization typically complain when “something new comes along” — like his slate of officer candidates that had not been as active in the county party as others in the past.

“The reason the slate is the way it is … is it’s people we knew,” Cherry said.

He said the goal is to get Republicans elected on both local and state levels.

“Hopefully, we can see victories,” Cherry said.

DEMOCRATS

Barrett said in an email that he was following the party's bylaws in calling for an election to fill the vacancy in the chairman position during its monthly business meeting May 20 at 7 p.m. 

First Vice Chairman Mike Hesterley will chair the meeting, he said.

Those interested in being a candidate for chairman should complete an Intent to Run form no later than May 15 at 11:59 p.m. The form is available at https://forms.gle/jAbWfxecjuKQWBfi8, Barrett said.

Barrett, who works as a cardiac and ER technician, said on the party's Facebook page that issues with his health led him to decide to move with his family outside the county and district.

He said the work in Newton County and the congressional district, which includes parts of Newton and three other counties, "is far from over and I know that we will continue playing a part no matter where we are."

Barrett was re-elected in December as chairman. He led the party in 2020 as Democrats ousted Republican incumbents in the county tax commissioner and coroner races, and the incumbent sheriff turned back a strong GOP challenge. 

A Democrat also ousted a GOP incumbent in Georgia House District 109, which includes part of Newton.

Barrett also served as a Georgia delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention that nominated Joe Biden.

Biden won a majority of Newton County's 2020 vote by the largest margin for a Democrat since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Others on the county Democratic Party’s executive committee include Jamaica Garris, second vice chairwoman; Kelly Robinson, third vice chairwoman; Sonya James, secretary; and Kathy Wills, treasurer.

Democrats in Georgia elect their county party leaders in even-numbered years after a General Election.