ATLANTA – Suspended State Rep. Sharon Henderson (D-Covington) is looking to continue her political ambitions despite the controversy surrounding her.
On Thursday, Henderson officially threw her name in the running for the Georgia State Senate District 43 seat. The district includes some of western Newton County but is largely made up of Rockdale County and parts of DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties.
“I’d like to continue what I’ve done in the past, and I’m gonna do even more in the future for this great state of Georgia and my constituents,” Henderson said to reporters at the Gold Dome after formally qualifying.
Henderson currently faces incumbent Tonya Anderson of DeKalb County and Donald Ferguson of Rockdale County. Anderson has held the seat since 2017 and is seeking a sixth term in office. Additional challengers could arise before the qualifying period ends on Friday.
With Thursday’s move, Henderson will not seek reelection to the District 113 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives.
Henderson has held the House seat since 2021 after she defeated then-incumbent Pamela Dickerson in the Democratic primary. So far, Democrats Karla Daniels Hooper and former Newton County District 3 Commissioner Alana Sanders have qualified for the District 113 seat.
In January, Henderson was suspended from her seat in the House by Gov. Brian Kemp after a review commission recommended that her ongoing criminal case “adversely affect[s] the administration of duties.” Henderson’s suspension lasts until the disposition of her case or the expiration of her current House term, whichever comes first.
Henderson was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Dec. 8, 2025 and charged with two counts of theft of government funds and 10 counts of making false statements.
Federal prosecutors claim that Henderson collected $17,811 in false unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. She allegedly claimed that she was out of work as a substitute teacher for Henry County Schools due to the pandemic.
But the U.S. Department of Justice says that Henderson had not worked for Henry County Schools since 2018, despite her submitting certifications to receive unemployment benefits and accepting said benefits as recently as 2021. As a substitute, she would not have qualified for unemployment benefits under an agreement she reportedly signed, according to federal prosecutors.
Henderson has pleaded not guilty, and the case remains pending in federal court. She declined to answer reporters’ questions regarding the specifics of the case.
