One less candidate is running for the state representative seat that covers Catoosa County, Ga.
Zach Hubbs, who was the convention chairman for the county’s Republican party this year, did not file paperwork Friday to run for the House District 3 seat. Last month, Hubbs announced he would pursue the job, and qualified to run in the May 24 primary two weeks ago.
But that qualification didn’t count because members of the Georgia Republican Party didn’t give the paperwork to the secretary of state’s office in time. Two other candidates also were disqualified. The party’s leaders then voted Thursday night to re-open qualifying. Candidates had until 5 p.m. Friday to file paperwork again.
While the other two District 3 disqualified candidates – Jeff Holcomb and Jeremy Jones – put their names back in the ring, Hubbs refrained from running, just one week after filing the proper paperwork the first time.
Last Thursday, Hubbs told the Times Free Press he intended to run. But he said Monday he couldn’t make it to Atlanta by the time the qualifying period ended because of work.
“I wish those other guys well,” he said in an email. “I’m very sad to not be part of the process going forward.”
Hubbs’ exit leaves three candidates. In addition to Holcomb and Jones, former Catoosa County Commissioner Dewayne Hill is pursuing the seat.
Hill, who did not return a call seeking comment Monday, became the center of controversy when he registered to run on March 11 – the original deadline for qualifying. Tom Weldon, an incumbent since 2009, had filed paperwork to run for re-election days earlier.
But the week after the qualifying period ended, with Hill and himself as the only candidates, Weldon announced he would withdraw from the race. Weldon told the Times Free Press in mid-March that he informed Hill of his decision on March 11, soon after Hill had qualified.
Hill, in turn, told the Times Free Press he had no idea Weldon would withdraw until he announced it publicly. He said he was gearing up for a hotly contested race against an incumbent.
The conflicting stories between Hill and Weldon raised concerns among some local Republicans. And during the Catoosa County GOP Convention on March 19, the majority of delegates voted to ask the state party’s executive committee to re-open qualifying, which is allowed in Georgia if the incumbent withdraws after the first qualifying period ends.
The party did so, and new candidates could jump into the race on April 6-7. That’s when Holcomb, Hubbs and Jones filled out their paperwork. But after the party didn’t get the secretary of state the proper paperwork by April 11, all three candidates were disqualified. “If they had not had that issue,” Hubbs said, “I would have stayed in to see this thing through.”
So the Republican Party’s executive party repeated the song and dance last week. They then had to get the paperwork to the secretary of state by noon Monday, which they did.
Holcomb didn’t know Hubbs was out of the race until a reporter told him on Monday.
He pointed out that Hubbs was connected to party leadership on a local level. Hubbs has been a vice chairman of the party’s 14th congressional district. He was also the director for the northern section of the district.
Contact staff writer Tyler Jett at tjett@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6476.