Atlanta businessman and Air Force veteran Kelvin King has entered the race for Georgia secretary of state.
King, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate three years ago, announced his candidacy for secretary of state Tuesday in an op-ed in James Magazine Online.
“I’ve spent my life serving this country through service and leadership, from working as an Air Force contracting officer to building a successful construction company that serves the public sector,” King wrote. “I am ready to do the work – for Georgia, for America, for our future.”
King, who is married to State Election Board member Janelle King, vowed to support a hybrid form of voting that would include hand counting ballots to confirm votes and to bring “new leadership” to cleaning up Georgia’s voter rolls. He also promised to overhaul the state’s business licensing and registration systems, which are overseen by the secretary of state.
State Rep. Tim Fleming, R-Covington, also is running for the Republican nomination for secretary of state.
Incumbent GOP Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger hasn’t indicated whether he will seek a third term. He was reelected overwhelmingly in 2022 despite running afoul of Republican base voters by refusing to go along with Donald Trump’s alleged effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Raffensperger has reportedly been considering mounting a bid for governor or the Senate next year.
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Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
The press isn’t against you when it reports something you don’t want to hear. Reporters are thermometers, not the fever itself. They’re telling you what verified sources are saying, not taking sides. Good reporting should challenge you — that’s literally the job.
Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
Dave Williams | Capitol Beat News Service
Dave Williams is the Bureau Chief for Capitol Beat News Service. He is a veteran reporter who has reported on Georgia state government and politics since 1999. Before that, he covered Georgia’s congressional delegation in Washington, D.C.
