With election campaigning poised to quicken in Coastal Georgia following Labor Day, the outlines of November’s contests and next year’s midterm battles are beginning to emerge.
As usual, incumbents such as Cosby Johnson, the mayor of Brunswick, and Roger Moss, president of the Savannah-Chatham County school board, appear to dominate the scene.
At the same time, there is evidence of ferment, brought on in part by uncertainty across the economic and political landscape. For instance, in the Liberty County city of Midway, there are already three declared candidates for mayor and 10 for city council.
Then there is the case of Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, who roiled the waters in his own way last week when he declared he would not enter a race many fellow Democrats hoped he would.
At the very least, it all means an unusually raucous 18 months ahead.
‘Environmental failures’
Johnson, Brunswick’s mayor, announced Friday he would be on the ballot in November, seeking another four-year term as the top elected official in Coastal Georgia’s second-largest city.
In a statement issued Friday, the 39-year-old Cosby, a Democrat, touted his first-term accomplishments, saying he had spurred efforts to repair and rehabilitate homes throughout the city of some 15,500 people, as well as expanding its police and fire departments and improving salaries.
Johnson also said he had joined with state officials in lowering taxes, investing in recreational facilities and after-school tutoring, and securing $75 million in investment for residential and retail growth.
In a second term, Johnson said he would continue efforts to “reshape and reimagine our neighborhoods and the infrastructure that protects them,” push for more services for the city’s citizens “no matter where they live,” and press for “more resources to fix the environmental failures of the past.”
In 2021, Johnson easily won the election in his first bid for the mayor’s job, which pays an annual salary of $15,621. He came in first in an eight-person field with 41% of the vote and prevailed in the runoff over Ivan Figueroa by 74.4% of the 1,276 ballots cast.
Born and raised in Brunswick, Johnson is expected to be challenged by Vincent T. Williams in the Nov. 4 election.
Williams, pastor of Word of Faith Church in Brunswick, held the North Ward seat on the Brunswick City Commission for two terms, from 2013 until 2021. He ran unsuccessfully against Johnson in the 2021 election, receiving 202 votes to Johnson’s 621 in the general election.
‘I know it’s not me’
With the decision by 1st District U.S. Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter to run for the U.S. Senate, the prospect of an open race to succeed him has fanned hopes among Coastal Georgia Democrats that one of their own might break the GOP’s three-decade grip on the seat.
Last week, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, one of the region’s most prominent Democrats — if not its most prominent Democrat — made it clear that person would not be him, leaving little, if any, wiggle room.
“I know it’s not me,” he replied when The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Tia Mitchell pressed him over what names of declared and undeclared Democratic candidates for the 1st District House stood out.
Speaking on the “Politically Georgia” podcast, Johnson said he had no idea of his political future after serving out his term as Savannah’s mayor (“the greatest job on earth”), which ends in January 2028.
Citing his 16 years on the Savannah City Council and six as mayor, as well as the turmoil of the pandemic and Donald Trump, he said he’s collected “battle scars” that might merit a break from politics. “But, you know, we’ll see what the Lord says.”
Declared Democratic candidates for the 1st District seat include Amanda Hollowell, Defonsio Daniels, Michael McCord, Joe Palimeno, and Randy Zurcher. On the Republican side, Patrick Farrell, James Kingston, Kandiss Taylor, and Krista Penn have announced their candidacies.
‘Foundation of excellence’
Roger Moss took a step last week towards seeking another four-year term as president of the Savannah-Chatham County school board, as supporters and donors gathered in Savannah to tout his leadership of the board and to raise funds for his anticipated reelection bid.
Moss is expected to formally announce his candidacy for a second, four-year term next month. The nonpartisan elections for board president and four seats on the board — Districts 4, 5, 6 and 8 — are scheduled for May 19, 2026.
Hosts of Wednesday’s fundraiser at a downtown restaurant included well-known business leaders and philanthropists Greg Parker of Parker’s Kitchen; Reed Dulany III of Dulany Industries, Inc.; and Don Waters, chairman of Waters Capital Partners, LLC. and former member of the Georgia University System’s Board of Regents.
In remarks at the gathering, Parker praised Moss for his leadership of the school board, pointing to his recruitment of Denise Watts to serve as school superintendent, his fostering of what Parker described as a “culture of excellence” in the school system, and his efforts to ensure that students in Savannah and Chatham County are reading at their grade-level.
“The foundation for everything that we do is based on education because it is the tide that lifts all ships,” Parker told the gathering of about 50 people.
In his comments, Moss said that he and Watts aimed at education that gives students what the superintendent has called “choice-filled lives.” With that “foundation of excellence,” Moss said, “They can go anywhere, do anything.”
To date, no one has announced their intention to challenge Moss in next spring’s elections.
Moss became the board’s first Black president when he won the election in 2022, receiving 50.17% of the vote to Tye Whitley’s 26.8% and Todd Rhodes’ 22.94%. He was sworn into office in January 2023.
Attendees at the fundraiser included Marty Daniel, CEO of Daniel Defense; Savannah City Council Alderman Nick Palumbo (District 4), Chatham County Commissioner Patrick Farrell (District 8); and school board members Shawn Kachmar (District 4) and Stephanie Campbell (District 7).
Asked later how much the fundraiser brought in, Moss sidestepped.
“We had a very good night.”