LaDawn Jones Wins District 62 Run-Off Race Against Marvin Arrington Jr.
LaDawn Jones will be the next Georgia House Representative of District 62.
In what some are calling a surprise win, LaDawn Blackett Jones beat Marvin Arrington Jr. by a healthy margin in the run-off election for the District 62 House seat.
"LBJ", as her numerous street signs call her, was in second place after the July 31st primary but on Tuesday night the tables had turned and LaDawn was able to win the election. The final tally according to the Secretary of State website was 62.8% to 37.2% with Jones getting 1359 votes to Arrington's 805 votes.
Historically run-off elections always have a lesser turnout, but the numbers show evidence that is was the Jones camp that was able to mobilize and get people to the polls. On a variety of occasions on Tuesday I saw teams of LaDawn Jones supporters on corners waving signs and urging people to vote, on the other-hand I did not see Arrington supporters. (Though I was not everywhere within the District)
It just may have been, that late push by the "LBJ" street team that pushed LaDawn Jones towards the Gold Dome. The July 31st election finished with Marvin Arrington with 48.9% and LaDawn Jones in second place with only 26.9%. You can see that the run-off turnout was problem for the Arrington camp and was key for the Jones camp.
In a letter written by Jones to Cascade Patch readers before the run-off, she explains the importance of the Tuesday's election:
If you don't go out and vote on August 21, 2012, the best candidate will not be seated in that office. You want a candidate with a proven history of community building, not one who will not represent the interests of District 62.I have worked for District 62 because I have a vested interest in this community. My parents live here, I am raising my children here and I worship here. I have fought to build up this community and will continue to do so.
We have not heard from either candidate in the early hours after the vote count, but I imagine District 62 winner LaDawn Jones will write our Cascade Patch readers again soon, so please stay tuned.
Rodney Littles
10:12 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Congratulations. You made the case for our vote and won. The voters have spoken. Now the hard work begins. Looking out for our interests under the Gold Dome. Good luck and much success.
C. Crane
8:34 am on Friday, August 31, 2012
RODNEY,
BENNY CRANE IN 2014!!! WE WILL NOT BE DENIED!!!
T. Thomas
12:21 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
What a sad commentary that Mr. Arrington had to compete against someone he had dominated in the primaries. Run offs produce less voters than primaries. This past primary voters were eagered to vote re: T-SPLOST so they can out to the polls. There were no big issues to draw them back out which worked for MS. Jones favor. She was the under dog and a good portion of her voters about 1200 out of 1800 came back out. Only about 800 out of 3100 of Mr. Arrington's voters came out. Nonetheless, Ms. Jones proved that she is a TRUE politician with all the dirt she threw on Mr. Arrington during the campaign. The best person doesn't always win as demonstrated in this run off election. I truly believe Mr. Arrington would have brought a glimmer of hope for District 62 but now it will probably remain the same. The very sad part of this whole election is when speaking with neighbors about it, they said they didn't vote because they thought he had already won. They thought the signs and billboards were just leftover from the election.
chris lennon
6:30 pm on Sunday, August 26, 2012
To T. Thomas form Chris Lennon
Let's talk about dirt since you brought it up. Calling people at 3AM to have them take down LBJ's signs is dirty, bringing in Atlanta workers is dirty, putting up false signage about LBJ is dirty, Arrington changing his address in May 2012 from ATL is dirty, being a tool of The Atlanta political machine masquerading as a South Fulton resident with the interests of Atlanta is DIRTY. As a wise man in The LBJ campaign said SIGNS don't vote- The loyal people of South Fulton, Douglas County and East Point have spoken. The brightest, hardest working, most committed, and best qualified candidate WON. Now let's pull together and fight for the issues that resonate within our community.
D. Wells
10:30 am on Friday, August 31, 2012
Mr. Lennon,
Mr. Chris Lennon,
Marvin Arrington Jr moved his family to South Fulton over 8 years ago, which was a FULL YEAR before Mrs. Jones moved to the area... Furthermore, in addition to being a LIFELONG resident of Fulton County; Graduating from high school in Fulton; as well as Graduating from law school in Georgia... Mr. Arrington's wife is a South Fulton County school teacher and has four daughters that attend
South Fulton School i.e. Stonewall Tell Elementary; Evoline C. West and Sandtown
Middle School.
Marvin Arrington Jr. has also VOTED in EVERY ELECTION and is a TRUE DEMOCRAT while Mrs. Jones has voted in less than 50% of elections since 2000... That is a FACT!
Becky M
12:21 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
We have a representive that will be totally involved in District 62 issues. Arrington would have represented the City of Atlana, huge win for us !!
David Good
2:43 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
I have been part of the campaign process for over 10 years and the one thing I see and believe is when there is a 4 person race, generally there will be a run-off with the person whose name is closer to the letter A coming out on top but not winning. That is the case this time.... TSplost and the Sherriffs race dominated the platform and when both were decided in the general primary, all you had left was races that were important to those in the district. Most of the 31% of registered voters came out and it's always given in a non-incumbant race or a new race that the person with the name closer to A gets 15% of the vote and if the name is well known, they get another 15% of the vote. Off the top Arrington Jr. got 30% of the vote. What this race showed is that in a run off, you have to bust your but and knock on doors. Blackett-Jones did that and she won. There was no dirt done by the LaDawn campaign. I am glad for the outcome because in Douglas County she connected with the voters that care about bringing businesses to the area and in Fulton county they care about the school systems and fighting those laws that affect them... plus more. Congrats to LaDawn.
kevin
3:32 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
As a
Jackie Jones
7:42 pm on Sunday, September 2, 2012
Congratulations to LaDawn Jones for her victory in the run-off election. Both candidates worked hard, both candidates are bright and either would have served the community and citizens of District 62 well. Unfortunately for Arrington, Jones' tactic of dividing the voters of District 62 from those who are from South Fulton vs. those who are from Atlanta prevailed. The problem is this tactic leaves the community divided. Arrington ran a classy campaign and never mentioned "LBJ" in any of his campaign materials. Jones' job of reaching out to people in District 62 who are from Atlanta and elsewhere will be difficult based on her divisive campaign tactics. Jones did a better job of motivating her people to come back out. Arrington had twice as many people on the street on runoff election day as Jones. Jones simply did a better job of motivating her people to come back out. The reality is that there are many people from Atlanta and elsewhere that have moved to District 62 and Jones will have to represent them as well. Jones's vote totals from both combined elections is still less than Arrington's vote total from both elections. I wish both of them well and hope they both continue to serve the community. Congratulations to both of them for representing our community well. Since Jones is the next representative she will have to reach out to Arrington and others from Atlanta and elsewhere in an effort to unite our community. ps There were missing signs from both campgns.
David Case
3:48 pm on Monday, September 3, 2012
I wonder why LBJ's campaign utilized the strategy to DEMONIZE; VILIFY; & SMEAR the GOOD FOLK from Atlanta during the runoff campaign when she was SO PROUD to SEEK & BOAST the ENDORSEMENTS of people from Atlanta. For example:
Ladawn Blackett Jones tweeted on June 13, 2012 that Ambassador Young endorsed her:
http://twitter.com/MrsLaDawn/statuses/212923445770596352
Ladawn Blackett Jones posted that she received the endorsement of Andrew Young on July 27th in the Douglasville Patch (even though SHE KNEW THAT NOT TO BE TRUE!):
http://douglasville.patch.com/blog_posts/ladawn-lbj-blackett-jones-gets-the-support-to-make-change
Maybe this is the reason & was it a case of the SOUR GRAPES?:
On July 10, 2012 Ambassador Andrew Young tweeted his endorsement for Marvin Arrington Jr.:
http://twitter.com/AmbAndrewYoung/status/222802992838094849
Here is an article from the Douglasville Sentinel regarding that very endorsement:
http://www.douglascountysentinel.com/view/full_story/19272111/article-Tweet-appears-to-seal-Young-endorsement-for-Arrington
Hopefully, Mrs. Jones will be more straight forward & upfront as a Georgia State Representative but then again, that will be WISHFUL THINKING!