Carter Grandson Seeks State Senate Seat (UPDATE 1)
Photographs by Matthew Cardinale and Alice Gordon, Atlanta Progressive News
(APN) DECATUR — Jason Carter, grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, has launched a campaign for the seat of State Sen. David Adelman, who has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as Ambassador to Singapore.
Adelman has not resigned his seat yet and he must be confirmed by the US Senate. Once Adelman resigns his seat, Governor Sonny Perdue will schedule a Special Election.
Carter announced his candidacy on Wednesday, December 09, 2009, at Twain’s restaurant in Decatur, Georgia, surrounded by dozens of activists and donors affiliated with the Democratic Party of Georgia.
“I appreciate y’all coming. My name’s Jason carter and I’m very exited to announce I’m running for the State Senate in Georgia,” Carter said in his remarks.
He said he wanted to acknowledge several public officials in attendance, specifically naming Sen. Adelman. “I also want to acknowledge my family… [including] my son Henry who’s three, and my son Thomas who’s 11 months,” Carter said.
“I was born just up the road at Emory Hospital. My family has lived in Georgia many years,” Carter said.
Carter said he had served in the Peace Corps for two and a half years in South Africa, where he met a woman nicknamed Gogo. Gogo, he said, had lived under apartheid and now ran a school, a garden, and was Postmaster.
“I think, what would she have done if her grandparent had been President?” Carter said.
Carter said that he had represented big corporations as well as vulnerable citizens as an attorney.
As for the vulnerable citizens, Carter was one of the attorneys for the Democratic Party of Georgia in a lawsuit against the Voter ID laws in Georgia. As previously reported by Atlanta Progressive News, Carter was one of the attorneys on the case along with Emmet Bondurant and David Brackett.
“I believe a good State Senator can make a difference in people’s lives and the lives of the community,” Carter said.
“I asked my grandfather advice. He said, work as hard as you can and always tell the truth,” Carter said.
“We have to deal with our economic challenges… We have to educate our children. We have to protect our environment and manage our water resources. We have to have comprehensive ethics reform,” Carter said.
Carter said that he would be asking his supporters to volunteer in the community. “We’re gonna ask you to engage as fully as possible in the community, go to neighborhoods you’ve never been to and work side by side,” with people, Carter said.
When asked by APN whether he had a lot in common with Jimmy Carter in terms of political views, he said yes. “We’re not going to agree on everything, but we agree on most things,” Carter told APN.
“He taught me you can be in politics and do good things,” Carter said.
Jimmy Carter had four sons, including Jack Carter, who previously ran unsuccessfully for US Senate in Nevada. Jason Carter is Jack Carter’s son. Jason is the first Carter to run for public office since Jack Carter ran for US Senate.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article listed one of the attorneys on the Voter ID case as Emmanuel Bondurant. The correct name is Emmet Bondurant.
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Matthew Cardinale is the News Editor for Atlanta Progressive News and is reachable at matthew@atlantaprogressivenews.com.
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