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Editor’s note: This is one in a series of articles highlighting local and state races in the November 8 General Election
While most Georgia voters are laser focused on the Governor’s race or U.S. Senate race in the November 8 General Election, a lot of residents in Fulton County will be keeping a close eye on the race to fill the Fulton County Commissioner District 1 seat. Bridget Thorne, a Republican, is looking to fill the vacancy left open by current commissioner Liz Hausmann, who chose not to seek re-election, but instead decided to run for the State Senate.
Bridget Thorne
There are currently four Democrats and three Republicans on the Board of Commissioners. Six commissioners are elected by geographic district, and one is elected countywide as the chairman (Robb Pitts). The 1st District seat is mainly in the northern part of the county. Thorne is facing Democrat Maggie R. Goldman in the General Election.
Thorne describes herself as a fiscal conservative, and says she is running on a platform of protecting taxpayers, protecting communities, protecting health and welfare, protecting the residential integrity of the neighborhoods and open and responsible government.
“I will protect your tax dollars. Too often, our county commission simply throws money at problems and creates more problems with inefficient bureaucracies. I will cut spending and lower taxes and focus on cleaning up the inefficient departments within Fulton County government. While taxpayers are dealing with high inflation, government spending needs to be dialed back. I support prioritizing spending in essential areas such as public safety and health but there should be no new spending and no new programs at this time.
Maggie R. Goldman
Thorne has lived in North Fulton for 27 years and is a professional software designer and active community advocate and volunteer. According to her campaign website, she has served on several boards, including the Alpharetta Parks Visionary Committee. Alpharetta High School Foundation Board, Parent Teacher Student Association (VP of Communications), Young Men’s Service League, Local and National Boards.
“I believe that elected officials should serve the citizens, not special interest groups or their own political ambition,” Thorne was quoted as saying on her website. “I never set out to run for office, but my experiences with county governance in the past few years have convinced me that grass-roots activism is the only way to combat the problems of an entrenched bureaucracy.”
Thorne says she “will fight for a better future for all by utilizing my engineering background to be a watchdog protecting taxpayers monies from wasteful spending and keeping our communities safe by fully supporting law enforcement.”
She earned her M.B.A. and B.S. Industrial Design from Georgia Tech, attending on a track scholarship, and was inducted in the Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame.
