Carter Barrett defeats three-term incumbent Sheri Gilligan in District 24 race
News June 22, 2022
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County banker Carter Barrett ousted three-term incumbent Sheri Smallwood Gilligan in Tuesday’s Republican Primary Runoff to win the Georgia House of Representatives District 24 seat.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Barrett received 2,317 votes to Gilligan’s 1,623. The result marked a substantial turnaround from last month’s General Primary, in which Gilligan outpolled Barrett by about 600 votes in a three-candidate race.
Brent Cox defeated Julie Tressler in the race for Georgia House District 28. Cox, a businessman and former football coach reeived 2,330 votes to Tressler’s 1,829.
In the runoff for 6th District US Congress, Dr. Rich McCormick easily defeated lawyer Jake Evens by a two to one margin, 27,418 to 13,788.
Cox, Tressler meet in District 28 showdown
Featured Stories June 20, 2022
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — One of the key local races to be decided Tuesday will be in north Forsyth County’s new State House District 28 where Brent Cox will face Julie Tressler.
Tressler is a longtime conservative who once served as President of the Women’s Republican Party in Forsyth County. Cox is a newcomer to politics who made a strong showing at the Republican Party Town Hall last week.
Tressler missed the Town Hall as a result of a concussion she suffered in a fall at her home. That could prove difficult for her to overcome since she lost to Cox by about 1,000 votes in the general primary and barely made the runoff.
Brent Cox
Cox is a former football coach, teacher, and successful businessman who designed, engineered, and sold ventilation hood systems to the food service industry globally.
Julie Tressler
Polls will open at 7 am Tuesday and are expected to close at 7pm.
Cox goes solo in District 28 debate after opponent Julie Tressler is injured in a fall
News June 16, 2022
FORSYTH COUNTY Ga. — The Forsyth County Republican Party held a Run-Off Town Hall Wednesday for District 24 and 28 State House candidates incumbent Sheri Gilligan and her opponent Carter Barrett and Brent Cox and Julie Tressler at the Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Tech.
Cox a businessman and former football coach had the rostrum all to himself. His opponent, Julie Tressler, was reportedly in the Emergency Room at Northside Hospital after suffering a concussion when she fell and struck her head on Tuesday.
Brent Cox
Cox was given time to introduce himself and discuss his platform. Before fielding questions, he asked the audience at the Lanier Tech Conference Center to join him in prayer for Tressler’s healing.
The University of Georgia graduate has worked in the food industry since 1994, designing hood systems for restaurants globally, including the Department of Defense facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is married with three children and he and his wife attend Free Chapel Church.
A common thread that wound its way through is presentation was less government and more individual freedom, especially less involvement from state and federal government in local affairs..
“Less government. More freedom,” he stated often.
He said he is a strong school choice advocate. “The money follows the student,” he said. “Parents should have the ability to choose where their money is going.”
On divisive programs being taught in the school system, he said, “The legislature did a fantastic job this past year,” he said, referring to the Parents Bill of Rights that Governor Kemp signed into law.
On the participation of transgender athletes competing in girls sports, he said, Absolutely girls sports needs to be girls sports. We’ve got to protect girls and women’s sports in this state not only at the high school level but the collegiate level and Olympic level.” He also said he would never support a shutdown in the economy or masked mandates.
Cox also added that he would work to bring the best cyber security systems in the nation to Forsyth County. “That is legislation I hope to create,” he said.
Brent Cox wants state government to operate more like a business
News March 19, 2022
In the coming days, Fetch Your News will present information on the candidates who have qualified for the May 24 General Primary Election to help voters make informed votes.
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Republican Brent Cox, a family man, football coach, certified teacher and hardworking entrepreneur who has owned, managed, and led business ventures for over 24 years, announced his campaign for House District 28 last week.
“Guided by conservative, common-sense principles, I aim to make our state government work more like a business and make the tough decisions,” he said. “For example, in the face of unprecedented growth in our area, I am committed to working with other business and civic leaders to develop a comprehensive and cost-effective growth plan for the next 10 to 15 years and ensure we receive the funding at the state level to implement it.
“This plan should embrace economic opportunity and private investment, which will lead to more jobs without overwhelming our current infrastructure or raising taxes,” Cox added. “Less is more. Less government. More freedom.”
After attending Milton High School, Cox graduated from the University of Georgia in 1994 then began a successful career in the food service industry where he designed, engineered, and sold ventilation hood systems to chain restaurants on a global scale for over two decades. He now serves as the President of Simple Mission in Cumming, a company that serves as a manufacturer’s representative in the food service industry.
Cox says roads and education will be key issues in the 2022 campaign.
On roads: He said, “For District 28, I believe the most important issue is roads. Ensuring we finish the roads in our community – Highway 9 to Browns Bridge, Matt Highway and roads like it into Hall County, making sure we get the proper funding to fix these roads is very important. Also, making sure our infrastructure is up to speed is important.”
On education: He supports school choice. “I believe parents should have the ability to make decisions as to what is best for their children. They should be able to choose a public school, private school, or home schooling.”
On CRT and DEI: He said, “I do not believe CRT and DEI should be part of the curriculum in schools. CRT divides people and it doesn’t teach that we are all human. Let’s stop dividing people.”
On obscenity in public school libraries: Cox said he wants books and other material that contain obscene and explicit material removed. “There is free speech. I get it. But, we have do what is in the best interest of the kids.”
On transgender athletes participating in girls’ or women’s sports: Cox said, “Absolutely not.” He spent 12 years as a football coach in Forsyth and Dawson County at the high school and middle school level. “As a coach, we have made great strides in women’s and girls’ sports at the high school, collegiate and olympic level. Ultimately we would be robbing the women and girls of the opportunity or motivation to compete and to feel like they have a fair chance. To me, it would be totally against Title IX.”
Brent and his wife Tonya have been married since 1993. Together, they have three children (Anson, Wesley, and Lydia), one daughter-in-law (Teresa), and one grandchild (Hannah). Brent and Tonya attend Free Chapel Church in Gainesville.