Matthews, Williams Reset Campaigns for Runoff

As they prepare for a runoff election, and have shifted some of their campaign priorities to each other.

Matthews, a Democrat, and Williams, a Republican, were the top two vote getters in for the 113th District State House seat. Williams received 1,521 votes to lead the field of four candidates, while Matthews received 1,048. Republicans Sarah Bell and Alan Alexander were also on the ballot. Because Williams didn’t receive 50 percent of the vote, he and Matthews are campaigning to win a July 19 runoff.

In an interview on Friday afternoon, Williams said the voters would decide if they would look at each candidate individually, or from more ideological differences.

“If you look at whether voters in our district like what’s going on in Washington, if they like that flavor,” Williams said. “Or if it’s a totally different race on a different level.”

Locally, Williams added that there are several examples from the Georgia General Assembly of representatives of the Democratic party switching to the Republican party because they felt “the party has left them,” or “I’m tired of being ineffective in a state that has a Republican governor and legislature.”

In an interview on Friday morning, Matthews reiterated his stances against a toll road on Highway 316, and for an income cap for the HOPE scholarship of $200,000.

Matthews added that Williams has “flip flopped” in his stance about tolls on 316, and said, “I will never be for tolls on 316.”

Williams declined to address Matthews' assertion about specific issues, but said he preferred to address it in a public forum such as .

"I don't care to get into a debate with the other candidate with anybody in the media," Williams said, referring to individual phone interviews. 

Because Matthews received 42 percent of his votes from Clarke County, Matthews said he needs to increase his presence in Morgan and Oglethorpe counties. Matthews added that he’s had to run a “limited” and “unconventional” campaign because, “I don’t have the financial resources from (political action committees) or special interests that my opponent does.”

In a campaign finance report filed on June 13, Williams reported contributions of $20,288.79. On June 14, Matthews’ reported contributions were $2,719.86.

Matthews repeated claims he made during a candidate forum this month that Williams seems to feel 'entitled' to the contested House seat.

“A lot of things have left a bad taste in the mouths of people about my opponent,” said Matthews, referring to the when Williams was president of the bank. “This expectation of Mr. Williams is, ‘I’m deserved this spot.’ Well, no you’re not.”

Matthews acknowledged that he’s an underdog in the runoff, and that a high turnout could hurt his chances. Turnout on Tuesday was 11 percent of the more than 35,000 registered voters.

“As much as it pains me to say,” Matthews said, “the fewer folks that vote, the more it helps my chances.”

Williams said he would approach turnout in three ways: Ensure the people who voted for him on Tuesday would do it again, work with voters of Bell and Alexander and voters who didn’t vote on Tuesday because of schedule conflicts or runoff expectations.

“From our standpoint, definitely getting our voters out is going to be key,” Williams said. “It depends on whose voters turn out.”

Williams said he hasn’t felt any pressure to win because of his advantages in campaign financing or because registered Republicans far outweigh registered Democrats in the district.

“If there is pressure, I don’t feel it,” Williams said. “The thing that gets me up before dawn every morning is a strong internal desire to win so I can get to Atlanta and do the business of the district and the state.”