ATLANTA – State Sen. Tyler Harper, the Republican nominee for Georgia agriculture commissioner, has picked up an endorsement from a prominent Democrat.
Former Gov. Roy Barnes threw his backing Thursday behind the seventh-generation farmer and small business owner from Ocilla.
“Tyler has a proven track record of delivering results for Georgia families and communities,” Barnes said in a prepared statement.
“Tyler will use his background and experience to fight for our farmers, producers, and consumers across Georgia and advance our state’s No.-1 industry.”
“Even though Governor Barnes and I may not see eye to eye on every policy position, I look forward to our continued work together to ensure the Georgia agriculture industry is successful,” Harper added.
Harper was elected to the Georgia Senate a decade ago and chairs the chamber’s Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.
He entered the race for agriculture commissioner when incumbent Republican Gary Black announced he was leaving the post to run for the U.S. Senate. Harper won the GOP nomination last May unopposed.
Harper is being opposed in the Nov. 8 general election by Democrat Nakita Hemingway, a cut-flower farmer from Dacula.
“Former Governor Barnes is a private citizen and has the right to support or endorse whoever he
chooses,” Hemingway responded to Barnes’ endorsement of Harper. “For me, the only endorsement that matters will come from Georgia voters, so I encourage voters to educate themselves about all candidates and to form their own opinions about my opponent.”
Hemingway pointed to Harper’s sponsorship of a soil amendment bill critics said took away the power of county commissions to protect their communities from the dumping of industrial waste by
chicken processing facilities. She also criticized Harper for supporting “The Freedom to Farm” bill making it harder to file nuisance suits against farmers.
While supporters said the legislation adds protection to farmers, opponents said it replaces a 1980s law that actually gave farmers greater protection.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.