Jim Whitehead

Education

Whitehead attended Richmond County public schools, and graduated from the Academy of Richmond County in 1960.

Career

He was narrowly defeated in a June 2007 runoff election for the United States House of Representatives in Georgia"s 10th congressional district"s special election called to replace the late Representative Charlie Norwood. In 1994, Whitehead was elected to the Columbia County Commission, where he served until 2002, including a term as chairman. He was first elected to the Georgia Senate in 2004, and was re-elected in 2006.

In February 2007, Republican United States. Congressman Charlie Norwood, of Georgia"s 10th congressional district, died of cancer.

There was a special election open primary in June 2007, where candidates of all parties participated in the primary. Ten candidates filed: six Republicans, three Democrats, and a Libertarian.

Whitehead was the only elected politician to run, and was the front-runner. In the primary, Whitehead finished first with 44% of the vote.

Doctor Paul Broun qualified for the run-off, ranking second with 21% of the vote, with only 198 votes more than third-place finisher James Marlow, a Democrat.

In the runoff campaign, Whitehead angered some voters by failing to appear at a debate held in Athens and then by referring to his alma mater, the University of Georgia, as a "liberal bastion" that should be eliminated, save for the football team In the July 17, 2007 election, Broun upset Whitehead by a margin of just 0.8%, a difference of just 394 votes. After the votes were certified, Whitehead declined to ask for a recount despite the narrow margin.

Broun"s best two performing counties were Clarke (90%) and Oconee (88%).

Achievements

• A candidate needed 50% to win outright, and there would be a run-off if no candidate earned it the first time. He won the endorsements of United States. Congressman Saxby Chambliss. Broun won a plurality of just four counties: Oconee (47%), Jackson (42%), Oglethorpe (37%), and Morgan (31%). Broun won the counties in the Northern part of the district, while Whitehead won the counties in the southern part.

Membership

He currently serves as Chairman of the Georgia Board of Corrections, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, Vice Chairman of the Transportation Committee, a member of the Economic Development and Natural Resources Committees, and Deputy Whip for Senate Republicans. Whitehead is a member of the board of directors of Doctors Hospital in Augusta, and an advisory board member of First Bank of Augusta.