Republican incumbent wins Georgia Public Service Commission runoff

(The Center Square) – Republican incumbent Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr. appears to have held on to his District 4 seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission (GPSC), defeating Democratic challenger Daniel Blackman in Tuesday’s runoff election.

McDonald was appointed to the state panel that oversees utility rates by former Gov. Zell Miller in 1998. He remained on the GPSC until 2002, and he was reelected to the commission in 2008. He also defeated Blackman in 2014.

With 99% of precincts reporting, McDonald leads Blackman by 68,421 votes, with a 50.78% to 49.22% advantage. McDonald secured more than 2.2 million votes.

Georgia is the eighth-most energy-expensive state in the nation, according to a recent report by WalletHub. Monthly electricity costs an average of $154 per household, according to the personal finance website.

District 4 includes more than three dozen counties in north Georgia. McDonald said on his campaign website his priority always has been protecting ratepayers, keeping regulated companies in check and maintaining low energy costs in the state.

Before serving on the commission, McDonald served as a state representative for two decades after years as a local elected official. Blackman worked as an energy policy adviser for former President Barack Obama and other political, religious and governmental leaders and boards and nonprofit organizations.

McDonald received more than 2.4 million votes in the general election but did not secure 50% of the vote required to solidify a win. He won 49.91% of the vote, and Blackman won 46.97% in the November election.

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