Buckner, Hecht to compete in runoff
July 19th
By Eric Hudson
Clayton News Daily

While many local candidates spent the night in uncertainty, local candidates at the state level Gail Buckner and Greg Hecht celebrated. While Buckner received the most votes in her race, she will be in a runoff with Darryl Hicks. Greg Hecht, who has campaign headquarters in Jonesboro, will be in a runoff with Jim Martin.

“This is definitely a celebration,” said her husband Charlie Buckner. “With six candidates in the race, we expected a runoff. Being the top vote getter says a lot.”

While Gail Buckner enjoyed the evening, she said there was still a lot of work to be done. “I have got to try and get out to other parts of the state. I tried to cover the state, but I was the last person to get into the race. Some of these candidates have been campaigning for over a year. I feel good that I am the top vote getter, but there is a lot to be done over the next three weeks.”

The phones rampantly rang across the Buckner household as friends and family checked in on the status of her campaign. One call came from opponent Scott Holcomb. Gail was heard saying, “Thank you and thank you for running a great race. I appreciate running on the campaign trail with you and certainly look forward to working with you in the future” to the conceding candidate.

Helen Schroder, who helps Buckner with fund-raising, said, “She has done really well we are really pleased.” When asked about a runoff, Schroder said, “It is like starting all over again. You have to hit all the cities again. It really is in three weeks, you don’t have much time.”

Gail currently chairs the Clayton County Boys and Girls Foundation and is working to bring Boys and Girls Clubs to the area. A co-founder of Rainbow House, an emergency shelter for children, she also is co.-founder of Prevention PLUS, a non-profit organization that reaches at-risk youths.

Hecht spent the evening celebrating in the Sheraton Hotel in Atlanta with campaign supporters. Hecht served one term in the Georgia House and two in the Senate before leaving in 2002 for Congress. He finished second in a Democratic primary and lost to U.S. Rep David Scott.

With 90 percent of precincts reporting across the state, Hecht received 136,633 votes or 37 percent. His opponent Jim Martin received 155,146 or 42 percent. Late Tuesday, Buckner had 24 percent of the vote in a six-person race. Hicks had 22 percent.