GOP Secretary of State Race Shapes Up: Belle Isle Announces Candidacy

The Republican race to replace Secretary of State Brian Kemp is beginning to heat up.  Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle issued a press release announcing his candidacy for Secretary of State in 2018.  You may recall that our current Secretary of State is seeking to be Georgia’s next governor.

Mayor Belle Isle will be joining Representatives Buzz Brockway and Brad Raffensperger in the Republican race for Secretary of State.  Topics including cybersecurity (think voter registration data breach) and voting system modernization are already hot topics in the race for SOS.  I don’t expect those issues to die down any time soon.

You can read the Belle Isle’s presser below the fold.

DAVID BELLE ISLE ANNOUNCES RUN FOR SECRETARY OF STATE

ALPHARETTA – David Belle Isle officially announced today that he will run as a Republican for Georgia’s Secretary of State. Brian Kemp who currently occupies the post revealed that he would not run for re-election as is seeking a bid for Governor in 2018.

“I want to engage the office of the Secretary of State to create an irresistible home state with unmatched opportunity. Beyond the direct tasks of the Secretary of State stands the role of Keeper of the Seal; a role ideally suited to a mayor’s heart.”

David went on to declare that: “Without question, the first priority of the Secretary of State is voter security. I will work to initiate the very latest in physical and logical cyber security. Backup reporting, closed circuit data storage, and collaborative training for our county election boards are also priorities. I will also work to bridge the gap for our business owners and those who seek to be licensed professionals. I will strive to grow Georgia’s unique economic strengths.”

“This role requires someone who can connect people to resources and make Georgia the easiest state to start and grow a business or start and grow a licensed career,” said Belle Isle. “We can make Georgia the best at what we do best—the marketing of our crops and livestock, the moving of stuff and people, and, of course, technology. I am not looking for a job, I’m looking to get a job done—to lead and connect these industries and their communities one to another.”

“As Mayor of Alpharetta, I helped lead our city to become the best at what we do best, technology. We reimagined and rebuilt our downtown, created events, locations and resources to connect citizens, creating a true sense of affinity and affection for our hometown. I worked hard to create an environment of trust, opportunity and respect. The mission of Secretary of State should be no different. I believe we can move past simply being ‘in’ Georgia to being ‘of’ and forever one Georgia.”

A sixth-generation Georgian, Belle Isle is a graduate of North Hall High School and the University of Georgia. He also holds a JD and MBA from Georgia State University, has practiced corporate law and litigation, and now runs his own business as a real estate attorney at Hipes & Belle Isle, LLC.

David has served as Chairman of the North Fulton Mayor’s Association and Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau Board. He also serves as a board member of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the North Fulton Bar Association, Alpharetta Rotary Club, as well as the Alpharetta Business Association and the State Bar of Georgia.

His wife Candice is a former Kindergarten teacher. They have two children, Colton 14, and Kayley 12. They are members of Northpoint Community Church in Alpharetta, GA.