Maggie Lee and her GaPolBot have reported the news that Tricia Pridemore has filed paperwork for the position of Georgia Public Service Commissioner for District 5, which is currently held by Stan Wise. It was previously reported by the AJC and the Marietta Daily Journal that Stan Wise will be resigning from the seat in February after a vote is taken on the Plant Vogtle project.
Due to Stan Wise’s upcoming resignation, Gov. Nathan Deal will have the ability to appoint a replacement prior to the qualification and subsequent primaries for the position. This person, if they so choose to run for the seat, would be listed as the incumbent on the ballot. Justin Tomczak has been another name mentioned for the position.
Pridemore placed third in the 2014 GOP Primary for the 11th Congressional District behind the eventual winner, Rep. Barry Loudermilk, and Bob Barr. She had resigned her position as Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development to run for Congress. Pridemore was appointed to the State Ethics Commission in 2016 by Gov. Deal and co-chaired Gov. Deal’s 2014 inauguration.