Candidate Profile: Charles E. 'Chuck' Martin Jr.

State Rep. Charles E. “Chuck” Martin Jr.

Republican-Alpharetta (incumbent)

State House District 49 (Fulton County, Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek)

Date and Place of Birth: 1961, Alpharetta, Ga.

OPPONENT: Jason Hayes

Public Service/Political Career: 

State Rep. Charles “Chuck” Martin Jr. is a nine-term Republican incumbent representing state House District 49 in Fulton County, which covers Alpharetta. His Democratic challenger in the Nov. 3 election is political newcomer Jason Hayes, a physician. Martin was unopposed in the GOP primary.

Martin, a director at a Texas-based tax consulting firm, serves as the chairman of the House Higher Education committee and is a member of nine other House committees. He served as chair of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight committee from 2011 to 2018. 

During his time in the House, Martin has sponsored legislation to provide additional homestead exemptions to Alpharetta homeowners and has supported corporate and income tax breaks. He voted in favor of campus carry legislation in 2017 and has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association. 

In 2019, Martin was one of five Republican legislators to oppose the controversial “heartbeat bill,” which would, with few exceptions, restrict abortions after a fetal heatbeat is detected and grant personhood to a fetus. Martin told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he opposes abortion but voted against the bill because it would “criminalize the pratice of medicine” by penalizing health care providers and doctors who provide abortions.  Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law in 2019, but a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional in July. The state appealed that ruling in August.

Martin was first elected to the state House in 2002, beating two other Republican candidates in the primary but running unopposed in the general election. In 2018, Martin received his first general election challenge in a decade, beating Democrat Krishan Bralley by more than eight percentage points. 

Prior to his time in the legislature, Martin was a member of the Alpharetta City Council.  He was elected mayor in 1995, a position he held until 2002, when he was elected to the state legislature. 

Martin was recognized as the Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs and the Georgia State Firefighters Association in 2008 and by Technology Association of Georgia in 2010. 

In this election cycle, Martin has received many contributions from other Republican state House campaigns. 

Cash on Hand:  

Martin’s campaign reported having more than $71,000 in cash on hand, as of Sept. 30.  Jason Hayes’ campaign reported having more than $30,000 on hand through the same period. 
 

Legislative Committee Positions: 

• Appropriations, (2005 - present)

• Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, (2007 - present)

• Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications, (2005 - present)

• Higher Education, Chair (2003 - present)

• Regulated Industries, (2011 - present)

• Retirement, (2019 - present)

• Rules, (2017 - present)

• Science and Technology, (2003 - present)

• Special Committee on Economic Growth, (2020)

• Ways and Means, (2005 - present)

Occupation/Employment: 

Martin is a director in the Atlanta office of Ryan LLC, a multinational consulting and tax services company based in Dallas, Texas. He has worked in business consulting for most of his career, having founded and operated several consulting firms since the 1980s.

-Professional and Business Licenses

None.

Financial Disclosures (Source: Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission)

Business interests: 

Former CEO of MARFAM Management, dissolved 2011

Former owner and manager of Net Solutions Now, dissolved 2005

Former owner and manager of Rock Mill Partners LLC, dissolved 2010

Fiduciary positions: 

None disclosed

State or Federal payments:  

None disclosed.

Property holdings:

Primary residence in Alpharetta, total appraised value $462,900 

Residential property in Gainesville, Ga., total assessed value $540,000

Fees received: 

None disclosed.

Spouse’s property holdings: 

Martin’s wife, Johnna, is co-owner of both their properties.

Family Members’ Employment: 

Johnna Martin is a teacher’s assistant with the Fulton County Board of Education. 

Investments:

Martin has reported extensive investments over the years, including in the tech, banking, health care and retail sectors.  

-Commission Orders

None on file.

-Late/Non-filers

None on file. 

Campaign Finance Reports

Campaign Contributions

Martin has received consistent support over the years from political action committees and corporations. Some of his largest donors have included the AT&T Georgia PAC, the UPS PAC and the Georgia Power Company State Employees PAC. 

In this election cycle, Martin has so far raised more than $86,000, as of Sept. 30. More than 90% of his contributions have come from PACs, corporations and candidate committees. 

Top 10 Donors 2019-2020 Cycle (primary and general elections): 

$5,600 - Fulton County Republican Party (Georgia)

$5,600 - Republican State Leadership Committee-Georgia PAC (Washington D.C)

$3,800 - Friends of Jon Burns (Georgia)

$2,800 - Friends of Jan Jones (Georgia)

$2,800 - Ralson for Representative Committee (Georgia)

$2,800 - The Committee to Elect Butch Miller (Georgia)

$2,500 - Committee to Elect Richard Smith (Georgia)

$2,000 - Georgia House Republican Trust Inc. (Georgia)

$2,000 - Price for Congress (Georgia)

$1,500 - AT&T Georgia PAC (Georgia)

$1,500 - Georgia Electric Membership Cooperatives PAC (Georgia)

$1,500 - HCA Georgia PAC (Florida)

$1,500 - People for Berry Fleming (Georgia)

$1,500 - Southern Company Gas Georgia PAC (Georgia)

Top 10 Donors Since 2006:

$11,000 - AT&T Georgia PAC (Georgia)

$7,900 - Fulton County Republican Party (Georgia)

$6,358 - UPS PAC (Georgia)

$5,750 - Georgia Power Company State Employees PAC (Georgia)

$5,600 - Republican State Leadership Committee-Georgia PAC (Washington D.C)

$5,300 - Friends of Jan Jones (Georgia)

$4,500 - Georgia Electric Membership Cooperatives PAC (Georgia)

$4,250 - Georgia Better Government Fund (Georgia)

$3,850 - General Electric Company (Florida)

$3,800 - Friends of Jon Burns (Georgia)

Campaign Expenditures

Martin’s campaign has spent heavily over the years on political consulting and contributions to the state and county Republican parties. Since 2006, the largest portion of Martin’s expenses have been reimbursements to himself.  In all, he has repaid himself nearly $100,000, for expenses such as travel and lodging for conferences, cell service, software and social media management. 

Top 10 Expenditures 2020 Cycle:

$16,983 - New Prospect Strategies (Georgia)

$4,547 - Charles Martin (Georgia)

$1,500 - Crossroads Strategy (Georgia)

$1,000 - Crossroads Political (Georgia)

$1,000 - Fulton County Republican Party (Georgia)

$1,000 - Georgia Association of College Republicans (Georgia)

$875 - YoungLife (Georgia)

$830 - Milton Brand (Georgia)

$550 - Georgia House Republican Trust (Georgia)

$410 - Georgia Republican Party (Georgia)

Top 10 Expenditures since 2006:

$99,533 - Charles Martin (Georgia)

$45,294 - New Prospect Strategies (Georgia)

$39,471 - Georgia Republican Party (Georgia)

$10,794 - Data Productions (Georgia)

$10,115 - Fulton County Republican Party (Georgia)

$9,300 - Rick Kurtzman (Georgia)

$7,900 - Brian Hall (Georgia)

$6,500 - Majority Strategies (Florida)

$5,514 - Beacon Media (Georgia)

$5,408 - Kathryn Darden (Georgia)

Additional information:

Legislative webpage: http://www.house.ga.gov/Representatives/en-US/member.aspx?Member=164&Session=27

Campaign website: https://www.martinforgeorgia.com/

Social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chuck.martin.718 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Martin4GA 

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