Democrat Tangie Herring declares candidacy in the new Georgia House District 145

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Macon Democrat Tangie Herring is running to represent Georgia House District 145.

Credit: Grant Blankenship/GPB

One of two newly redrawn state house districts centered in Macon-Bibb County has its first, and for now only, candidate: Tangie Herring, a Democrat. 

Herring had been gearing up for a primary challenge against House Minority Leader James Beverly before the court mandated redistricting by the General Assembly near the end of 2023, but the new maps approved by the court carve Herring’s home in Macon’s Beall’s Hill neighborhood out of Beverly’s seat in House District 143. 

During a press conference Wednesday, Herring said shifting maps have not deterred her from seeking office. 

“Regardless of the district, I am in this race to represent the people of Middle Georgia,” she said in prepared comments. 

Meanwhile, like Herring, Republican Robert Dickey has seen the maps shift underneath him, too.

The Crawford County resident has been drawn out of House District 145 which now sheds parts of Peach County, Crawford County and Houston County. That leaves HD 145, newly focused on western Bibb County and southern Monroe County, with no incumbent.

It’s also where Herring, a Macon native who spent 28 years working in the Atlanta Public School system, now lives. She declared her candidacy for the HD 145 seat as a Democrat on Wednesday. 

Herring said the wide-open HD 145 presents a new opportunity to elevate the concerns of Middle Georgia under the Gold Dome. 

“I know that education is important," she said. "I know mental health is important for a lot of people. I know that public safety is important. But I want to really hear from the people to see what they want in their representative.”

With no Republican, or even another Democrat, yet challenging her, election day for HD 145 could be during the general primary on May 21.