Weatherford, Thayer Highlight Cobb Runoff Victors

A former Acworth alderman and a veteran Cobb County educator and administrator are both closer to their goals of holding higher county offices.

Bob Weatherford and Susan Thayer defeated their opposition in Tuesday's Republican party primary runoffs and must now prepare for the campaign against their Democratic counterparts which will end with the Nov. 4 general election.

Weatherford, who served on the Acworth Board of Aldermen for a dozen years, defeated former Cobb County Commissioner Bill Byrne to earn the right to run against Democrat Derrick Crump for the Cobb County Board of Commissioners' vacant District 1 seat.

Brett North will replace Weatherford at Acworth City Hall, defeating Kevin Wigington by only 55 votes.

On the Cobb County Board of Education, Post 2 incumbent Tim Stultz was defeated in a landslide by Susan Thayer, who spent almost 40 years in education as a teacher, counselor, principal, and administrator.

Stultz, who represented Smyrna and Vinings, became embroiled in controversy over the Cobb County School District's calendar issue, which pitted supporters of a traditional calendar (like Stultz) against those who wanted a shorter summer break, but more week-long vacations throughout the school year.

Although the board approved a traditional calendar in 2011 after cutting short an experiment with the balanced calendar, the board reverted to a balanced calendar in 2013.

Thayer won over 70 percent of Tuesday's Post 2 vote and will face Democrat Kenya Pierre in the Nov. 4 general election.

Cobb County voters also chose Ann B. Harris to replace outgoing Judge James G. Bodiford on the county's superior court by a 52 to 48 percent margin over Juanita Stedman.