John D. Crosby to run for Senate

By Angie Thompson/senior reporter

TIFTON July 02, 2008 08:43 pm

— John D. Crosby, former Tift Superior Court Judge, announced Wednesday that he will run for the Senate District 13 seat. Crosby is seeking the Republican nomination for the seat in the August Primary Election being held to replace Joseph Carter, who recently announced his bid for Tift Superior Court Judge.
Crosby, 68, was born and raised in Cook County. He practiced law from 1963 until he was elected to the Tift Superior Court bench in 1980. He served for 20 years in that position until his retirement in 2000. He also served as a Tifton city commissioner and a State Court judge from 1971 until 1978. He said Wednesday that he continues to serve as a senior judge in various courtrooms around the state. He will resign from that position upon being sworn in as senator in accordance with state law, he said.
Crosby said he expects many people will ask him why he decided to run for the Senate seat.
“My friends want to know why I’m doing this now,” Crosby said. “I look at my grandchildren’s faces and I think about how much more dangerous and complicated life has become and I want to make things better for them.
“Our state is growing and with that, our problems are growing and becoming more complicated. We need someone who knows how to address complicated problems and make difficult decisions.”
Crosby said he would not go to Atlanta “with an agenda to resolve all existing problems in a flash.”
“I will promise to work hard within the system to represent our people in a manner that benefits our district,” Crosby said.
His experience as judge has given him experience in dealing with people from all walks of life, Crosby said, and while his constituents and all Georgians have differences, people share many of the same concerns. He said keeping families safe, educating children and improving quality of life are some of his most important issues.
“I have a passion for our teachers and for those in law enforcement and for the land on which we live,” Crosby said. “These people are on the front lines and always need our support and help. We need to look at public safety, tax reform, education, health care and indigent defense.”
Crosby said he promises to listen and respond to people who have concerns about issues, to be an advocate for law enforcement, teachers and education and to be “a careful steward” of Georgia’s resources, particularly water.
Crosby and his wife Rose have lived in Tifton for 44 years and have two children and four grandchildren.
Former Superior Court Judge Rusty Simpson announced last week that he will seek the District 13 State Senate seat that is being vacated by Joseph Carter. Lee County Commissioner Wally Roberts announced this week he will seek the position.
Since no Democratic candidate qualified for Senate District 13, there was no Democratic primary for the seat. The Special Primary Election will be held Aug.. 5. The qualifying for those wishing to seek the office is from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on July 16; 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on July 17; and 8 a.m. until noon on July 18. Qualifying will be held in the Elections Division of the Office of Secretary of State, 1104 West Tower, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.E., Atlanta, GA 30334-1505 and in the Secretary of State’s South Georgia Office at 238 E. Second St. in Tifton. The qualifying fee is $400.
Anyone residing in state Senate District 13 who is not registered to vote can do so through July 8 to be eligible to vote in the election.

To contact senior reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.

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