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EDITOR’S NOTE: The LaGrange Daily News is publishing stories on local candidates in the upcoming May 24 primary.

Jimmy McCamey, Troup County’s District 5 Commissioner, first took his current position only a few months ago. Now, McCamey faces a challenger in the upcoming May primaries.

“I was a bit surprised more people didn’t run,” McCamey, who campaigned against four other candidates for the seat last year, said. Richard English, who held the seat for over 40 years, died last year, setting up the need for a special election.

McCamey competed in a runoff election in November with candidate Norma Tucker and won the election with 249 total votes. Tucker finished with 186 total votes.

Though he said he’s still a relative newcomer, he said he plans to continue to push for improvements in Troup County in both infrastructure and relations.

“I think I can be a voice of reason, especially when it comes to race relations and tension between the districts,” he said.

One of his top concerns remains to bring stability to the Hamilton Road area. For years, plans have been in place to widen Hamilton Road. Currently, the City of LaGrange is constructing a park just off the road.

“It’s really embarrassing to me to go down that road and see the abandonment and the emptiness,” he said.

A recent concern brought to him was regarding the construction of the Griggs Center pool. The Troup County Park and Recreation Department has secured $4 million to make a series of improvements at the center, including expanding the center’s basketball court.

The pool, which department head Lance Denis said would be the costliest renovation of the entire project, was pushed to the project’s second phase. McCamey said he would have like to see the pool included in the project’s first phase as well, but he understood the decision had been made prior to his term on the commission. The county is continuing to search for funding opportunities for the pool’s construction.

“I realize the people in my district are angry about that … but as long as I’m in this role, I’m going to fight for [the pool],” McCamey said.

Visit https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/ to check your voter registration status and voting precinct location.