Brandon Beach
Brandon Beach | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Georgia Senate from the 21st district | |
| Assumed office 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Chip Rogers |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 2, 1961 Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Shuntel[1] |
| Children | Two |
| Residence | Alpharetta, Georgia |
| Alma mater | Louisiana State University, Centenary College of Louisiana |
Brandon Beach (born May 2, 1961) is an American politician serving as a member of the Georgia State Senate.[2] Beach was first elected in the 2012 general election and serves Georgia's 21st district, which includes portions of Cherokee and Fulton counties.
After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, Beach backed attempts to overturn the presidential vote in Georgia over baseless fraud allegations.[3][4] Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan subsequently stripped Beach of his chairmanship of the Transportation Committee.[4]
Early life and education
Born in Louisiana[5] on May 2, 1961,[6][1] Brandon Beach has an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University (LSU) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Centenary College. He is a former member of the Alpharetta City Council and the Alpharetta Planning and Zoning Commission. As of January 2013, Brandon Beach is the president and CEO of the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.[7]
Political career
Beach was elected in 2012 and sworn into the Georgia Senate in 2013.[2] He sits on the Senate Economic Development, Government Oversight, Science and Technology, and currently serves as Chairman of the Transportation committee.[2] Beach ran unopposed in 2020.[8]
In 2019, Beach ran for the Republican nomination to challenge current Representative Lucy McBath in Georgia's 6th Congressional District.[1] On November 14, 2019, Beach withdrew from the race and announced he would seek reelection.[9]
Anti-Protest Legislation
On February 11th, 2021, Dugan co-sponsored senate bill 171, which increases penalties for certain offenses committed during an "unlawful assembly."[10] The bill failed to receive a committee vote before Georgia's crossover day.[11] The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia said the bill "tramples on and makes a mockery of the First Amendment."[12]
Coronavirus exposure
Beach was confirmed to have COVID-19. He first showed symptoms on March 10, 2020 and was tested on March 14. In spite of showing symptoms, he attended a special session of the state Senate on March 16. The positive test results arrived on March 18. His actions led the entire Georgia State Senate, as well as staffers and others, to enter self-isolation and quarantine until the end of March 2020. [13] Beach's failure to follow Coronavirus protocols has angered many within the Georgia State Senate. Governor Brian Kemp stated that Beach's actions were a clear example of what not to do if you felt sick. Testing has confirmed at least four other members of the Senate with positive test results[14][15] Beach has responded that he is "not a bad person", and that he thought it was bronchitis.[16]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Georgia State Senator Brandon Beach (Republican - 21)". www.senate.ga.gov.
- ^ a b c Senator Brandon Beach. Senate.ga.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
- ^ Journal-Constitution, Greg Bluestein-The Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionJames Salzer- The Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionMark Niesse- The Atlanta. "In Georgia, 'concerted' GOP pushback blocks Trump attempts to overturn election". ajc. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ a b "The Jolt: Election deniers in state Senate stripped of chairmanships". ajc. 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Brandon Beach Announces Run for State Senate". Alpharetta-Milton, GA Patch. 10 May 2012.
- ^ "Three from GOP seek nomination to state Senate Dist. 56 seat". reporternewspapers.net. 16 July 2010.
- ^ Torres, Kristina (January 9, 2013). Voters replace Chip Rogers, but two races headed to Feb. 5 runoff. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
- ^ "Brandon Beach Out of Ga-6 Race; Will run for Re-Election To State Senate". georgiapol.com. 2019-11-14.
- ^ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
- ^ "Legislative Navigator - AJC". legislativenavigator.ajc.com. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "ACLU of Georgia Opposes Bill that Tramples First Amendment". ACLU of Georgia. 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
- ^ "Ga. lawmakers urged to self-quarantine after senator's positive coronavirus test". ajc.com. 18 March 2020.
- ^ Updates: Four coronavirus cases reported in Georgia Senate AJC
- ^ Fifth Georgia state senator tests positive for coronavirus Fox 5 - WAGA-TV
- ^ What the Coronavirus Is Doing to Rural Georgia, by Charles Bethea, in the New Yorker; published April 4, 2020; retrieved April 13, 2020
External links
- Welcome to the Georgia General Assembly Legis.ga.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
