Mark Butler’s labor commissioner departure draws 2 ex-legislators

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - Incumbent Georgia labor commissioner Mark Butler is not running for reelection, making the race to replace him the third open seat this fall in Georgia’s 2022 midterm elections.

Butler became Georgia’s first Republican labor commissioner in 2011. Michael Thurmond, now CEO of DeKalb County, was the last Democrat to hold any statewide constitutional office.

Three questions for Bruce Thompson, Republican candidate for labor commissioner.

Now, two former lawmakers - Republican Bruce Thompson and Democrat William Boddie - are running for the office that oversees Georgia’s Department of Labor, which administers Georgia’s unemployment insurance and oversee child labor issues, among other responsibilities.

Three questions for William Boddie, Democratic candidate for labor commissioner.

The other open seats are for lieutenant governor (state Sen. Burt Jones and Democrat Charlie Bailey) and commissioner of agriculture. Nakita Hemingway and Republican Tyler Harper are running to replace Gary Black, who chose to make an ultimately unsuccessful run in the GOP Senate primary earlier this year.

Full coverage of Georgia’s 2022 midterm elections.

Boddie and Thompson are set to debate each other on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at 3 p.m. on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

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