The musings of Larry D Burton

Things I think about things I see

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  • Continuity vs Change in Hall County’s DA Election

    The race for District Attorney in Hall County, Georgia is not a typical partisan contest. There is no Democrat on the ballot, no ideological left-right showdown, and very little public policy disagreement on the surface.

    Instead, this is a succession battle inside a long-established prosecutorial system—one that raises deeper questions about continuity, institutional power, and what “experience” actually means when one man has effectively shaped a courthouse for decades.

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  • Navigating Georgia Senate District 7: A Special Election, Three Candidates, and My Independent Approach

    As a resident of Lawrenceville in Gwinnett County, I’ve been following the special election for Georgia State Senate District 7 closely. The seat became vacant when Sen. Nabilah Parkes resigned in March 2026 to pursue a campaign for lieutenant governor. The special election, called by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, is set for May 19, 2026—the same day as the regular partisan primaries. If no candidate receives a majority, a runoff will follow on June 16.

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  • Rights, Responsibility, and Reality: A Better Way to Think About Gun Policy

    A practical look at rights, due process, and the systems we’re failing to maintain.

    We treat the Second Amendment like a team sport in this country. One side shouts “shall not be infringed,” the other pushes for more restrictions, and most people are left trying to sort out what actually works.

    I’m not interested in slogans. I’m interested in results. The Second Amendment is an individual right—I believe that. But I also believe that when someone becomes a clear danger to themselves or others, doing nothing isn’t an option.

    The problem is, we’ve built a system that argues endlessly about new laws while failing to enforce and maintain the ones we already have. If we’re serious about both rights and safety, it’s time to focus less on rhetoric—and more on what actually works.

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  • Why Lack of Competition Threatens Local Governance

    In Hall County, something important is happening in plain sight—and most voters will never notice it.

    The District 2 seat on the Hall County Board of Commissioners, currently held by Billy Powell, is on the ballot this year. On paper, that sounds like democracy at work.

    In reality, it isn’t.

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  • Caitlyn Gegen: A Grassroots Voice in Georgia’s 9th District

    In my recent posts on Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, I worked to lay out the candidates and give a clear picture of the race. In doing that, I missed one: Caitlyn Gegen is also on the ballot.

    Rather than dwell on the miss, I want to correct it and take the time to do what I’ve tried to do with the other candidates—look a little more closely at who she is and what she brings to the table.

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  • Evaluating Andrew Clyde’s Impact in Congress

    After taking a look at the challengers in Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, it only makes sense to spend some time on the person currently holding the seat: Andrew Clyde.

    Incumbents always bring a different set of factors into a race. It’s not just about what they say they’ll do—it’s about what they’ve already done, how they’ve approached the job, and what kind of presence they’ve established both in Washington and back home.

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  • Gregg Poole: A Local Perspective on Representation in Georgia’s 9th DistrictApril 6, 2026

    Continuing to look at the candidates in Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, I wanted to spend some time on another Republican challenger: Gregg Poole.

    In a race where national politics can easily take center stage, Poole’s approach feels a bit different. His focus leans more toward local connection—being present, accessible, and closely tied to the communities he’s looking to represent.

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  • Sam Couvillon: A Manager’s Approach to Representation in Georgia’s 9th DistrictApril 6, 2026

    After taking a look at the broader field in Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, I wanted to spend some time on one of the Republican challengers: Sam Couvillon.

    In a primary that’s getting most of the attention in this district, Couvillon stands out for a reason that isn’t always obvious at first glance. He’s not trying to outdo anyone on rhetoric. Instead, he’s making a quieter case—one centered on execution, management, and results.

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  • The Other Side of the Ballot: Democratic Candidates and the Reality of Georgia’s 9th District

    *Edit* I mistakenly thought there was only one person on the Democratic ballot. There are two. Caitlyn Gegen is also on the ballot. I’ll feature her on Friday, April 17.

    In a recent post, I took a look at the Republican primary for Georgia’s 9th Congressional District and the different candidates running there. In a district like ours, that primary is widely seen as the election that will decide who ends up in Congress.

    Naturally, the next step seemed obvious—do the same thing for the Democratic candidates. Lay them out, compare their ideas, and give them the same level of attention. That’s how this is supposed to work, right?

    But once I started digging into that, I ran into something unexpected. There just isn’t much there to evaluate. And that says something important—not just about this race, but about the system itself.

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  • Nick Alex: A Different Kind of Candidate in Georgia’s 9th District

    Edit* I mistakenly thought there was only one person on the Democratic ballot. There are two. Caitlyn Gegen is also on the ballot. I’ll feature her on Friday, April 17.

    After spending some time looking at the broader landscape of Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, I wanted to take a step back and focus on the one Democrat who has stepped forward to run: Nick Alex.

    In a district where most of the political attention is centered on the Republican primary, it would be easy to overlook a candidacy like this. But I don’t think that’s the right approach. Anyone willing to put their name on the ballot deserves a closer look—especially in a race where the odds are what they are.

    Nick Alex isn’t coming up through the usual political pipeline. He’s a retired banking executive and a longtime resident of North Georgia, with decades of experience in the private sector. That background shapes how he talks about the role of government—less as an ideological battleground and more as something that should function responsibly and predictably.

    What stands out right away is that he’s not running as a typical national Democrat. His positions reflect an awareness of the district he’s in. He’s spoken about the importance of border security, fiscal responsibility, and even support for Second Amendment rights. Whether you agree with him or not, it’s clear he’s trying to meet voters where they are rather than importing a platform from somewhere else.

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