Aizaz Shaikh: A Candidate Beginning to Engage in Senate District 7

Georgia State Senate District 7 continues to be one of the more unusual races on my ballot this cycle. Between the special election and the regular primary landing on the same day, there’s already more for voters to sort through than usual.

On the Republican side of the primary, one name stands alone: Aizaz Shaikh.

That makes this race simple on paper—but not necessarily simple for voters trying to understand who they’re sending forward to the general election.

A Candidate Without a Primary Opponent

When a candidate runs unopposed in a primary, the usual back-and-forth that helps voters evaluate differences just isn’t there. No debates. No side-by-side comparisons. No pressure-testing of ideas in real time.

So the job shifts a bit.

It falls on voters—and folks like me trying to write about these races—to ask the questions that would normally get asked on a debate stage.

A Step Toward Engagement

I recently sent Aizaz Shaikh a questionnaire covering the issues I believe matter most to people here in Georgia—things like infrastructure, healthcare access, ballot access laws, and how we manage growth without losing quality of life.

To his credit, he did respond to acknowledge the request and indicated he plans to get back to me with answers.

That matters.

It tells me the campaign is at least paying attention and willing to engage. Now the question becomes how fully—and how clearly—that engagement takes shape.

What We’re Still Waiting to Learn

Acknowledging a request is a good first step. But voters need more than that before they head to the ballot box.

They need to know where a candidate stands.

• How does he view Georgia’s ballot access laws, especially in races where competition is limited?
• What are his priorities when it comes to infrastructure—roads, transit, and safe access for pedestrians and cyclists?
• How does he think about healthcare access, especially in areas where hospitals and ER services are stretched thin?
• What does responsible growth look like to him in a fast-changing part of the state?

These are practical questions. Everyday questions.

And they’re the ones that tend to show how a candidate will actually govern—not just how they campaign.

Watching the Follow-Through

I’ve said before that when I look at candidates, I pay more attention to how they walk than how they talk.

Right now, Aizaz Shaikh has taken the first step by engaging.

The next step is follow-through.

If he returns the questionnaire by the deadline—May 1—I’ll update this article and publish his responses in full so readers can evaluate them directly.

If not, that will also be part of the picture voters have to work with.

What to Watch For

• Whether detailed positions are shared in the coming days
• The clarity and specificity of any responses provided
• Signs of continued engagement with voters beyond this initial contact

For now, this is a campaign that’s just beginning to take shape in public view.

And with no primary opponent to draw out those details, it’s going to take a little extra attention from all of us to make sure we understand who’s asking for our vote.