Citizens and GA House District 47 Voters:
On May 29th, I announced that the Milton Coalition Blog would cover the Georgia House District 47 Republican Run-off Election. This announcement came in the wake of a 3-way primary election where Brian Cochran and Jack Miller advanced to the run-off. (Thanks to Phoebe Eckhart, the third-place finisher, for stepping up and running.) This outcome was surprising to District 47 political watchers, who expected Miller to handily rout his competitors. I decided I would dig deeper . . .
I requested to meet with both the run-off candidates, and both readily and graciously accepted my invitation. Last week, I had extended and enlightening conversations with both candidates. I also began researching the back story of the race. I was surprised that the Milton Herald has essentially opted out of covering the election, except for articles on Miller and Cochran’s announcements of their candidacies. That was late February and since then more than 3 months have passed with NO coverage from the Milton Herald. I cast a wider net and found almost nil coverage from other legacy media outlets . . . or for that matter, from anyone. This was troubling to me. The implications for a healthy democratic republic are obvious. Democracy dies in darkness. Special Interests fill the information vacuum.
Other than candidate and PAC-issued communications, there was no place for voters to go. This has also been an issue in Milton municipal elections, which is why for the past three elections, I’ve provided a neutral page that consolidates election information sources in one on-line location. Although it is late in the primary election season, I decided the Milton Coalition Blog would fill the information void and provide analysis of, and reporting on, the District 47 race.
To that end, I offered to publish the letters of both candidates. Following are the run-off candidates’ letters without commentary. My only stipulations were that the letters not exceed 500 words and that both candidates send their letters to me NLT June 4th at noon. I am providing the letters exactly as written and providing the pdfs of the letters provided by each candidate (for download). I flipped a coin to determine which letter would be published first.
Please forward this post to family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues that live in District 47. Please share the blog URL on social media. More informed voters yield better election outcomes.
Thanks to the candidates for their letters and thanks to readers for being informed citizens and voters,
Tim
Brian Cochran’s Letter to Voters
I grew up in rural Milton and am a Georgia Tech alum. I want to protect our community’s rich heritage even as our city grows. I am a robotics engineer, not a politician. This is my strength; my engineer mindset allows me to see practical solutions where others are stuck on political opportunism.
There are three key areas that I will focus on in my first year as your representative: First, protecting life. 3000 children are killed by abortion every month in Georgia. We will protect life from conception to natural death. The number one job of the government is to protect life. This is a cause I am already championing.
Second, I will provide cost of living relief through tax cuts. Too many politicians promise tax relief but lower one tax only to raise another. I will cut wasteful government spending which will allow us to cut taxes across the board. For example, our government’s computer infrastructure is aging and costly; by modernizing our infrastructure, we will cut costs and put money back in your pocket.
Third, AI is coming into our lives. New technology can be powerful, but it can also be dangerous. As a robotics engineer working on self-driving vehicles, I am the only candidate qualified to balance AI innovation with clear safety and accountability standards. AI is being used by doctors to identify new treatments. However, it is also being used for online scams targeting seniors and children, which must be stopped. The new technology needs a good steward to ensure our community benefits and is not being taken advantage of. I have that expertise.
Working at a Georgia startup, I am used to wearing many hats and solving hard problems with new technology. I know how to do more with less, a lesson our politicians need.
My campaign is built on my proven conservative track record. I have long fought for our basic rights to life and liberty. In 2020, I won my First Amendment lawsuit against the State of Georgia to protect our right to Free Speech. My lawsuit taught me to stay vigilant and unyielding.
I am a proven conservative with a plan of action. I have two pieces of draft legislation ready to go on Day One. I am ready to hit the ground running.
I will bring Biblical values to the Gold Dome. I have taken ZERO dollars from Special Interest lobbyists or PACs. I can’t be bought. I work for you.
This letter, every direct mailer, and every advertisement is written and designed by me, not political consultants. When you vote for me, you know exactly who you are voting for: Brian Cochran.
Brian Cochran
Jack Miller’s Letter to Voters
Dear Neighbor:
My name is Jack Miller, and I am running to be your next State Representative for House District 47.
My wife and I both grew up in this community. I got involved with politics at a young age; I was passionate about the issues, wanted to vote, and, since I was not old enough, decided the next best thing was to get involved and work for Republican campaigns.
That decision set me on a path of service to conservative causes. After my wife and I graduated from the University of Georgia, we returned home to build our careers, start our family, and invest in the community that raised us. In recent years, I created the North Fulton Young Republicans to connect young professionals and families with local issues and demonstrate how conservative policies and local control help places like Milton thrive.
I am running because I believe too many people have lost faith in the American Dream. Young people, especially, are told their voices do not matter and that their future is bleak. Government alone cannot solve that problem, but strong leadership can create the conditions for opportunity. That means lowering the state income tax, freezing and rolling back property taxes, and reducing unnecessary regulations that quietly drive up costs for Georgians.
As a financial planner, I help families manage their finances, plan for the future, and navigate the impact of taxes and government policy every day. That experience gives me a practical understanding of how taxes, regulations, and government spending affect household budgets across our district.
Through my work with the Milton First Responders Foundation, Rotary, and the Milton Historical Society, I have listened to my neighbors and understand their concerns firsthand. I have served this community for many years, and I will never stop working for the place I call home.
If elected, my responsibility will be simple: to represent the people of House District 47 and no one else. I will not answer to special interests, lobbyists, or political leadership. I will answer to my neighbors who sent me to the Capitol.
My opponent is a good man, and we agree on many issues. As President Reagan said, “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20 percent traitor.” While we are competitors today, I respect him and consider him an ally in the conservative cause.
I would be honored to earn your vote. I view public office as a temporary calling, not a career. I am not running to build a lifetime in politics. I am running to serve for a short period of time, fight for this community, and then pass the torch to the next leader. Most importantly, I hope you judge me not only by the legislation I help pass, but by the bad legislation I help stop. Protecting Georgians from unnecessary government expansion is just as important as advancing good policy.
Thank you for your consideration and your vote.
Milton Coalition 