Something’s stirring on the Republican side of west Cobb County.
In 2008, Republican activist Cindye Coates ran against state Rep. Terry Johnson (D-Marietta) and lost, 57 to 43 percent.
Coates, who hails from the conservative Christian wing of the state GOP, wants another shot — but this time will have primary opposition.
And early this afternoon, via Twitter, she put out a burst of Tweets apparently aimed at her opponent, 33-year-old Jason Shepherd.
Coates tapped out:
Don’t you just hate when some ambition young buck runs for office as a stepping stone and doesn’t care about your community?
And then:
Getting bullied by moderates not to run for State House… lol … too funny.
A few minutes later:
Okay – I am a CONSERVATIVE first .. not a REPUBLICAN!
And finally:
Not all Republicans are conservative although they are quite convinced they are.
The interesting thing is that Shepherd, a former John Oxendine protégé, has already been endorsed by House Rules Chairman Earl Ehrhart of nearby Powder Springs and a local powerhouse, plus Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Woodstock, and Cobb County Commission Chairman Sam Olens.
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50 comments Add your comment
NoCoatesindaHouse
October 1st, 2009
2:10 pm
Cindye Coates has run for this seat 3 times, each time losing by larger margins. During the going on 8 year campaign for this seat she ran against the popular Scott Johnson for Cobb GOP Chair and lost as well.
If Cindye cared about anything other than generating new “clients” for her MLM business, she would step aside and give someone else a chance…and there’s those pesky ethics charges still floating around out there.
Come on Cindye, think of someone other than yourself for 2 minutes and get out of this race. Conservatives deserve better.
Chris Broe
October 1st, 2009
2:14 pm
Coates sounds like your typical Born-Again Birther Neo-secessionist. She’s a christian. She believes in smaller government. She supports the troops. She rallies for states’ rights. She also favors…insert cliche here.
Give me a candidate who can think for herself, and doesn’t find her refuge in a church, or behind a flag.
PS. Coates gets five extra points if she can enunciate the mission of US troops in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
Dont worry. She cant.
TW
October 1st, 2009
2:16 pm
This kid running against her brings much needed fresh air back to the GOP.
This crazy woman is the embodiment of everything that is wrong with the rightwing.
AUSTELL Grad and Proud!
October 1st, 2009
2:21 pm
Who cares what “Dr.” Crazy tweets?
She’s a loon, everyone knows it, and she needs to just go away.
I don’t know who this Sheepherder guy is, but anyone would be better than Coats.
Jeff
October 1st, 2009
2:21 pm
Shep and I have had our battles, and probably will continue to do so. Neither of us backs down, and we’re both convinced we’re right.
That said, if I were in that district, I’d be voting for Shep in this primary – while trying to find a Libertarian to put in that general election race. He’s a good guy that will at least allow input from all who wish to give it.
I don’t have the experience and interaction with him to call him a friend, but I can honestly say he is typically a pleasant person to see on the political battlefield, whether he is on my side on the given issue or not. When we agree, I know I have a solid ally and our opponents had better be bringing their ‘A’ game. When we disagree, I know he’s going to make the battle a good one, not one where one side just absolutely rolls over the other.
Dash Riptide
October 1st, 2009
2:46 pm
So were her tweets protected the whole time or did she just change her settings?
Here’s a thought: why would a wannabe politician need to protect her tweets?
The Snark
October 1st, 2009
3:30 pm
Hey, here’s a thought: Why would anyone who is serious about public service be tweeting out shallow little digs in the first place?
Where are the grownups?
Dash Riptide
October 1st, 2009
3:34 pm
Grownups generally don’t run for office. A politician sees the world much like high school, except on steroids. The rest of us move on.
Marcos
October 1st, 2009
3:42 pm
Some people don’t know when to shut up… so let me help you out there Cindy(e)… SHUT UP.
Stop Cindye — Peach Pundit
October 1st, 2009
4:42 pm
[...] You are doing yourself no favors. [...]
Donna
October 1st, 2009
5:08 pm
Political tweets are often heated, and many people hide behind a screen name. Anybody can make tweets or comments.
But as an activist, at least she is doing something about the values she holds, having run for office more than once, and gaining 43% of the vote. Whether she runs again or not, she does share many of the same concerns and values as other conservatives.
Stop MLM pyramid schemes
October 1st, 2009
5:15 pm
She is an MLM (multi level marketer). In my opinion all MLM is a quasi-legal pyramid scam. Anyone who would get involved in that type of shady industry needs to be ignored as a political candidate.
Dr. Cindye Coates
October 1st, 2009
5:44 pm
Jim, Where did I state I wanted a shot at a State House GOP primary? And why are Jason’s peers so quick to personally attack someone they do not even know. This behavior clearly confirms my position as stated. If this behavior represents the future leaders of our country. God help us!
Joey
October 1st, 2009
6:45 pm
Run Cindye run. They are lashing out at you in fear. All Georgia needs is another Lawyer at the Capital. Especially a lawyer with zero experience, please, give me a break…. You will win easy……
Doug
October 1st, 2009
6:46 pm
Cindye,
Perhaps you would serve yourself better if instead of hurling labels at your potential opponents, you made comments on the issues. I heard it said you would run a positive campaign. That lasted how many weeks?
Joey
October 1st, 2009
6:49 pm
The kid is a bum…. Worked for that crook Oxendine. The only republican that I will not vote for. I do not believe he has ever had a real job.
Dash Riptide
October 1st, 2009
6:53 pm
It’s a myth that the Gold Dome is full of lawyers. Far from it these days. Well, unless you count the lobbyists.
Joey
October 1st, 2009
6:55 pm
You are right Cindye, the GOP is slowly becoming the conservative party no more. If we have a clowns like your opponent or Oxendine, I think come the general elections, my conservative family of 6 voters will stay home.
Joey
October 1st, 2009
6:59 pm
DR
Well, there is no need to send a wet behind the ears recent Law school grad to represent me. If he and his idol John Oxendine is the nominee, the dems will keep this seat and take back the governors mansion.
Some other Joey
October 1st, 2009
7:11 pm
I’d rather see another lawyer thank someone who runs a pyramid scam and has more ethics problems than John Oxendine, Karen Handel, and Nathan Deal put together http://www.politicalvine.com/ethics/CCStateEthics.pdf and makes sure she LIES about it on her website http://www.cindyecoates.com. Also, 33 is hardly a “kid.”
Joey obviously likes politicians who lie and cover up their misdeeds as long as they call themselves “conservative.” I don’t know if this Shepard guy is liberal or conservative, but either way he’s a lot better than Coates.
Jeff
October 1st, 2009
7:35 pm
Some other Joey:
Shep is solid neo-con conservative. Typical, run of the mill, solid GOP.
Dash Riptide
October 1st, 2009
7:46 pm
“DR
Well, there is no need to send a wet behind the ears recent Law school grad to represent me.”
Then let not your heart be troubled.
http://jasonshepherd.com/about-jason/
Dr. Cindye Coates
October 1st, 2009
8:45 pm
I have no desire to run in a Republican Primary. I would greatly appreciate it if Jason’s Republican supporters would stop personally attacking me, my family, and my business on this blog. My business is a way I care for my aging mother. The hateful things being said are cruel and hurtful.
Dash Riptide
October 1st, 2009
8:59 pm
Speaking of cruel and hurtful, what were you thinking?
Steve
October 1st, 2009
9:07 pm
Joey, if you have a “family of six” over-18 voters living under your roof then I wouldn’t point fingers at people needing to get out and find jobs.
Crazy Coates is awesome
October 1st, 2009
10:06 pm
She will win hands down… Her singing speaches while her husband plays, her constant pyramid schemes being up on facebook, her Gopeach personality… WHO Would NOT vote for her!
We want Coates in the Closet, hell yeah! err, i meant house
West Cobb
October 1st, 2009
10:56 pm
I am retired and a voter in West Cobb. I have strongly supported Cindye Coates for the last three elections. She is a wonderful mother. If you ever met her sons, you would know what a noble lady she really is. If these are friends of Jason Shepherd, I will not be supporting him and I will urge my entire neighborhood to do the same. I do not blame Cindye for not running again. This district is democrat now. She always ran a clean race with more guts than most men I know. Anyone who would give Shepherd money is pissing in the wind.
Hillgrove Dad
October 1st, 2009
11:11 pm
The Coates family are my neighbors and have been for 8 years. They are wonderful and generous people who practically raise the kids in this neighborhood. Cindye Coates raised $55K for my son’s little league field. She fought to keep the State out of the decision making of our new school district and she has tutored kids in this district for years – free of charge. In short- you people have no idea what you are saying.
Hillgrove Mom
October 1st, 2009
11:13 pm
I agree 100%.
Greg
October 2nd, 2009
12:34 am
I live in Walker’s Ridge and Cindye Coates is the best candidate we ever had. I helped her campaign and I will help her again. I hope she runs again.. I do not appreciate these personal attacks about her occupation. I know her story. She is building this business to take care of her mother who has been very sick. Jason Shepherd will not get my vote.
Hillgrove Mom
October 2nd, 2009
1:00 am
Internet campaigns work if you are running for presisdent. They do not work for local races.
Jason Shepherd
October 2nd, 2009
1:56 am
I have refrained from making any comments on this thread. I found out about Cindye Coates’s tweets when Jim Galloway called me about this article. I was truly honored when Cindye Coates endorsed me when I first entered this race, posting on Facebook, “As the 3-time Republican Nominee for HD 37 in 2004, 2006, and 2008, I would like to pass the torch to Jason.”
So quickly changed her mind and soon after, started running a negative campaign. If some of my supporters are a little overzealous in defending me, maybe it’s because they know how unwarranted the attacks are. I don’t know who most of the people who have come on here to defend me, but I do thank them.
There are many issues that will come out in the campaign, but one thing I would have hoped we would no be engaging in at this point are personal, negative attacks. Times are too unsettled to run petty, negative campaigns. We need to address the critical issues. The people of the 37th deserve nothing less.
I don’t mind Joey attacking me for being (almost) a lawyer.Like Cindye, I have chosen a new career to better support my family and am proud of the hard work to achieve the degree after 4 long years of working to put both me and my wife through school. However, a person’s chosen occupation is an election issue. It’s part of the resume a candidate presents when running for office.
Greg Turner, you informed me I lost your vote when Cindye got into the race. I respected your decision then and I still respect it now. What I don’t respect is your decision to join in Cindye’s unprovoked attacks early on.
If Cindye Coates is not going to run, then she should refrain from saying things like, “Getting bullied by moderates not to run for State House… lol … too funny.” She’s said this numerous times. I don’t know who’s bullying her. She has never shared that with me and I would have told them to stop. If someone is bullying her, then stop.
If Cindye Coates is going to run, then let’s make a pledge to keep this a clean campaign, one about the issues, and stop these personal, negative attacks. It is critical that we run a campaign that is issues-based and focused on finding solutions to the issues that voters in Cobb County care about the most.
I hope either way Cindye will stand on her pledge to me, just as last year I proudly displayed a Cindye Coates sign in my front yard in support of her, I hope she will do the same in support of me.
Hillgrove Mom
October 2nd, 2009
2:07 am
Jason Shepherd-
How did Cindye Coates attack you? Your name was never mentioned in her “tweets”. What makes you think this is about you? You seem to be overeacting here. She is not even running against you. I wish she were, We do not like Earl Ehrhart. I was there when he bullied the Cobb School Board on redistricting for Hillgrove. Our kids almost did not get to go there. People like Cindye Coates stepped in and fought for local control. If Earl is for you. I will campaign against you.
Dawn
October 2nd, 2009
2:53 am
Jason,
I hardly thing “passing the torch” is an endorsment/ pledge. She is tired of running in a democrat district.
Joey
October 2nd, 2009
9:57 am
What kind of conservative would endorse Oxendine? A phony lawyer thats who…. In fulton county he was for abortion, in cobb he is against it. In north fulton he is for the fair tax; in south fulton he is for raising taxes on the rich. Typical lawyers, tell the crowd what they want to hear and have no real convictions of your own. All they want is to self promote themselves. 33 is very young, especially when your only experience is working for Ox and goung to Crook (law) school… Go Coates… Go Johnson…..
Joey
October 2nd, 2009
10:03 am
Steve
All the kids are out of the house. I take care of my elderly parents as well as my wives. Yes, the live with us. It is called family values, something your dumb young hooligan friends and your candidate know nothing about.
Steve
October 2nd, 2009
1:33 pm
You have multiple wives living with you? What part of Utah did you get those family values from?
Dash Riptide
October 3rd, 2009
9:40 am
Pedants make Baby Jesus cry.
Mark
October 3rd, 2009
8:38 pm
If Cindye Coates were a stock, I would buy all I could. She is one of my business partners in the top 25 companies in America. We grew 108% this year and have an A plus rating with Dunn & Bradstreet. She is one the finest people I know. And that Ethics fine she paid was due to late filings when her father was sick and dying. It was a non-election year and she was busy doing what any descent person would be doing – caring for their family. I respect the fact she did not fight it ( which she could have) in a court of law. She would have tied up tax-payer money and that is not her policy. That I know for sure. I guess I should not be surprised how these republicans are attacking her. The GOP has become a party of pretty hateful people lately. That is why so many ( including myself ) prefer to vote for the person and not the party.
Shelly
October 3rd, 2009
8:42 pm
Remember when John McCain bashed Sarah Palin? I see a strong link here.
Mike White
October 3rd, 2009
8:46 pm
I think I’m going to have a fund raiser for Cindye Coates. Maybe that would change her mind. Anyone the AJC bashes must be a threat to the non-conservatives.
Loserville
October 4th, 2009
1:06 am
Enter your comments here
Both of these candidates are yawners. Cindye is the perpetual candidate, Shepherd is a nerd and a political groupy. He’s tied his trousers to John Oxendine who is a odd lot himself. The dude swapped wives with Senator Shafer!!! These Ho House Republicans really need to give it a rest. It is sick that they want to be LEADERS???? Go Barnes.
David Hill
October 4th, 2009
11:47 pm
Mr. White Sir, I sent you an email to your corporate headquarters. Can I please have a meeting with you? I hope you got my email. I know cindye and she said she has mentioned me to you.
jamesdavidhill@hotmail.com
Joe Thaxton
October 13th, 2009
5:21 pm
I got invited to some $10 for 10/10 deal for this Shep guy…the invite was from a left wing nut up here in the NC mountains who claims to be best buds with him. If Shep is ANYTHING like the guy who proclaims to be his buddy, then RUN!
Cliff Brown
October 20th, 2009
3:37 am
Jason- Why do you have this as a link on your web-site? Cindye’s Tweets never mentioned your name. She can tweet what ever the hell she wants. You smack of an insider with way too many blogger buddies posting for you. You owe Cindye Coates a huge appology for this.
Janet in Marietta
October 20th, 2009
12:09 pm
I live in District 37 and I agree with Cliff. This little Jason Shepherd is a snake if he has made Cindye Coates his enemy. She has been the voice of conservative voters in this district for the last 3 elections. How could anyone post this link on their campaign web-site and still be a friend to Cindye Coates’ and the conservatives in this distrcit? Cindye Coates comes from one of the most respected families in Cobb County. Shepherd is in way over his head.
Jack Nicholson
December 5th, 2009
12:40 am
(1) District 37 is the ‘hood. It will probably stay Democrat controlled for a long time to come. Take a cruise down Austell or Windy Hill Road sometime: its a suburban slum at least as bad as the worst Gwinnett has to offer!
(2) Why someone would go into debt to pay John Marshall the exorbitant tuition they charge for a bottom grade 3rd Tier legal education is beyond my comprehension. There are too many wannabe lawyers and law schools out there ripping people off. Pyramid schemes are bad, but the 3rd Tier law school fraud is even worse!!!!
(3) Some of the Hillgrove high school folks will eventually get screwed and zoned for Osborne. Just wait until they finish the Windy-Mac connector…
Rob Miller
December 6th, 2009
5:52 pm
Jack:
I could not agree more. Keep in mind, it was Coates – DR. CINDYE COATES PhD. that is, who had the backbone to fight for the people in the neighborhoods up and down John Ward Rd to go to Hillgrove. I owe her and it sounds like you do as well. Keep in mind she ran as a republican and it was Rep.Earl Erhart (R) who wanted to take away local control. Coates fought for local control and organized us if you will recall. At the time her kids did not even attend public school. She gave her time and energy to work for her neighbors in this God-forsaken District 37. So republican who slams Cindye Coates, will be someone I will fight to keep from being elected.
Bill Johnson
December 6th, 2009
5:57 pm
Just saw that blogger, law school student Jason Shepherd is running for State House. God- please give Cindye Coates the b*lls to run one more time and take this pansy out. NO MORE #%^%$%$ LAWYERS! Coates is a grassroots Palin Repblican!
david
February 20th, 2010
10:03 pm
Hope this thread is still active. Jason is an Oxidine clone..aka a mini me. Sheperd has not had and does not have an original thought. If you like to hear rhetorical nonsense and blatant stupidity, read his website. He received a “fluff” piece from the AJC, and uses it as his centerpiece.
Jason, instead of monitoring this site, why don’t you NNOUNCE WHQT you STAND FOR…GIVE ME A REASON TO SUPPORT YOU. You haven’t. Personally, I think Johnson is going to wclean your clock. In the year of Republicans, you are going to fall by the wayside. I honestly believe you are not a good candidate.