A representative for State House District 35, a district that includes Kennesaw State University campuses, will be up for election on the ballot for voters on Nov. 8.
Lisa Campbel (D) and Robert Trim (R) are running to represent District 35 in the Georgia House of Representatives. The incumbent in the seat, Ed Setzler (R), has held office since 2005.
As the only Republican candidate, Trim moved forward with 100% of all 3,628 votes in the Republican primary on May 24. Trim is KSU alum following his graduation from the university in 1998. In his Candidate Connection survey provided by Ballotpedia, Trim describes himself as “a small business owner committed to limited government that is fair for all and offers opportunity to anyone who wants to try and seize the American Dream.” Trim’s campaign hinges on protecting small businesses and investing in and empowering the education system as well as supporting law enforcement, according to his campaign’s webpage.
In 2016, Trim along with his wife Kelly Marlow Trim were resentenced to 60 days in the Cherokee County Adult Detention Facility for making false statements to the police in 2013. They claimed previous Cherokee County superintendent Frank Petruzielo attempted to run them and former Cherokee County Republican Party secretary Barbara Knowles over with his vehicle. The claims were found entirely false, all according to the Cherokee Tribune and Ledge News.
Trim is currently Vice President of Real Estate Operations for Singelton Real Estate, according to his personal LinkedIn profile. Trim received this promotion in January 2022. He has worked loyally with the company since 2017, originally as Director of Marketing and Business Development.
Campbell is running to be the first woman to represent S.D. 35. Campbell has run before for this seat in 2020, but lost to Kyle Rinaudo during the Democratic primary runoff election, according to Ballotpedia. Campbell’s current campaign website shares that she believes “…everyone deserves equitable access to quality, affordable healthcare, fully funded schools, safe communities and a sustainable environment.”
According to Campbell’s LinkedIn profile, she graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1990. She has worked as a business consultant for several companies since, most recently as a founder and partner of BRANDfit Consulting since 2017.
Both Trim and Campbell were scheduled for a debate at KSU on Oct. 27 hosted by the School of Government and International Affairs, KSU College Republicans and KSU Young Democrats. In an email forwarded to The Sentinel by Trim, his campaign pulled out of the debate on Oct. 19 because they were unhappy with the location provided at KSU for the debate, describing it as “a small room hidden in the campus with little to no public access,” and requested a location change, which was denied.
Voting opens on Nov. 8 across the state. Also on the ballot are candidates for governor Brian Kemp (R), Stacey Abrams (D) and Shane Hazel (L). Candidates Herschel Walker (R) and Raphael Warnock (D) are up for seats in the U.S. Senate. The Georgia Voter Guide website provides a personalized and comprehensive list of what to expect on this year’s ballot and where candidates stand on important issues.
