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In the
November 3rd, 2020 election, Ben Watson ran for re-election to the Georgia State Senate to represent District 1 as a Republican incumbent. He initially ran against a Democratic challenger, Kerri McGinty, who withdrew from the race on September 30, 2020. Watson thus won an additional two-year
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In 2010, Representative Burke Day (R) did not seek reelection to
District 163 in the Georgia State House of Representatives. Ben Watson, Joe Welch and Gary Wisenbaker competed in the Republican primary on July 20 for the heavily Republican seat. Watson won the primary with 64.5% of the vote to
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Watson has practiced internal medicine at SouthCoast
Medical Group since 1988, and he specializes in elderly patients. He began his career in politics with his election to the Georgia State House of Representatives in 2010. He represented the 163rd District from 2011 to 2013; as a result of
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Ben Watson defeated
Democratic challenger Sandra Workman in the general election for Georgia State Senate District 1 on November 6, 2018. Watson received 61% of the total votes cast. Watson was not challenged in the Republican Primary.
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from 2010 to 2014. Watson is an active member of the
Republican Party, and he has served on various legislative committees. Since 2019, he has chaired the State Senate's Health and Human Services committee.
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Welch's 18.7% and
Wisenbaker's 16.9%. In the November 2 General Election, Watson defeated Jeremy Scheinbart (D) with 80.2% of the vote.
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with his wife, Bernice, who is a retired
Savannah-Chatham Public School teacher. They have three sons. Former U.S. Representative
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redistricting, he then represented the 166th
District from 2013 to 2015. In 2014, he was elected to the
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Watson graduated high school from the
Emanuel County Institute in 1977 and graduated with a BA from the
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Ben Watson ran unopposed in the
Georgia State Senate District 1 general elections in 2014 and 2016.
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Former Member, Georgia State House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, Health Subcommittee
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390, which would withhold government funding for any libraries in Georgia affiliated with the
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Former Secretary, Georgia State House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee
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Former Chair, Georgia State Senate Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security Committee
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Former Vice Chair, Economic Development and Tourism Committee, Georgia State Senate
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Former Member, Georgia State House of Representatives Higher Education Committee
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According to his State Senate biography, Watson was born in 1959 and grew up in
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Former Member, Subcommittee on Abusive Billing Practices, Georgia State Senate
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Former Member, Veterans, Military and Homeland Security, Georgia State Senate
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Member, Georgia State Senate Health and Human Services Committee, present
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Former Member, Subcommittee on Scope of Practice, Georgia State Senate
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Former Member, Subcommittee on Community Health, Georgia State Senate
240:(born July 27, 1959) is an American politician who has served in the
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Chair, Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Development
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Former Member, Subcommittee on Pharmacology, Georgia State Senate
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Republican Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives
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Former Member, Subcommittee on Insurance, Georgia State Senate
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Member, Georgia State Senate Appropriations Committee, present
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Former Member, Subcommittee on Healthcare Delivery and Access
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Former Member, Georgia State Senate Transportation Committee
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Former Member, Georgia State Senate Public Safety Committee
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Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development
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List of current legislative committees and subcommittees:
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since he was elected in 2014. He previously served in the
609:"Democratic candidate withdraws from Georgia Senate race"
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510:"Savannah Rep. Ben Watson to seek Ga. state Senate seat"
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Former Member, Georgia State Senate Retirement Committee
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Former Member, Ethics Committee, Georgia State Senate
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Republican Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators
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Former Member, Transportation, Georgia State Senate
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280:in 1981. He earned his medical degree from the
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305:, R-Pooler, who ran for a seat in Congress.
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134:Georgia House of Representatives
102:January 14, 2013 – January 12, 2015
87:Georgia House of Representatives
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611:. Savannah Morning News. 30 September 2020
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402:In January 2024, Watson co-sponsored S.B.
333:Member, Economic Development and Tourism
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1351:Physicians from Georgia (U.S. state)
1346:People from Emanuel County, Georgia
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301:. He took over the seat from Sen.
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1356:Medical College of Georgia alumni
537:"The Voter's Self Defense System"
1291:as of 19 February 2024
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566:The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
450:Georgia House of Representatives
321:Chair, Health and Human Services
250:Georgia House of Representatives
16:American politician from Georgia
560:Tagami, Ty (January 25, 2024).
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330:Member, Administrative Affairs
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1361:University of Georgia alumni
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408:American Library Association
273:is Watson's brother-in-law.
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337:List of former committees:
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282:Medical College of Georgia
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257:Background and education
701:President of the Senate
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138:from the 163rd district
91:from the 166th district
694:157th General Assembly
312:Member, Appropriations
238:Benjamin Luther Watson
191:Benjamin Luther Watson
514:Savannah Morning News
278:University of Georgia
267:Isle of Hope, Georgia
684:Georgia State Senate
483:"Senator Ben Watson"
419:Georgia State Senate
295:Georgia State Senate
265:. He now resides in
242:Georgia State Senate
36:Georgia State Senate
1042:Michael "Doc" Rhett
943:Harold V. Jones II
263:Twin City, Georgia
207:Twin City, Georgia
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1123:Elena Parent
988:Greg Dolezal
961:Lee Anderson
889:Marty Harbin
853:Freddie Sims
817:Russ Goodman
763:Derek Mallow
753:
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638:. Retrieved
634:
631:"Ben Watson"
625:
613:. Retrieved
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303:Buddy Carter
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246:1st District
237:
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167:Succeeded by
144:
125:Jesse Petrea
120:Succeeded by
97:
78:Buddy Carter
61:
50:
1336:1959 births
1249:John Albers
1231:Chuck Payne
1204:Steve Gooch
1195:Bo Hatchett
1177:Shawn Still
1150:Clint Dixon
1114:Kim Jackson
1015:Tim Bearden
979:David Lucas
880:Ed Harbison
772:Mike Hodges
727:Steve Gooch
713:pro tempore
442:2014 - 2016
155:Preceded by
108:Preceded by
73:Preceded by
1330:Categories
1285:Democratic
1276:Republican
1168:Frank Ginn
1078:Ed Setzler
1069:Nan Orrock
997:Matt Brass
844:Sam Watson
754:Ben Watson
711:President
706:Burt Jones
593:25 January
571:25 January
546:2020-05-06
541:Vote Smart
519:2023-08-19
492:2023-08-19
464:References
299:District 1
224:Occupation
218:Republican
197:1959-07-27
23:Ben Watson
952:Max Burns
414:Elections
244:from the
160:Burke Day
145:In office
98:In office
52:Incumbent
40:from the
640:17 March
615:16 March
587:"SB 390"
44:district
1308:Senate
404:
288:Career
209:, U.S.
1303:House
65:
1287:(23)
1278:(33)
642:2021
617:2021
595:2024
573:2024
455:2010
433:2018
424:2020
187:Born
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42:1st
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