GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A 22-year-old Georgia Gwinnett College student flipped the last Republican seat on the Gwinnett County Commission Tuesday and will help lead a county of more than 1 million people.
Democrat Benjamin Culberson of Mulberry won about 55% of the District 4 vote against Commissioner Matthew Holtkamp, according to unofficial results. He will take office in January.
He told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson that he expects to graduate in May with majors in psychology and political science, plus three minors.
“I could have graduated earlier, but I picked up two degrees,” Culberson said. “I’m a bit of a nerd.”
The former student body president said he was recruited to run when no other Democrat wanted the race. He also credits his party’s success.
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“I don’t think there’s any dismissal in the fact that this blue wave has helped my campaign,” Culberson said. “I’m not going to deny that.”
But he said local issues mattered, too. Republicans in north Gwinnett County often invited him to talk about taxes, traffic and data centers.
License plate cameras also came up during the campaign.
Gwinnett County police say more than 1,100 Flock cameras operate countywide, and the department owns 209.
“I’ve seen contentious debates on this, but I would say it’s an 80-20 issue and I’m against them,” Culberson said. “We are gonna have to find a way to negotiate it because my fellow colleagues are actually in favor of it, but I don’t see that as an immediate opposition angle.”
He said he’ll be the board’s first renter. He plans to spend the next four years attending as many community events as possible, including Buford and Mill Creek football games.
“I’m not here to play games, I’m not here for a career opportunity,” Culberson said. “I’m here to govern.”
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