ATLANTA — Gov. Nathan Deal appointed the state's top business recruiter to be attorney general. He is replacing Attorney General Sam Olens, who will be the new president of Kennesaw State University.
Chris Carr will be Georgia's 48th attorney general. He's known for being Georgia's economic development commissioner, and before that chief of staff to Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson.
Carr admits he's never tried a case before. According to the Georgia Bar Association's website one week ago, his status was inactive. That status has now been changed to active.
"I think he is eminently qualified," Gov. Deal said.
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Deal defended his appointment of Carr as the state's chief law enforcement official by pointing to Carr's experience with the Georgia Public Policy Foundation and as a state agency head who managed about 200 employees.
"The primary role of the attorney general is to be a good administrator," Deal said.
"I'm going to rely on the experts that are at the Department of Law. The skill set I bring most is on the policy side and on the managerial side," Carr said.
Political analyst Bill Crane says although Carr may not be well known in legal circles, he's well respected among the state's top leaders.
"His track record and transparency and open government and service to the public and winning. Those are the aces in the hand that helped make this appointment happen," Crane said.
Carr will begin serving as attorney general Nov. 1, and plans for run for the office in 2018.
Cox Media Group
