Former State Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ranger), will officially qualify for the special election to fill the unexpired term in Georgia’s 9th Congressional District today, March 29, 2010, at 11:30 am. Graves will file his papers in the Secretary of State’s office in Atlanta. For more information regarding qualifying, please contact Tim Baker at (770) 519-6375.

Graves, who was in his fourth term representing House District 12, was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2002. He has chaired numerous subcommittees, served in several leadership positions and been recognized statewide as a conservative leader.

He received a 2009 “National Legislator of the Year” from the American Legislative Exchange Council, a 2009 “Guardian of Small Business” Award from the National Federation of Independent Business, the 2009 “Legislator of the Year” Award from the Georgia Retail Association, the 2009 “Legislator of the Year” from the 9th Congressional District of Georgia and was nationally recognized as the “Legislative Entrepreneur of the Year Award” by the Freedom Works Foundation for his tireless effort to stem the tide of expansive government and reduce the tax burden on Georgians. Georgia Trend named Graves to its 2009 “40 under 40, Georgia’s Best and the Brightest.”

Graves grew up in White, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia, where he earned a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance. Graves is a small businessman, past member of the Gordon County Board of Elections and an active member of the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce.