1272:
439:
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
470:
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
303:
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
448:
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.
1376:
619:
263:
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.
1381:
1391:
684:
572:
1361:
1356:
1386:
1366:
520:
1371:
917:
728:
677:
471:
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.
1325:
980:
971:
280:
with his wife, Bernice, who is a retired
Savannah-Chatham Public School teacher. They have three sons. Former U.S. Representative
1313:
309:
260:
256:
228:
144:
97:
52:
670:
711:
704:
1016:
418:
1295:
292:
1308:
1286:
1124:
989:
782:
854:
1351:
304:
redistricting, he then represented the 166th
District from 2013 to 2015. In 2014, he was elected to the
288:
287:
Watson graduated high school from the
Emanuel County Institute in 1977 and graduated with a BA from the
277:
1346:
1318:
694:
305:
252:
46:
457:
Ben Watson ran unopposed in the
Georgia State Senate District 1 general elections in 2014 and 2016.
376:
Former Member, Georgia State House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, Health Subcommittee
953:
273:
217:
17:
417:
390, which would withhold government funding for any libraries in Georgia affiliated with the
1223:
1034:
935:
908:
493:
1043:
182:
385:
Former Secretary, Georgia State House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee
379:
Former Member, Georgia State House of Representatives Health and Human Services Committee
1151:
1142:
1070:
872:
662:
367:
Former Chair, Georgia State Senate Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security Committee
1340:
1250:
1196:
1115:
1106:
1097:
1061:
1052:
944:
926:
881:
845:
836:
818:
809:
800:
791:
746:
281:
123:
1232:
1169:
1133:
998:
899:
863:
827:
773:
370:
Former Vice Chair, Economic Development and Tourism Committee, Georgia State Senate
313:
135:
88:
1271:
1259:
1241:
1214:
1205:
1187:
1160:
1025:
890:
737:
382:
Former Member, Georgia State House of Representatives Higher Education Committee
272:
According to his State Senate biography, Watson was born in 1959 and grew up in
1178:
1088:
1079:
1007:
716:
388:
Former Member, Subcommittee on Abusive Billing Practices, Georgia State Senate
597:
409:
Former Member, Veterans, Military and Homeland Security, Georgia State Senate
962:
170:
62:
355:
Member, Georgia State Senate Health and Human Services Committee, present
573:"Georgia GOP senators target American Library Association with new bill"
403:
Former Member, Subcommittee on Scope of Practice, Georgia State Senate
641:
391:
Former Member, Subcommittee on Community Health, Georgia State Senate
251:(born July 27, 1959) is an American politician who has served in the
329:
Chair, Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Development
397:
Former Member, Subcommittee on Pharmacology, Georgia State Senate
1377:
Republican Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives
666:
394:
Former Member, Subcommittee on Insurance, Georgia State Senate
352:
Member, Georgia State Senate Appropriations Committee, present
400:
Former Member, Subcommittee on Healthcare Delivery and Access
364:
Former Member, Georgia State Senate Transportation Committee
358:
Former Member, Georgia State Senate Public Safety Committee
326:
Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development
319:
List of current legislative committees and subcommittees:
259:
since he was elected in 2014. He previously served in the
620:"Democratic candidate withdraws from Georgia Senate race"
547:
521:"Savannah Rep. Ben Watson to seek Ga. state Senate seat"
361:
Former Member, Georgia State Senate Retirement Committee
373:
Former Member, Ethics Committee, Georgia State Senate
1382:
Republican Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators
406:
Former Member, Transportation, Georgia State Senate
234:
224:
197:
192:
176:
164:
141:
129:
117:
94:
82:
43:
32:
488:
486:
484:
291:in 1981. He earned his medical degree from the
1392:21st-century Georgia (U.S. state) politicians
678:
515:
513:
8:
542:
540:
316:, R-Pooler, who ran for a seat in Congress.
160:January 10, 2011 β January 14, 2013
145:Georgia House of Representatives
113:January 14, 2013 β January 12, 2015
98:Georgia House of Representatives
685:
671:
663:
622:. Savannah Morning News. 30 September 2020
29:
413:In January 2024, Watson co-sponsored S.B.
344:Member, Economic Development and Tourism
480:
7:
1362:Physicians from Georgia (U.S. state)
1357:People from Emanuel County, Georgia
312:. He took over the seat from Sen.
25:
1387:21st-century American legislators
1367:Medical College of Georgia alumni
548:"The Voter's Self Defense System"
1302:as of 19 February 2024
1270:
577:The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
461:Georgia House of Representatives
332:Chair, Health and Human Services
261:Georgia House of Representatives
27:American politician from Georgia
571:Tagami, Ty (January 25, 2024).
18:Ben Watson (Georgia politician)
341:Member, Administrative Affairs
1:
1372:University of Georgia alumni
419:American Library Association
284:is Watson's brother-in-law.
348:List of former committees:
1408:
600:. Georgia General Assembly
293:Medical College of Georgia
1326:List of past legislatures
1279:
1268:
756:
701:
242:
188:
153:
106:
70:
59:
39:
1309:Georgia General Assembly
498:Georgia General Assembly
268:Background and education
712:President of the Senate
149:from the 163rd district
102:from the 166th district
705:157th General Assembly
323:Member, Appropriations
249:Benjamin Luther Watson
202:Benjamin Luther Watson
525:Savannah Morning News
289:University of Georgia
278:Isle of Hope, Georgia
695:Georgia State Senate
494:"Senator Ben Watson"
430:Georgia State Senate
306:Georgia State Senate
276:. He now resides in
253:Georgia State Senate
47:Georgia State Senate
1053:Michael "Doc" Rhett
954:Harold V. Jones II
274:Twin City, Georgia
218:Twin City, Georgia
1334:
1333:
335:Member, Judiciary
246:
245:
16:(Redirected from
1399:
1294:
1285:
1274:
1258:
1249:
1240:
1231:
1224:Chuck Hufstetler
1222:
1213:
1204:
1195:
1186:
1177:
1168:
1159:
1150:
1141:
1132:
1123:
1114:
1105:
1096:
1087:
1078:
1069:
1060:
1051:
1042:
1035:Jason Anavitarte
1033:
1024:
1015:
1006:
997:
988:
979:
970:
961:
952:
943:
936:Larry Walker III
934:
925:
916:
909:Brian Strickland
907:
898:
889:
880:
871:
862:
853:
844:
835:
826:
817:
808:
799:
790:
781:
772:
763:
687:
680:
673:
664:
657:
656:
654:
652:
638:
632:
631:
629:
627:
616:
610:
609:
607:
605:
594:
588:
587:
585:
583:
568:
562:
561:
559:
558:
544:
535:
534:
532:
531:
517:
508:
507:
505:
504:
490:
440:term unopposed.
416:
215:
211:
209:
193:Personal details
179:
167:
158:
147:
132:
120:
111:
100:
85:
78:January 12, 2015
75:
49:
30:
21:
1407:
1406:
1402:
1401:
1400:
1398:
1397:
1396:
1337:
1336:
1335:
1330:
1292:
1283:
1275:
1266:
1265:
1256:
1247:
1238:
1229:
1220:
1211:
1202:
1193:
1184:
1175:
1166:
1157:
1148:
1139:
1130:
1121:
1112:
1103:
1094:
1085:
1076:
1067:
1058:
1049:
1044:Kay Kirkpatrick
1040:
1031:
1022:
1017:Randy Robertson
1013:
1004:
995:
986:
977:
968:
959:
950:
941:
932:
923:
918:John F. Kennedy
914:
905:
896:
887:
878:
869:
860:
851:
842:
833:
824:
815:
806:
797:
788:
779:
770:
761:
752:
743:Minority Leader
734:Majority Leader
729:John F. Kennedy
708:(2023βpresent)
697:
693:Members of the
691:
661:
660:
650:
648:
646:Ballotpedia.org
640:
639:
635:
625:
623:
618:
617:
613:
603:
601:
596:
595:
591:
581:
579:
570:
569:
565:
556:
554:
546:
545:
538:
529:
527:
519:
518:
511:
502:
500:
492:
491:
482:
477:
468:
463:
455:
446:
437:
432:
427:
414:
301:
270:
225:Political party
216:
213:
207:
205:
204:
203:
183:J. Craig Gordon
177:
165:
159:
154:
148:
143:
130:
118:
112:
107:
101:
96:
83:
77:
71:
66:
50:
45:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1405:
1403:
1395:
1394:
1389:
1384:
1379:
1374:
1369:
1364:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1339:
1338:
1332:
1331:
1329:
1328:
1323:
1322:
1321:
1316:
1305:
1304:
1299:
1290:
1280:
1277:
1276:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1263:
1254:
1245:
1236:
1227:
1218:
1209:
1200:
1191:
1182:
1173:
1164:
1155:
1152:Gail Davenport
1146:
1143:Tonya Anderson
1137:
1128:
1119:
1110:
1101:
1092:
1083:
1074:
1071:Donzella James
1065:
1056:
1047:
1038:
1029:
1020:
1011:
1002:
993:
984:
975:
966:
957:
948:
939:
930:
921:
912:
903:
894:
885:
876:
873:Carden Summers
867:
858:
849:
840:
831:
822:
813:
804:
795:
786:
777:
768:
758:
757:
754:
753:
751:
750:
744:
741:
735:
732:
726:
720:
714:
702:
699:
698:
692:
690:
689:
682:
675:
667:
659:
658:
633:
611:
589:
563:
536:
509:
479:
478:
476:
473:
467:
464:
462:
459:
454:
451:
445:
442:
436:
433:
431:
428:
426:
423:
411:
410:
407:
404:
401:
398:
395:
392:
389:
386:
383:
380:
377:
374:
371:
368:
365:
362:
359:
356:
353:
346:
345:
342:
339:
336:
333:
330:
327:
324:
300:
297:
269:
266:
244:
243:
240:
239:
238:Medical doctor
236:
232:
231:
226:
222:
221:
201:
199:
195:
194:
190:
189:
186:
185:
180:
174:
173:
168:
162:
161:
151:
150:
142:Member of the
139:
138:
133:
127:
126:
121:
115:
114:
104:
103:
95:Member of the
92:
91:
86:
80:
79:
73:Assumed office
68:
67:
60:
57:
56:
44:Member of the
41:
40:
37:
36:
33:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1404:
1393:
1390:
1388:
1385:
1383:
1380:
1378:
1375:
1373:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1352:Living people
1350:
1348:
1345:
1344:
1342:
1327:
1324:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1311:
1310:
1307:
1306:
1303:
1300:
1297:
1291:
1288:
1282:
1281:
1278:
1273:
1261:
1255:
1252:
1251:Gloria Butler
1246:
1243:
1237:
1234:
1228:
1225:
1219:
1216:
1210:
1207:
1201:
1198:
1197:Shelly Echols
1192:
1189:
1183:
1180:
1174:
1171:
1165:
1162:
1156:
1153:
1147:
1144:
1138:
1135:
1129:
1126:
1120:
1117:
1116:Sally Harrell
1111:
1108:
1107:Sonya Halpern
1102:
1099:
1098:Horacena Tate
1093:
1090:
1084:
1081:
1075:
1072:
1066:
1063:
1062:Valencia Seay
1057:
1054:
1048:
1045:
1039:
1036:
1030:
1027:
1021:
1018:
1012:
1009:
1003:
1000:
994:
991:
985:
982:
981:Rick Williams
976:
973:
967:
964:
958:
955:
949:
946:
945:Brandon Beach
940:
937:
931:
928:
927:Blake Tillery
922:
919:
913:
910:
904:
901:
895:
892:
886:
883:
882:Josh McLaurin
877:
874:
868:
865:
859:
856:
850:
847:
846:Emanuel Jones
841:
838:
837:Nikki Merritt
832:
829:
823:
820:
819:Nabilah Islam
814:
811:
810:Jason Esteves
805:
802:
801:Sheikh Rahman
796:
793:
792:Billy Hickman
787:
784:
778:
775:
769:
766:
760:
759:
755:
748:
747:Gloria Butler
745:
742:
739:
736:
733:
730:
727:
725:
721:
718:
715:
713:
710:
709:
707:
706:
700:
696:
688:
683:
681:
676:
674:
669:
668:
665:
647:
643:
637:
634:
621:
615:
612:
599:
593:
590:
578:
574:
567:
564:
553:
549:
543:
541:
537:
526:
522:
516:
514:
510:
499:
495:
489:
487:
485:
481:
474:
472:
465:
460:
458:
452:
450:
443:
441:
434:
429:
424:
422:
420:
408:
405:
402:
399:
396:
393:
390:
387:
384:
381:
378:
375:
372:
369:
366:
363:
360:
357:
354:
351:
350:
349:
343:
340:
338:Member, Rules
337:
334:
331:
328:
325:
322:
321:
320:
317:
315:
311:
308:to represent
307:
298:
296:
294:
290:
285:
283:
282:Jack Kingston
279:
275:
267:
265:
262:
258:
254:
250:
241:
237:
233:
230:
227:
223:
219:
214:(age 65)
212:July 27, 1959
200:
196:
191:
187:
184:
181:
175:
172:
169:
163:
157:
152:
146:
140:
137:
134:
128:
125:
124:Delvis Dutton
122:
116:
110:
105:
99:
93:
90:
87:
81:
74:
69:
65:
64:
58:
54:
48:
42:
38:
31:
19:
1301:
1233:Colton Moore
1170:Bill Cowsert
1134:Elena Parent
999:Greg Dolezal
972:Lee Anderson
900:Marty Harbin
864:Freddie Sims
828:Russ Goodman
774:Derek Mallow
764:
723:
703:
649:. Retrieved
645:
642:"Ben Watson"
636:
624:. Retrieved
614:
602:. Retrieved
592:
580:. Retrieved
576:
566:
555:. Retrieved
551:
528:. Retrieved
524:
501:. Retrieved
497:
469:
456:
447:
438:
412:
347:
318:
314:Buddy Carter
302:
286:
271:
257:1st District
248:
247:
178:Succeeded by
155:
136:Jesse Petrea
131:Succeeded by
108:
89:Buddy Carter
72:
61:
1347:1959 births
1260:John Albers
1242:Chuck Payne
1215:Steve Gooch
1206:Bo Hatchett
1188:Shawn Still
1161:Clint Dixon
1125:Kim Jackson
1026:Tim Bearden
990:David Lucas
891:Ed Harbison
783:Mike Hodges
738:Steve Gooch
724:pro tempore
453:2014 - 2016
166:Preceded by
119:Preceded by
84:Preceded by
1341:Categories
1296:Democratic
1287:Republican
1179:Frank Ginn
1089:Ed Setzler
1080:Nan Orrock
1008:Matt Brass
855:Sam Watson
765:Ben Watson
722:President
717:Burt Jones
604:25 January
582:25 January
557:2020-05-06
552:Vote Smart
530:2023-08-19
503:2023-08-19
475:References
310:District 1
235:Occupation
229:Republican
208:1959-07-27
34:Ben Watson
963:Max Burns
425:Elections
255:from the
171:Burke Day
156:In office
109:In office
63:Incumbent
51:from the
651:17 March
626:16 March
598:"SB 390"
55:district
1319:Senate
415:
299:Career
220:, U.S.
1314:House
76:
1298:(23)
1289:(33)
653:2021
628:2021
606:2024
584:2024
466:2010
444:2018
435:2020
198:Born
1262:(R)
1253:(D)
1244:(R)
1235:(R)
1226:(R)
1217:(R)
1208:(R)
1199:(R)
1190:(R)
1181:(R)
1172:(R)
1163:(R)
1154:(D)
1145:(D)
1136:(D)
1127:(D)
1118:(D)
1109:(D)
1100:(D)
1091:(R)
1082:(D)
1073:(D)
1064:(D)
1055:(D)
1046:(R)
1037:(R)
1028:(R)
1019:(R)
1010:(R)
1001:(R)
992:(D)
983:(R)
974:(R)
965:(R)
956:(D)
947:(R)
938:(R)
929:(R)
920:(R)
911:(R)
902:(R)
893:(D)
884:(D)
875:(R)
866:(D)
857:(R)
848:(D)
839:(D)
830:(R)
821:(D)
812:(D)
803:(D)
794:(R)
785:(R)
776:(D)
767:(R)
749:(D)
740:(R)
731:(R)
719:(R)
53:1st
1343::
644:.
575:.
550:.
539:^
523:.
512:^
496:.
483:^
421:.
295:.
210:)
1293:β
1284:β
1257:β
1248:β
1239:β
1230:β
1221:β
1212:β
1203:β
1194:β
1185:β
1176:β
1167:β
1158:β
1149:β
1140:β
1131:β
1122:β
1113:β
1104:β
1095:β
1086:β
1077:β
1068:β
1059:β
1050:β
1041:β
1032:β
1023:β
1014:β
1005:β
996:β
987:β
978:β
969:β
960:β
951:β
942:β
933:β
924:β
915:β
906:β
897:β
888:β
879:β
870:β
861:β
852:β
843:β
834:β
825:β
816:β
807:β
798:β
789:β
780:β
771:β
762:β
686:e
679:t
672:v
655:.
630:.
608:.
586:.
560:.
533:.
506:.
206:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.