Chris West

THOMASVILLE — Although the next presidential election is still more than three years away, the new chairman of the state Republican Party’s 8th Congressional District says President Donald Trump stands a good chance at victory in 2020.

“I’ll make that prediction that he will be re-elected,” said GOP district Chairman Christ West, a Thomasville attorney.

In reference to a positive Trump influence on the economy, West said he sees a tremendous sense of optimism from companies looking to open businesses in Southwest Georgia.

West, 33, is general counsel for Teramore Development LLC, a Thomasville-headquartered company that builds commercial shopping centers.

Before moving to Thomasville a year and a half ago, West was a partner in a law firm in Moultrie, his hometown.

He earned a juris doctor at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, and serves on the State Bar of Georgia Board of Governors, the State Bar’s governing body.

West’s wife, Jennie West, is counselor for a non-profit. The couple’s son, Preston, 4, is a student at Brookwood School.

The new district Republican chairman was elected at the 8th Congressional District Republican Party convention in Thomasville in April. He serves on the Georgia Republican Party executive board and works with chairmen of other Georgia congressional districts.

“The Republicans have the controlling majority in the House and Senate in Georgia,” West said.

When asked to define the philosophy of Republicans and Democrats, West said the philosophies have changed in recent years.

There used to be a lot of Southern Democrats who were conservative in business aspects, but “more progressive” in social beliefs, West said.

“A Republican has more conservative social beliefs,” he added.

Republicans, he said, want less taxes and to transact business with fewer government restrictions. Democrats believe government should play a more active role in collecting taxes and in dissemination of the money, West said.

“Democrats tend to think government can do a better job,” the district chairman explained. “Republicans believe individuals can do it better.”

West described the dead-heat runoff election between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District seat as “the only election in the country right now.”

For Handel to lose the seat previously held by Republicans Newt Gingrich and Tom Price might not foretell 2018 elections, West said, pointing out that all U.S. House seats and one-third of U.S. Senate seats will be up for election in 2018.

Thomas County Republicans will join the effort to elect Handel by traveling to the district — made up of portions of Cobb, Fulton and DeKalb counties — Saturday and encourage voters to go to the polls on Tuesday.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820