Matt Moulton wins Republican nomination

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — After Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton announced he was running for re-election last year, a number of Republican candidates entered the scene, attempting to take the helm after Talton’s historic five-decade tenure as sheriff.

Candidates ranged from political newcomers to longtime sheriff’s office employees to the sitting Houston County prosecutor.

But after the polls closed, Republican voters in Houston County made their decision: Matt Moulton is the Republican nominee and will face Democrat Arthur Harris in the Nov. 5 general election.

After the win, he said he thought the biggest advantage was experience.

“I think the voters were looking for someone with the leadership qualities that Sheriff Talton has had over the last 52 years. He has led the county well and led the sheriff’s office well and I think they were looking for someone one who was able to do what he wanted he finished,” Moulton said.

Matt Moulton is a lieutenant with the sheriff’s office. He was endorsed by Talton earlier this year. Matt Moulton said his uncle, who was a Bibb County deputy, inspired him as a child. Now, Moulton wants to continue the legacy of Houston County’s longest-serving sheriff, Cullen Talton.

Here’s how Houston County Republicans voted:

• Jimmy Dunn: 2%, (222 VOTES)

• Matt Moulton: 57%, (6,819 VOTES)

• Slate Simons: 16%, (1,983 VOTES)

• Will Kendall: 25%, (3,015 VOTES)

Moulton attended Rosa Taylor Elementary School, Springdale Elementary School, Tattnall Square Academy and Central High School. He obtained a college preparatory diploma in 1993.

When he was an SRO, Moulton said, he taught teenagers about the consequences of their choices in hopes of educating young adults to deter them from engaging in criminal activity.

Moulton said he was approached by the Georgia Public Safety Training Center about a job opportunity, so he applied as a public safety training instructor.

Moulton said he was responsible for coordinating and teaching the Basic Law Enforcement Training Course (BLETC), the 408-hour course that certifies peace officers in Georgia, during his stay there from 2013 to 2014.

He sought a deputy position with the Houston County Sheriff’s Office after his time at GPSTC and was hired there in 2014.

He has worked at the sheriff’s office for nine years. Since joining the Sheriff’s Office, he has been promoted to Field Training Officer, Deputy Traffic Supervisor and Narcotics Investigator.

Today he is the lieutenant assigned to the judicial police services.

He said after today he would take a break to spend time with his family and then return to work.

In Houston County, Democratic candidates have an uphill climb, but the race is still technically undetermined. Arthur Harris hasn’t been in law enforcement recently, but he worked for Warner Robins police and about 25 years for the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Harris told 13WMAZ in an interview.

As the votes come in, we’re tracking races across middle Georgia, from sheriff’s races to commission seats to the Macon-Bibb County mayor’s race. You can see more of our live coverage here. You can also see all the races we follow here.

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