Republican Cobb County Tax Commissioner Carla Jackson switches to the Democratic Party

The news made its way swiftly across the county as Republican Cobb County Tax Commissioner Carla Jackson announced recently that she was switching to the Democratic Party. 

Jackson, the first Black tax commissioner in Cobb County’s history, began working in the tax commissioner’s office in 2003 as a property tax manager and became chief deputy in 2012. 

She was appointed to the top job back in 2014 to fill the shoes of retiring Tax Commissioner Gail Downing. Jackson has been re-elected twice as a Republican, in 2016 and 2020. 

Jan Becker, a former longtime staffer in the Tax Commissioners’ office announced that she was running as a Democrat to challenge Republican Jackson during the Cobb County Democratic Party’s back-to-school event. Becker said she worked for the tax commissioner’s office for nearly 12 years before taking early retirement in January 2021,

Becker told the crowd that Jackson switched parties for political convenience as she pointed out that Jackson ran in the last two elections as a Republican. 

Beckert said. “To that, I wanted to say, regarding my opponent’s sudden desire to run as a Democrat, it is one thing to have principles and support the Democratic Party initiatives and live by them and support them. It is quite another to change your party affiliation for the sole purpose of your personal political goals when an opponent steps in to challenge you.” 

In a statement to the MDJ, Jackson explained her switch saying, “At that time, I felt the GOP was a supportive, expanding, and inclusive party. Additionally, I felt my personal views of fiscal conservatism and personal responsibility aligned with the GOP’s written position. I have been troubled by the words and actions of several high-profile Republicans for years. It was my sincere hope those words and actions were rare and inconsistent anomalies. However, continued and emboldened GOP actions regarding race, voting rights, gender, and our environment are in direct opposition to my beliefs and values as a Black woman.”

Former state Rep. Erick Allen, who heads up the Cobb Democratic party welcomes Jackson to the party but says the local Cobb party won’t get involved in the primary.