Standing in front of the offices of the Albany Southwest Georgian, Childs called on the public to reject publisher Art Searles’ column, calling it “venomous rhetoric” meant to keep the Dougherty County community divided.
In a column published in the May 7-13 edition of the Southwest Georgian, Searles, who also serves as the Dougherty County Commission’s District5 representative, hinted that Childs had been put up to running by what he called the “white power structure,” in an effort to split the black vote, making it tougher for Williams to win.
“If you vote for Childs, you are voting for the white candidate,” Searles wrote.
Calling Searles racist and sexist, Childs said that Searles’ type of politics divides the community and is keeping Dougherty County from moving forward.
“His type of politics is a throwback to the way things used to be,” Childs said. “He’s assuming blacks only vote one way. We (blacks) share a common culture, but that doesn’t mean we have to vote for the same people. Husbands and wives don’t always vote for the same candidate just because they’re married.
“Just because he’s black doesn’t give him the right to be racist.”
Searles also criticized local civil rights leader the Rev. Charles Sherrod for backing Childs rather than Williams, calling him an “accomplis” (sic) to stealing votes from Williams.
Searles stood by his comments when speaking to the media after the press conference, refuting Childs’ claims that he was racist and reiterating his disappointment in Sherrods’ endorsement.
“I have no ill will against anyone,” Searles said. “But we have a viable, black candidate that is ready to make history in this community.”
Searles said that there are more than 8,000 more registered black voters in Dougherty County than white, which forces the white power structure to split the black vote by propping up a candidate.
“I think people need to know that that is a strategy being used in this race,” Searles said.
Searles said that before Childs entered the race, the race was a “slam-dunk” for Williams, but he said that now the outcome isn’t so clear.
“It was essentially a level playing field. ... It was almost a slam dunk,” Searles said. “But now I don’t know what is going to happen.”
Childs has written a response to Searles’ column in the form of a letter to the editor in which she dismisses claims she was hired or put up to running in the race, saying that she is running because she sees a need and believes she could help.