Albany representative says 2024 absences due to surgery

ALBANY – An Albany lawmaker explained his absences during the early days of the 2024 legislative session as excused due to a recent medical procedure.

“I had a surgery,” State. Rep. David Sampson said. “I’m not just playing hooky. I had some personal matters, but I’m better now.”

The Democrat, who represents District 153, also revealed that he will not be seeking re-election in the fall.

A first-term representative, Sampson’s district is the only one of the four districts that include Dougherty County that is wholly within the county. He is also the only Democratic representative in the Dougherty County delegation that also includes Republican Reps. Mike Cheokas, Gerald Greene and Bill Yearta.

Records for the 2024 legislative session show that Sampson was excused for days on which votes were taken on Jan. 22, Jan. 25, Jan. 26, Jan. 29 and Feb. 1. He also was reported absent on Feb. 6.

The calendar indicates he cast votes on Jan. 30, Jan. 31, Feb. 7 and Feb. 8. The record does not indicate whether a legislator was in attendance on dates on which votes were not taken.

Sampson was in attendance on Wednesday when he spoke with an Albany Herald reporter and said that he is feeling better and plans to be in attendance through the remainder of the 40-day session that began on Jan. 8.

Sampson, who was elected to a first term in Nov. 2022, will not seek a second term.

“I actually officially made that decision this morning with my wife,” he said Wednesday.

So far, two Democrats have declared their intention to run in the primary election on May 21. The candidates are Joshua Anthony, an Albany State University student pursuing his studies online while living in Albany, and Albany firefighter Tracy Taylor, who ran in the 2022 district race as a Republican.

Two candidates also have announced their intention to run in the sheriff’s race in the May Democratic primary. The candidates seeking to replace Dougherty County Sheriff Kevin Sproul, who is not seeking a fifth term in office, are Keithen Hall and Terron Hayes.

Hall is a captain with the Albany State University Police Department in charge of the patrol division, and Hayes currently is chief deputy with the sheriff’s office.

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