Ex-Reporters Run for Office

Many people dislike TV Reporters. But, two former Reporters are gunning for jobs that are even less-liked by the public.

Two familiar faces from Atlanta's TV news scene are trading their microphones for campaign trails, hoping to parlay their journalistic experience into political success in the upcoming municipal elections.

Randy Travis, formerly an impactful investigative reporter at Fox-owned WAGA in Atlanta, recently announced his bid for a seat on the Lawrenceville City Council. He aims to unseat Austin Thompson, who has held the post since 2021. "I spent all these years being a watchdog of government," Travis stated, "Instead of standing on the sidelines saying 'hey government, this is what you're doing wrong,' maybe now it’s time for me to be inside of government and trying to fix what’s wrong."

Former WXIA reporter Dontaye Carter is challenging incumbent Mayor Rusty Paul. Carter, who previously ran for mayor, emphasized his commitment: "The only thing that’s changed is shifting from this position of reporting what’s happened, to engaging in what’s happening, and engaging in a way that’ll make a difference for the entire community. What I show folks this time is I’m not a quitter."

Both Travis and Carter acknowledge the inherent risks in their career pivot. Travis hopes to be seen as "a breath of fresh air" by voters.

History shows a mixed bag of results for journalists venturing into politics. In 2008, former investigative reporter Dale Cardwell was soundly defeated in a Democratic primary bid for the U.S. Senate. However, Steen Miles, a longtime 11Alive reporter, successfully ran for and won a state Senate seat in 2004, though she later lost a U.S. Senate primary after one term. An early notable attempt occurred in 1970 when Atlanta TV anchor Hal Suit ran for governor as a Republican.

H/T WXIA