Clarification: This article has been edited to reflect that Tyler Tolin has a Dawsonville address which is actually in Lumpkin County. 

A Lumpkin County resident has qualified to run for Georgia’s State House District 9 Seat. 

Tyler Tolin, a former Marine and Army Airborne Ranger, will run for the chance to become the next state representative for the district, which includes parts of Dawson, Lumpkin and White counties. 

He qualified to run for the position on Wednesday, March 9. 

District 9’s state house seat is currently held by freshman Rep. Will Wade. This election cycle marks Tolin’s second time running for the position. 

Tolin’s campaign promotes him as a patriotic candidate. In 1998, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After seven years and three units, he earned his way to the Marine Corps anti-terrorism unit Fast Company before deciding to switch to the Army and served as an Army Airborne Ranger for tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I’m running because of the complete shift of the current status of Dawsonville…it’s turned into what I like to call north Atlanta, and it’s destroying the hometown feel of the ninth district,” Tolin said. 

His other reasons for running include to secure better elections and to address the need for more voter laws. 

Tolin added he also wants to stop the government’s bleeding of individual freedoms and increase parents’ say in what their children are taught at public schools, especially when it comes to subjects like critical race theory in classrooms. 

“Overall, it’s about giving the people a say in how their district looks and is run,” he said.