Editor’s note: This is the first of two articles recapping the Houston County Sheriff candidate forum.
BYRON — Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton is the longest-serving sheriff in the country. After 52 years in the role and retirement in his plans, five Houston County residents are vying for his spot in a historic election. The four candidates on the Republican ticket gave a view of their platforms and personalities at a March 21 forum organized by WarTown Young Republicans.
The panel included Houston County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Matt Moulton, Houston County District Attorney Will Kendall, former HCSO Sgt. Slate Simons and former Warner Robins American Little League coach Jimmy Dunn.
Lt. Matt Moulton
Moulton is the only candidate currently working for the sheriff’s office, supervising the Criminal Investigations Division. He said he had a great experience at the forum and appreciated the audience’s curiosity and the chance to share his vision for the sheriff’s office.
“It’s always nice to share your ideas and to share your vision with the people that are going to elect you in office and hold you accountable for the job that you do. It’s very important and I appreciate the opportunity to have been able to participate in that,” he said.
Although each candidate has a vast array of experiences, Moulton said he is confident they have their heart in the right place.
“We come from different backgrounds. We have different experience, different education levels. But there is no doubt in my mind after [Thursday] night that all four of us are doing this for the right reason and that all of us have good ideas, that if we’re able to implement them in the sheriff’s office, it’s going to make Houston County probably the top agency in the state of Georgia,” he said.
Moulton said he appreciated the chance to participate as a political newcomer and would appreciate the vote on May 21.
“I have been on the front lines doing law enforcement, and now, entering the political arena, having people that are paying attention to what you’re saying, and that are basically hanging on every word that you say, it provides a forum for open and transparent communication,” he said. “You listen to what the community wants to hear and you try to provide the best information that you can. I think it was a great event.”
District Attorney Will Kendall
Kendall has been district attorney since 2021 and has taken a proactive stance on drug trafficking, working with the sheriff’s office to crack down on fentanyl distribution in the area. He called the forum a valuable experience and appreciated speaking to a diverse group of people about diverse topics.
“Having a forum like that is great. Of course, you know that the forum was not one where the score was kept, but our campaign sees [Thursday] as a huge victory. I would encourage every voter [to] watch or attend a forum or debate to decide who they will support in their race,” he said.
Kendall said he is already engaged with the community as district attorney and the forum was a unique opportunity for the public to understand each candidate. He added he appreciates the perspectives of his fellow running mates.
“Different kinds of questions lend to what the issues are and what people see as important in the next candidate or the next sheriff. I think it helps you understand better and provides a better connection as to what the taxpayers you serve, what they believe is important. What are the issues and how would you handle certain situations?” he said.
Speaking about his fellow candidates, he said while each has a different experience, they all share a desire to help the county. He added that many didn’t know about his military law enforcement experience before the DA’s office and that he wants to be more proactive.
“We want to protect our children, combat criminal activity. … A lot of the things that I want to do are things that I have already done and I just want to take them further. I want to do it as the sheriff and be on the front lines and taking care of the issues head-on, upfront,” Kendall said.
Kendall encouraged the community to make their voice heard at the polls with solid research into each candidate.
“Exercising your constitutional right to vote for a candidate of your choice is an absolute necessary and I just encourage all people in Houston County to get out and do it,” he said.
Slate Simons
Simons touts over 20 years of experience with the sheriff’s office in various roles, from the jail to patrol, traffic, and criminal investigations. Reflecting on the event, he said it was a fantastic experience and thanked the organizers. He also commented on how enjoyable the event was for panelists and the audience.
“I think we had some lightheartedness amongst all candidates. We’re all, at the very least acquaintances, if not friends. So I think there was full transparency by everybody there and I think the crowd appreciated it,” Simons said.
Simons has worked hard to connect with the community. During his campaign, he visited over 4,700 residents and looked forward to meeting more during the forum.
“The citizens appreciate the fact that I’m putting as much sweat equity into this, because I take it so seriously. I mean, we’re having a complete changing of the guards and it’s the largest sheriff’s race in the country. So we’re just very blessed to be part of it,” he said.
Simons felt the event’s format was well organized and each candidate was truthful.
“Everybody tried to be as transparent as they possibly could. There were some questions that they may or may not have been prepared for, but I thought everybody did a fantastic job to the best of their ability. I think there was some commonality there. Really and truly, I think each and every candidate did a wonderful job,” he said.
Simons was glad the public could find answers to their questions and encouraged them to consider his experience and passion for the sheriff’s office at the ballot box.
Jimmy Dunn
Although Dunn has no law enforcement experience, he has forged a path as a leader in multiple careers, from the baseball field to Robins Air Force Base. With that experience comes connections, and he was grateful to catch up with old friends at the forum and share his take on improving his community.
“You get to see the faces and you kind of assess the tone there. And then you get into the questions and answers. I thought it went great. There were some questions on there that I noticed were being entertained by the community out there and obviously I answered the ones they wanted to hear and I speak straight from the heart,” he said.
Inspired by a town hall meeting the same night by the Warner Robins Police Department, Dunn said he wants to do more outreach in that format and keep an open door if elected sheriff.
“Communication is going to be the biggest thing … That’s my plan is to reach out to the community and the neighborhoods, sit down and talk to them, as part of my plan and my campaign. Just go into neighborhoods, have a rally and talk to them, do a question and answer on my own,” he said.
Dunn enjoyed the camaraderie between each candidate and is confident in their abilities.
“I was talking to Matt and Slate, and I said, ‘No matter what happens here, whoever wins this, as far as utilizing us somewhere, we’ve all got a good vision of where we’d like to see Houston County go in the future … We should coach on each other to get Houston County where it’s supposed to be,”’ he said.
During the debate, each candidate explained their stances on multiple issues, including fentanyl distribution, expanding the school resource officer program, FLOCK camera usage, and transparency at the sheriff’s office. Look for their stances in a future edition of The Journal.
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