With incumbent Jan Tankersley announcing her decision Wednesday not to seek re-election to the District 160 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives, Republican H. Lehman Franklin III announced Thursday his candidacy for the District 160 seat.
Franklin currently serves as the general manager of Franklin Toyota and vice president of the Franklin Automotive Group.
“I am running to ensure that our community has a voice in Atlanta,” Franklin said in an email release. “As a proud conservative, we have seen time and time again how liberals attack our values and work to destroy the constitution and as a job creator I have seen first-hand how the Biden administration has pushed prices higher at the pump and destroyed our small businesses.”
Franklin said he seeks to continue Tankersley’s mission in delivering economic development enhancements, creating higher education opportunities, and facilitating infrastructure improvement in our communities.

District 160 is comprised of portions of both Bulloch and Bryan counties. Tankersley was first elected to the seat in 2010. She will serve the remainder of her current term in office, which will expire when the Georgia General Assembly convenes for the 2023 legislative session.

“Jan Tankersley has done an amazing job for our community as our representative, and we need to make sure that we do not deviate from the strength of her leadership,” he said in the release.
Franklin, the son of the late H. Lehman Franklin, Jr. and Emily Keaton Franklin, grew up in Statesboro and graduated from Statesboro High School. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the Citadel Military College in 1997, and his master’s degree in business administration at Georgia Southern University.
According to the release, after graduating, Franklin said he was called to work as a missionary in Argentina for four years. Later, he helped establish “Marine Reach Ministries” and worked four years as the captain and ministry director of a crew of 30 on a 140 ft. sailboat. The ship served as a missionary training school based in the Mediterranean Sea.
Upon returning home, Franklin began work at Franklin Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, GMC, and Toyota. He resides in Stilson with his wife, Lorie.  
“I believe that I have become well-suited to represent District 160 in the Georgia General Assembly and it would be a great honor if elected to do so,” Franklin said.

Qualifying for all state elections in Georgia is March 7 to March 11. The primary is scheduled for May 24, with a runoff set for June 21, if needed. The general election is Nov. 8.