Jack Zibluk, a Lookout Mountain resident and professor at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (UTC), officially announced his candidacy for Georgia’s 53rd State Senate District on Saturday, June 28. His campaign launched at the Dade County Democratic picnic held at Cloudland Canyon State Park.

Zibluk aims to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Colton Moore, who garnered headlines earlier this year following his arrest for violating a ban on entering the Georgia House chamber.

“For too long, the residents of this district haven’t had a voice—or, frankly, a brain and a body working on their behalf,” Zibluk stated, criticizing Moore for what he described as a focus on “partisan division and grandstanding” rather than effective representation for the people of Dade, Walker, Catoosa, Chattooga, and Floyd counties.

Zibluk, 65, is a former department head of communication at UTC. He describes himself as a “recovering journalist” and a “radically pragmatic” candidate. He previously ran for state representative, an experience he says provided valuable insight into campaigning. “This time, I sort of have a clue about what I’m doing,” he joked regarding his increased preparedness.

His current campaign is notably more organized, with Atlanta-based campaign manager April Lakeman brought on board to lead fundraising and voter outreach efforts. Zibluk has also garnered support from Democratic committees in Dade and Walker Counties, areas where he has been actively involved for the past two years.

Zibluk’s campaign will center around what he terms “common ground issues,” including regional economic development, environmental protection, transportation safety, and access to healthcare, with a particular emphasis on mental health services.

“These aren’t Republican or Democratic problems,” Zibluk affirmed. “They’re community problems. I’m not in this to make noise—I’m here to do a good job for the people.”