ATLANTA — A former Democrat who switched to Republican in the Georgia House of Representatives is challenging longtime State School Superintendent Richard Woods for next year’s GOP nomination.

Mesha Mainor, who clashed with Democrats over her support for private school vouchers, joins several Republicans who want to prevent Woods from winning a fourth term as the state’s education leader.

In July, Fred “Bubba” Longgrear, superintendent of the Candler County School District, said he would challenge Woods in the primary. Randell E. Trammel, who lives in Cartersville and is CEO of the Center for Civic Engagement , announced his candidacy in June, nearly a year after Nelva M. Lee. She is a Locust Grove entrepreneur Gov. Brian Kemp had appointed to a two-year term on the state Board of

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