Tyler Harper
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Update|part=|date=February 2023|reason=Needs updating}}{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Tyler Harper
|image = Tyler Harper cropped.jpg
|caption = Harper in 2023
|office = Agriculture Commissioner of Georgia
|governor = Brian Kemp
|term_start = January 12, 2023
|term_end =
|predecessor = Gary Black
|successor =
|state_senate1 = Georgia
|district1 = 7th
|term_start1 = January 14, 2013
|term_end1 = January 9, 2023
|predecessor1 = Greg Goggans
|successor1 = Nabilah Islam
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|4|19}}
|birth_place = Irwin County, Georgia, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|education = Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
University of Georgia (BS)
|signature=Tyler Harper Signature.png
}}
Tyler Harper (born April 19, 1986) is an American politician who serves as the Agriculture Commissioner of Georgia since 2023. He previously served in the Georgia State Senate representing the 7th district from 2013 to 2023.{{cite web|url=http://www.senate.ga.gov/senators/en-US/Member.aspx?Member=804&Session=25 |title=Georgia State Senator Tyler Harper (Republican – 7) |publisher=Senate.ga.gov |date= |accessdate=2019-03-13}}{{cite web|author=Dave Miller |url=http://www.walb.com/story/37246245/ocilla-senator-leads-environmental-committee/ |title=Ocilla senator leads environmental committee |publisher=Walb.com |date=2018-01-11 |accessdate=2019-03-13}}
Background
A native of Ocilla, Georgia, Harper is a 7th generation South Georgia farmer who runs a peanut, cotton, beef cattle, and timber operation on the same land his family has farmed for over 125 years.{{Cite web |last=Bluestein |first=Greg |title=Georgia 2022: Tyler Harper is running for agriculture commissioner |url=https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/georgia-2022-tyler-harper-is-running-for-agriculture-commissioner/XZLI2LVIKZBOJOEV2CA5J7FOIM/ |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=Political Insider (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) |language=English}}
Georgia Senate
While in the Senate, he served as Chairman of the Natural Resources and the Environment Committee and Vice Chairman of the Public Safety Committee. He was also a member of the Appropriations Committee and Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.{{Cite web |date=February 2018 |title=Senator Tyler Harper |url=https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/bios/harper-tyler-804.pdf}}
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner
On June 29, 2021, Harper announced his campaign for Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture.{{Cite web |last=Bluestein |first=Greg |title=Georgia 2022: Tyler Harper is running for agriculture commissioner |url=https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/georgia-2022-tyler-harper-is-running-for-agriculture-commissioner/XZLI2LVIKZBOJOEV2CA5J7FOIM/ |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=Political Insider (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) |language=English}} On May 24, 2022, Harper won the Republican primary for State Agriculture Commissioner in which he was running unopposed.{{Cite web |title=Unopposed candidates quickly claim victory as precincts close |url=https://www.ajc.com/live-updates/politics/unopposed-candidates-quickly-claim-victory-as-precincts-close/WGHBJIF2BBDSNBVBCCBJSYL7CY/ |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=ajc |language=English}} He was endorsed by former Governor Roy Barnes, a Democrat.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Dave |date=2022-10-14 |title=Former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes endorses Republican Tyler Harper for ag commissioner |url=https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/catoosa_walker_news/news/former-democratic-gov-roy-barnes-endorses-republican-tyler-harper-for-ag-commissioner/article_618ddc80-4b24-11ed-ad8e-1fe77e5f7aac.html |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Northwest Georgia News |language=en}}
Harper won against a Democrat, a Libertarian, and an independent in the November 8, 2022 general election.{{Cite web |last=Nolin |first=Jill |title=Gov. Brian Kemp Wins, and So Do Down-Ballot Republicans |url=https://flagpole.com/news/news-features/2022/11/14/gov-brian-kemp-wins-and-so-do-down-ballot-republicans/ |website=Flagpole|date=14 November 2022 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{s-bef|before=Gary Black}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Agriculture Commissioner of Georgia|years=2022}}
{{s-inc|recent}}
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{{s-bef|before=Gary Black}}
{{s-ttl|title=Agriculture Commissioner of Georgia|years=2023–present}}
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{{Georgia statewide political officials}}
{{U.S. Agriculture Commissioners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harper, Tyler}}
Category:Georgia (U.S. state) commissioners of agriculture
Category:Republican Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators
Category:People from Ocilla, Georgia
Category:21st-century members of the Georgia General Assembly