Coweta County resident and state Senate candidate Mitch Seabaugh was to receive support from the state's top Republican elected official this week, Seabaugh announced Thursday.

State School Superintendent Linda Schrenko demonstrated her support for Seabaugh by coming to Coweta County to help him knock on doors and greet voters in the county.

“I'm always unusual,” Schrenko was quoted as saying in a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution article when asked about her decision to endorse candidates in Republican primary races. “It is unusual, and I normally wouldn't do it.”

Schrenko said she is endorsing opponents of legislators who voted for Gov. Roy Barnes' education reform package this year. “This bill has made everything I've done as a Republican and as an educator... it has trivialized it,” she said. “I honestly think it's bad for the schools of Georgia. I see it as a civic duty.”

Seabaugh is challenging incumbent Rick Price of Fayetteville, who voted to bring an early version of Barnes' education bill to the Senate floor for debate. Price later voted against the final bill.

Price also is opposed by two other Republicans, Dan Lakly and Charlie Harper.

“Supt. Schrenko and I have the same concern, the future of our children's education in Georgia,” Seabaugh Said. “My campaign is the only one that has offered specific proposals that will provide our teachers with the tools they need to do what they do best - teach.”

Seabaugh released proposals regarding education in June. “These proposals come from listening to the concerns of teachers at every level in this district,” Seabaugh said. “After we pointed out the concerns we then put together a plan to address those concerns.

“My campaign has been about showing what we can do and what we are for, not just pointed out what we disagree with.”

Seabaugh lives in East Coweta County and is a candidate for the state Senate District 28, which covers all of Coweta County along with portions of Fayette and Spalding Counties. The primary is next Tuesday, July 18.