# Public Service Commission — District 5 — 2026 Candidates — The GA Files > Where the 2026 candidates for Georgia Public Service Commission — District 5 stand — bio, prior offices, top donors, positions on DEI, LGBTQ+, abortion, and data centers, plus any scandals. Sourced. *Source: https://thegafiles.com/candidates/psc-district-5.html · The GA Files (thegafiles.com)* --- [← 2026 Candidates](https://thegafiles.com/candidates.html) # Public Service Commission — District 5 D ### Shelia Edwards Democratic nominee A South Cobb community advocate and small-business owner, and a veteran of Atlanta city government and Democratic politics who once worked for the late Rep. David Scott. She won the District 5 Democratic primary outright — her second PSC primary win after a 2022 race the courts postponed. #### Previously held - Community advocate; small-business owner - Atlanta city government; Democratic campaigns - Staff to the late Rep. David Scott #### Top contributors A true shoestring campaign — her PSC committee reports only about $11,000, led by a single $3,050 donor and otherwise small individual checks, with no utility or industry-PAC money among her contributors. - $3,050.00 — Cummings, Terry (Mableton, GA) - $1,000.00 — Lee, Rock (FORTSON, GA) - $505.00 — JRDL Services, LLC (Fortson, GA) - $500.00 — Beverly, James (Macon, GA) - $300.00 — Kang, Michelle (Suwanee, GA) - $250.00 — Owens, Reshaun (Hampton, GA) - $250.00 — Blount, Sorretinia (Mableton, GA) **$10,906** raised · **$25** cash on hand — as of **Jun 18, 2026** (GA Ethics latest filing). Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shelia_Edwards) · [Transparency USA (GA filings)](https://www.transparencyusa.org/ga) #### Where they stand Data centers Runs on “people before profits”; she has not published a detailed data-center plan but, like other Democrats in these races, frames the fight as keeping data-center costs off ordinary ratepayers. Source: [Georgia Recorder — ten candidates, two seats](https://georgiarecorder.com/2026/05/15/ten-candidates-compete-for-two-seats-on-georgias-powerful-utility-commission/) Georgia Power rates & bills Campaigns squarely on lowering Georgia Power's monthly bills. Source: [AJC — Edwards wins Democratic PSC primary](https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/05/shelia-edwards-wins-democratic-psc-primary-as-gop-contest-heads-to-runoff/) Solar & renewables Wants the PSC to push Georgia Power to add more clean energy to the grid. Source: [AJC — Edwards wins Democratic PSC primary](https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/05/shelia-edwards-wins-democratic-psc-primary-as-gop-contest-heads-to-runoff/) Energy mix (coal, gas, nuclear) Favors a cleaner generation mix; her focus is affordability and environmental justice over fossil expansion. Source: [Shelia Edwards campaign](https://www.shelia4psc.com/about) Plant Vogtle & cost overruns Has not detailed a Plant Vogtle position; she frames the office around consumer protection and accountability. Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shelia_Edwards) Utility profits & accountability Built her campaign on bringing accountability back to utility regulation — “people before profits.” Source: [Shelia Edwards campaign](https://www.shelia4psc.com/) Energy affordability & low-income Centers her campaign on utility affordability for everyday families, drawing on work in housing affordability and environmental justice. Source: [Shelia Edwards campaign](https://www.shelia4psc.com/about) Climate & environment An environmental-justice advocate who wants more clean energy on the grid. Source: [Shelia Edwards campaign](https://www.shelia4psc.com/about) #### Scandals None documented. [Campaign site](https://www.shelia4psc.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shelia_Edwards) R ### Josh Tolbert Republican nominee A small-business owner and professional engineer — four engineering degrees including a PhD, more than 15 years in power generation, and a former nuclear-energy-company CTO. He won the June 2026 Republican runoff pitching himself as “an engineer at the table.” #### Previously held - Professional engineer (PhD, mechanical engineering) - CTO / VP Engineering, nuclear-energy company - 15+ years in power generation & energy infrastructure #### Top contributors Funded mostly by a few large donors — the Drummond Charitable Trust and Mark Lynn (and his firm) — plus family and small contributions; itemized donors are filed with the Georgia Ethics Commission. - $13,200.00 — Drummond Charitable Trust (Miami Beach, FL) - $8,400.00 — Lynn, Mark (Nashville, TN) - $8,400.00 — Mark Lynn & Associates (Nashville, TN) - $2,000.00 — Tolbert, Robertt (Wilsonville, AL) - $1,000.00 — Styles, Parker (Watkinsville, GA) - $1,000.00 — Butler, Stephen (Atlanta, GA) - $643.49 — Tolbert, Joshua (Smyrna, GA) **$36,993** raised · **$64,716** cash on hand — as of **Jun 15, 2026** (GA Ethics latest filing). Source: [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Josh_Tolbert) · [Transparency USA (GA filings)](https://www.transparencyusa.org/ga) #### Where they stand Data centers An engineer who raises concerns about who bears data-center costs and whether they land on ordinary ratepayers, signaling support for measures targeting large energy users. Source: [Decaturish — candidates talk data centers](https://www.decaturish.com/voter_guide/public-service-commission-candidates-talk-data-centers/article_1019ed9c-dc4f-4c22-b375-d867bd781010.html) Georgia Power rates & bills Pitches himself as the “engineer at the table” to scrutinize utility plans and defend ratepayers on affordability. Source: [GPB — candidates converge on affordability](https://www.gpb.org/news/2026/04/29/in-public-service-commission-race-candidates-converge-on-affordability) Solar & renewables Frames the debate around affordability and reliability rather than a renewables push. Source: [AJC — power bills, data centers dominate GOP debate](https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/04/power-bills-data-centers-dominate-republican-georgia-psc-debate/) Energy mix (coal, gas, nuclear) Pro-nuclear but cost-conscious — would back new nuclear only with strict cost controls, with overruns falling on private investors, not ratepayers; argues grid reliability must sometimes outweigh a blanket anti-rate-hike stance. Source: [Factually — who is Josh Tolbert](https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/2026-republican-race-ga-public-service-commissioner-district-5-josh-tolbert-d27d90) Plant Vogtle & cost overruns Says nuclear's cost problem is federal regulation, not something the PSC can fix; supports future nuclear only if overruns hit private investors rather than ratepayers. Source: [Factually — who is Josh Tolbert](https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/2026-republican-race-ga-public-service-commissioner-district-5-josh-tolbert-d27d90) Utility profits & accountability Casts the PSC as a technical, non-partisan watchdog — “whether you're red or blue… green is what matters.” Source: [Factually — who is Josh Tolbert](https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/2026-republican-race-ga-public-service-commissioner-district-5-josh-tolbert-d27d90) Energy affordability & low-income Makes affordability a cornerstone, paired with grid reliability. Source: [GPB — candidates converge on affordability](https://www.gpb.org/news/2026/04/29/in-public-service-commission-race-candidates-converge-on-affordability) Climate & environment Frames the issue technocratically around cost and reliability rather than climate goals. Source: [AJC — power bills, data centers dominate GOP debate](https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/04/power-bills-data-centers-dominate-republican-georgia-psc-debate/) #### Scandals None documented. [Campaign site](https://www.teamtolbert.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Josh_Tolbert) [⬇ Share image](https://thegafiles.com/share/candidates/psc-district-5.png) [⬇ Download for offline](https://thegafiles.com/candidates/psc-district-5.offline.html) Every entry is drawn from published reporting, official records, or the candidate's own statements, with sources on each item. Policy summaries are condensed from that reporting and reflect the candidate's stated positions; where a matter is an allegation or unresolved, that is noted, and inclusion is not a finding of guilt. Contributor figures are early/partial where the official itemized filings (Georgia Ethics Commission) are still being compiled. Corrections welcome via the contact link in the footer. Last updated 2026-06-17.