By Denise Etheridge, White County News
Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon, who is running against U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde in the 2026 Republican primary race for the Ninth Congressional District seat, made himself visible in White County last Thursday.
Couvillon attended a groundbreaking for the new White County fire station in the Mount Yonah area, and greeted voters at Ol’ Clyde’s Table and Tavern on Cleveland’s downtown square during the busy lunch hour.
Couvillon was elected mayor of Gainesville four years ago. He served on the Gainesville City Council from 2013-2021. Couvillon, a businessman, is a partner with Norton Agency Insurance.
Couvillon spoke to the News between campaign stops, claiming that, should he win, he can do a better job of advocating for the needs of local citizens than has Clyde and would be more responsive to local officials.
“Politics is really local,” Couvillon said. “Being a mayor, you see your constituents at the grocery store. And you get everything from a deer needs to be picked up off the side of the road to ‘I’ve got a pot hole in this road.’ At the end of the day, I’ve just always been a listening ear.”
“I don’t shy away from the tough phone calls,” he added. “Even if I have to say no.”
Couvillon said he wants to give the people of the ninth district that same level of service.
“I want to be as visible as I possibly can,” he said. “And not just in Hall County or Gwinnett County, I want to be visible in White County.”
Couvillon describes himself as “a common sense conservative.”
He said he would approach his office similar to the way former Rep. Doug Collins, now Secretary of Veterans Affairs, served north Georgia.
“With Doug Collins you had somebody who was responsive. With the current congressman that is not the case,” he said.
Couvillon said he supports the agriculture industry, pointing out that Gainesville is known as “the Poultry Capital of the World.” He said he
supports allocating funds to farmers who were hit hard by recent storms like Hurricane Helene.
Couvillon said he plans to speak with local Republican organizations across the district and will soon be returning to White County.
Clyde recently made an appearance in White County when he spoke to members of the White County Chamber of Commerce about the
Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” last month.
Along with Couvillon, other opponents challenging Clyde include Hall County Commissioner Gregg Poole, a Republican, and Nick Alex, a Democrat.