Martha Mitchell Zoller

She was 66, and for over three decades she remained one of the most credible conservative voices and commentators on state politics. She had announced a final broadcast of her WDUN program on June 26 after suffering a stress-related heart attack.

Coming from Georgia, Zoller earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism in 1979. Before broadcasting, she worked in retail management but left the field to raise her children and help her husband’s medical practice. Her radio career started in 1994 after her regular calls into WDUN. In one of her calls, she engaged with Hillary Clinton on her statement about “staying home and baking cookies.” People started to take notice, and soon she would become the co-host of a midday program and, not long after, launch her solo show, leading to her rise as Georgia’s conservative voice.

She also received a Georgia Association of Broadcasters GABBY Award for Best Locally Produced Talk Show in 1997. Through 2009, she worked at the Gainesville-based station and went on to anchor The Martha Zoller Show in 2019, which aired on AM 550 and FM 102.9. Surprisingly, Zoller returned to UGA in 2021 to earn a Master’s degree in political science, where her thesis focused on women’s electoral success in the Republican Party, reflecting one of her career focuses.

Zoller’s reputation and influence extended far beyond those of typical talk radio hosts, as she brought a North Georgian perspective on various issues across national outlets such as CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and many others during her appearances. On Sundays, she was a familiar presence at “The Georgia Gang” on FOX 5 Atlanta, representing her roots. She made a habit of starring in Talkers Magazine’s “Heavy Hundred” list of the most influential talk radio hosts in the US. Georgia Trend and James Magazine also recognized her as one of Georgia’s most influential media and political figures.

Zoller’s contributions extended to public service. She lost to Doug Collins when she ran for Georgia’s 9th Congressional District seat but achieved legitimacy and strategic elevation. However, it didn’t stop her from serving in senior roles under Senator David Perdue and Governor Brian Kemp. Under Kemp, she served as the director of field offices and was appointed to the State Board of Nursing Home Administrators in 2019 for a three-year term. A year later, she was appointed to the State Board of Education, a position she held until her death.

Her contributions seem limitless, as she also chaired the Georgia United Victory Political Action Committee and served as an advisor to conservative candidates across the state. Zoller also served on the University of Georgia Alumni Board and the Beulah Rucker Museum and Educational Foundation.

At the time of her death, Kemp stated: “Marty, the girls, and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and a long-time fixture in Georgia politics, Martha Zoller.” The Georgia GOP gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson emotionally remarked: “I am heartbroken to learn that Martha Zoller has passed away. Martha was a dear friend to me for many years and someone who deeply loved Georgia, its people, and her family.” Georgia’s Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff called her "a respected stalwart of Georgia's civic community, an accomplished broadcaster, and a formidable activist." Her death was felt deeply across the political and media community.

Zoller was not only vocal but also brave, as she visited Iraq and Kuwait twice during the War on Terror. She attended the 2005 Department of Defense Joint Civilian Orientation Conference before the visits. Her affiliation with the military was deep, as her father, Frank Mitchell, was a World War II veteran who was captured in France and then escaped from a German prisoner-of-war camp.

While Zoller is no longer with us, she is survived by her husband, four children, and six grandchildren. The Memorial Park Funeral Home Riverside Chapel in Gainesville is handling arrangements, and Zoller was a member of the Gainesville First United Methodist Church. Zoller is gone, but her voice will echo!