Recap of Q&As with GA Senate candidates can prepare you for election in Columbus
Three candidates are competing in the Democratic primary for Georgia Senate District 15 in the Columbus area after state Sen. Ed Harbison announced he isn’t seeking reelection. Early voting begins April 27, with election day on May 19.
Only one Republican candidate is running for this seat: Charles Herbert Hand III.
District 15 comprises most of Muscogee County and all of six other counties: Chattahoochee, Macon, Marion, Schley, Talbot and Taylor.
Here are key takeaways from the Ledger-Enquirer’s interviews with the Democratic candidates:
• Edward D. Harbison, a public policy specialist and U.S. Air Force veteran, is a son of the retiring senator. He has more than 20 years of experience in public policy and community outreach, including work with the Georgia Department of Human Services. He said his top priority is expanding access to health care, economic opportunity and infrastructure in District 15. Click this link to read the full Q&A.
• State Rep. Teddy Reese, a licensed attorney who represents Georgia House District 140, said he is ready to serve on day one because of his four years of legislative experience. He highlighted his record of securing funding for Columbus State University, Columbus Technical College and local nonprofits, as well as efforts on tax cuts, health care and law enforcement support. He said affordability is the most significant problem facing the district, citing high costs for housing, food, health care and utilities. Click this link to read the full Q&A.
• Alyssa Nia Williams, a community organizer with an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, said she is running to ensure that every part of the district is heard. She identified the backlog and delay in court cases as one of the most significant issues she has heard from residents. She grew up in a single-parent home, earned her GED and helped cofound a nonprofit focused on addressing community violence and mentoring young girls. Click this link to read the full Q&A.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. All the Ledger-Enquirer articles linked in this recap were reported, written and edited by journalists.
