The responses to these questions were edited for length and clarity by the Georgia Decides team. Each candidate was allotted 150 words for each answer and some answers were trimmed in order to abide by that length requirement. Other edits were made to make sure readers can fully follow and understand the candidate responses.

 

Campaigning for: US Senator

What role should government have in the lives of Georgians? How would you apply that philosophy to the job you are seeking?

The role of the government is clearly defined in our U.S. Constitution. It exists to secure the blessing of liberty for all Americans — not to control our lives. Strong national defense, secure borders, limited government and opportunity for all are what I believe in. It is what I will fight for as Georgia’s next U.S. Senator.

If you are elected (or re-elected), what problems will you spend the most time solving and why?

I will focus first and foremost on fixing the economy. Inflation is way too high and Georgia families are suffering. We need to find solutions that lower the cost of living, get inflation under control, and give everyone the opportunity to succeed. Higher taxes and more spending are not going to get the job done. We need less debt, less inflation and more economic growth. Crime and border policy are also priorities. The situation on the border is terrible. Drug cartels and human traffickers are exploiting the open border and bringing across drugs and crime that are hurting people. To help control crime and improve national security we must secure the border.

Georgia is a politically diverse state. How will you work to represent Georgians whose political views differ from your own?

I have worked well with people from backgrounds different than my own for my entire life. On the football field, in business, in charitable efforts, and now, in running for office. I have always sought to unite people behind worthy causes. I know that not every answer comes from one political party. I will always keep an open mind and work across the aisle to find solutions to our problems.

Who has been the biggest influence on how you view state government and politics? What have you learned from this person?

I am not a politician. I don’t talk like one, dress like one or act like one. I don’t dance and sing for anybody. I plan to map my own way forward and do whatever I need to do to serve the best interests of the people of Georgia and ensure that every single Georgian has the opportunity to succeed and live a free, happy and healthy life.

Georgia has a lot to offer current and potential residents, but many parts of the state are becoming increasingly unaffordable. Please explain your proposed approach to address housing affordability through federal legislation and executive actions?

Housing costs are much too high in some parts of Georgia. Rising interest rates and inflation are making it even harder for many people to buy a home. We need to make sure federal policies do not get in the way of building more housing. It is simple: if we encourage more housing to be built, prices will come down.

Politics is often about compromise. How do you decide when to compromise and take small, incremental wins, and when to refuse compromise?

In life and especially in politics, you do not get your way 100% of the time. I have my core beliefs and principles and I will never compromise my principles. The job of a senator is to find the best ways to advance those principles through the legislative process. I have always been a uniter and a problem solver and that is what I will be as your next senator.

There were politicians who questioned the outcomes of Georgia elections in 2018 and 2020. Do you think Georgia’s elections are secure and will you stand by the results?

After the 2020 election, Gov. Brian Kemp and the Republican legislature enacted serious reforms to Georgia’s electoral process that significantly improved election security in our state. Despite over-the-top rhetoric from Democrats and the liberal media, Georgians are now more confident that only legal votes are counted in our elections.

Note: In January 2021, before he was a U.S. Senate candidate, Herschel Walker made a call on Twitter to “prosecute all the bad actors,” in making baseless claims of voter fraud.

In light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on abortion, state law and local enforcement authority will determine access to abortion. If elected, how will you use your authority in the U.S. Senate to influence abortion access or enforcement of abortion restrictions?

I am pro-life and I believe the issue of abortion is best left up to the people’s representatives in the state legislature, as it is with many other issues.

The U.S. Senate often votes along party lines. When will you see bipartisan action and which issues merit such consensus?

Every issue is different and the context around each vote is unique. I will stand with my party when I believe it is appropriate to do so and I will seek bipartisan compromise if I believe there is a path to a positive outcome by doing so. I do not believe in compromise for the sake of it, but I will keep an open mind and work with anyone to find solutions that protect our Constitution and advance opportunity for all Georgians.