Micah King discusses run for Georgia House District 157

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Micah King, a candidate for Georgia House District 157, said he is running to give voters more options and to make sure the district’s communities “get the resources that we deserve.”

King said he is a lifelong resident of House District 157 and is raising his family in Glenville. He currently works as a career counselor for the Transition Assistance Program, which helps soldiers find jobs as they leave the military. He served four years on Glenville City Council before deciding to run for state representative.

King said the decision to run came together around the winter before qualifying.

“If no one else was going to step up and do it, somebody needed to,” King said. He said democracy “works best when you have options” and that his goal is to give people a voice, “whether I win or not.”

King, said voters should trust him because he lives with the consequences of decisions made at the Statehouse.

“I’m a part of the working class, so any decision I make that influences how much things cost or how we can buy certain things, that’s going to impact me,” King said. He said decisions on schools and teachers will affect his children, who attend public school. “I’m not separated from the issues. I’m directly related. I’m in the issues, and I plan to lead from that position,” he said.

Veterans’ services

King said he wants Georgia to remain attractive to veterans leaving Fort Stewart who settle in Southeast Georgia, including Savannah, Hinesville, Glenville, Reidsville and Claxton.

He said the district needs veteran centers so veterans do not have to drive two to three hours to reach a veteran resource center, along with adequate veteran health care and access to clinics. He also said veterans need help connecting their military skill sets to job opportunities after they leave the service.

Rural health care

King said rural health care is “a huge issue” in the district, citing hospitals in Evans County and Jeff Davis and Appling counties that are in danger of closing. He said the district needs hospitals, clinics and doctors, along with access to good food and preventive care, as well as dental care for children.

King said long drives for medical appointments take time away from work and family. He said his family has driven to Savannah, about an hour and a half from Glennville, for appointments. “That’s a whole day pretty much gone after the appointment,” he said.

Maternal health and Medicaid

King, a father of six, said maternal health care access is a concern in Tattnall County and across the district, where he said a majority of residents are below the poverty line, including many who are employed.

He said his family has driven to Statesboro for maternal health emergencies, including one involving one of his daughters.

Agriculture policy

King called agriculture “king” in Southeast Georgia and said he wants to connect small family farms and large farms to grocery stores, distributors and school lunch programs. Even saying local producers could supply school lunches.

Education and youth programs

King said he wants to focus on literacy and math scores by partnering with churches, retired teachers and community organizations to support students outside of school hours, including during breaks such as fall break.

Property taxes

King said he wants to prevent longtime residents, including elderly homeowners, from being penalized by rising property values through higher tax bills.

He said he has talked to residents in Baxley who do not plan to sell their homes but face higher taxes as property values rise. He said he would work with tax assessors and real estate professionals to determine criteria, such as length of residency or age, for potential relief programs.

Broadband access

King said rural broadband access is needed to support businesses, schools, farms and other institutions, citing his church’s difficulty livestreaming oftentimes.

He said funding and grants for broadband expansion already exist at the federal level and said the work involves connecting counties with the right companies and informing residents how to access existing programs.

Criminal justice

King said Georgia’s prison system needs attention, citing Smith State Prison, located near the district.

He said he supports accountability but wants to see rehabilitation programs and reintegration support for people leaving incarceration.

He said adequate staffing is needed so that local emergency resources, including ambulances, are not strained by responding to the prison.

Party politics

Asking where he disagrees with his own party, King said he supports Second Amendment rights and described himself as a proponent of gun rights, citing hunting and fishing traditions in rural Georgia. He also said he believes some cultural debates are not part of what legislators are supposed to govern.

Asked how he plans to appeal to voters in a traditionally conservative district, King, a Democrat, said he encourages voters to evaluate candidates based on policy rather than party. “I’m Micah King before I’m a Democrat,” he said.

City council record

King said his four years on Glenville City Council were shaped in part by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said a goal during that time was uniting the city and making sure all communities received an equal share of resources, a goal he said he wants to pursue again at the state level.

Campaign promise

King said he promises to remain accessible to constituents, including sharing his direct contact info, as he did while on city council.

King’s campaign website is voteGA157.com

King is hosting a candidate town hall and forum Saturday night at 6 p.m. at the South Tattnall Middle school gym. It is free and open for the public to attend.

See full interview below: