AUGUSTA, GA – The four people running for the District 22 Senate seat recently vacated by Ed Tarver are as different as the city of Augusta.

But on Jan. 5, voters will have to pick between auto technician and Libertarian Party Richmond County Public Relations Director Kevin Bryant, former state Rep. Hardie Davis, Richmond County Solicitor Harold Jones and minister/music educator Sandra Cannon Scott.

To help voters make a better informed decision, and to keep it fair, the Metro Spirit decided to ask each candidate the same questions. The candidates’ responses, in alphabetical order, are presented below.

Metro Spirit: What made you decide to run for the District 22 seat?
Kevin Bryant: I don’t think there are many politicians out there that actually represent the middle class. The disconnection between politician and constituent has never been greater than now. I want Augustans to walk into the voter booth with better choices than in the past. People are tired of the same ideas, solutions and rhetoric.

Hardie Davis: I am running for the state Senate because I want to bring an end to the petty bickering, secret meetings and backroom deals that have hijacked our government. As a husband and father, I know the importance of good schools and safe streets… and good jobs. I will fight for the interests of working families. A race for the state Senate is no small task. As former Sen. Ed Tarver was being considered for the U.S. Attorney position, many people throughout the community came to me and asked that I run for the Senate.

Harold Jones: As I view the political landscape of our city and state, I realize that the interest of hardworking Augustans and Georgians are not being
addressed. In a city where 24 percent of our citizens live in or near the poverty line, it was interesting that our principal issue was the creation of a TEE
Center. Hopefully the TEE Center will produce economic development, but our principal focus should be attracting quality jobs at good wages.

Sandra Cannon Scott: Having been a professional educator for all of my adult life in diverse academic environments including pre-k through 12, a technical college, a private liberal arts college and a public university with undergraduate and graduate academic programs, I found myself in a position where I was receiving another calling on my life from the creator who had allowed me to “Be still, and know that he is God.” Obediently, I resumed my duties as a Sunday School teacher and became a part of the prison
ministry at Transformation United Methodist Church where I already served as Minister of Music. It was behind the prison walls where I actually found the freedom to be released from bondage and to accept the new calling.

MS: What sets you apart from your opponents?
KB: I’m not a politician, and won’t turn into one if elected. I am unorthodox in saying that government is not the answer to any problem in most cases. I’m not well connected to the political elite; I have no favors to call in. I consider myself middle class, and feel the pains of everyday folks.

HD: I am the only candidate with effective legislative experience. That alone is vital during what is being described as Georgia’s worst fiscal crisis in the history of the state. As a member of the House of Representatives, I have a demonstrated track record of providing leadership and credibility to Augusta’s efforts in Atlanta. I have worked on major pieces of legislation, such as the Statewide Water Management Plan and Georgia Power bill that brings over 3,000 jobs to the CSRA.

HJ: What sets me apart is experience. There are three principal issues facing our state: education, crime and economic development. As an educator and former prosecutor, I understand the value of a good education. I have been an adjunct professor of American government and business law at University of Phoenix, Georgia Military, Paine College and Voorhees College. As a professor, I understand the value of smaller classrooms.

SCS: New, fresh and full of positive potential, I am the candidate who is not a part of Augusta’s political past that has helped to create the current status quo. I am set apart from my opponents in many ways — some visible and some not. Those that are not visible include my innate abilities for creative, outside-of-the-box thinking; genuine compassion for humankind; generosity almost to a fault; and a quest for living the abundant life for myself and everyone with whom I come in contact.

MS: What are the most pressing issues in District 22 that you would focus on if elected?
KB: Taxes! We have to get the taxes down by decreasing spending on frivolous programs, selling state property and start hammering on oversight and fiscal accountability. Raising taxes is the easy way out, and it’s time we demand more out of our elected officials. Crime, personal freedom, state’s rights and pollution are important also.

HD: A key issue facing the 22nd District is strong, credible leadership that will represent the interests of the entire community. As a community, we are still fighting to overcome the perception of the old “boss” system, where a few misguided elected officials decide who is elected and what issues will be addressed without regard to the needs of the community. Another issue affecting large portions of our community is providing opportunities for jobs and education for those who have felony convictions. When individuals have paid their debt to society, they should be given a second chance at rebuilding their lives through employment and education opportunities.

HJ: My experience as prosecutor gives me a tremendous advantage over the other candidates in proposing reforms to the criminal justice system. I cannot stress enough that we need to decriminalize traffic offenses. This will free up time and valuable resources. By eliminating traffic from our docket we can institute a Domestic Violence Court and DUI court. We can also more efficiently and effectively prosecute serious violent offenders. In the area of economic development, I am the only candidate that has proposed two key initiatives. First, I propose we adopt the mantra of retain and recirculate. ... I also propose that we develop partnerships with corporations and our community colleges.

SCS: The most pressing issues in District 22 on which I would focus if I were elected
include the following priorities as enumerated by the constituents with whom I have already communicated: unemployment, underemployment and economic instability; women’s issues (poverty, domestic violence, rape, HIV-AIDS, homelessness, teen pregnancy, etc.); veterans, the disabled, seniors, adults, youth and children without access to networks and resources; educational access and quality; universal health care; comprehensive access to technology; reduction in the recidivism rate (repeat offenders) in the juvenile justice system and in correctional institutions to shut the revolving door; and environmental protection of all natural resources including water, soil and air; and all living things.

MS: How would you attempt to better unite Augusta?
KB: It’s not my job to unite Augusta. Laws and regulations do not create unity.
Government is useless in these situations, and normally does more harm than good. It is going to take the individuals on both sides that cause issues to fade into the background before things will change. My advice to all is to listen to one another, get off the defensive and stop being so sensitive that it halts simple conversation. I think political correctness has led us to a new era of oversensitivity that we can’t even talk to one another without fear of offending.

HD: Uniting Augusta is not a task any one individual can accomplish, nor should it be. Each of us as citizens in Augusta has a responsibility to use our centers of influence to model the Golden Rule and “Do onto others as you would wish them do onto you.” It is important to understand that every person has inherent rights as a human and those rights should not be violated because of race, religion or sex. As a leader, husband, father, state representative, engineer and pastor, I have always been a consensus builder. I would use these experiences as a private citizen to engage the church community in helping to truly transform Augusta.

HJ: I think average Augustans are united. Every Augustan regardless of race, color or creed wants good schools, a good quality of life, safety for their children and the ability to achieve their goals for their family. The problem is we are constantly told that we have different interests. As your senator, I am going to emphasize what we have in common. The hopes and dreams of our families far outweigh any political differences that may arise between elected officials.

SCS: I would better unite Augusta by encouraging communication on all levels so that Augustans understand that there are more commonalities than differences among us. All Augustans need to be able to meet their basic needs in a safe, secure environment. If we want to collectively flourish, we must make certain that individual citizens have access to the resources that they need for themselves and for their families.

MS: How do you think Augusta is viewed by the rest of the state?
KB: We have several advantages other people in Georgia envy. We can capitalize on those things, such as cost of living, the river and secondary education sources, or we can be just average. Are we the “Garden City” or the “garden variety city?” I think we are a great city, and nothing irks me more than hearing the word “Disgusta.”

HD: Augusta’s perception by many across the state is a mixed bag. When one looks back on recent events, there have been incidences where elected officials did not provide the best representation or reflect the good of Augusta. I believe in the past four years, perceptions have improved under the Gold Dome.

HJ: As a prosecutor I have the opportunity to travel throughout the state. Many persons see Augusta as a city with untapped potential. As your state Senator, it is time to realize our potential. We are going to focus on our common goals and together we can create a unified progressive agenda that works for all of Augusta.

SCS: I believe that Augusta is viewed positively by the rest of the state because it is the home of the Augusta National. For one week, the eyes of the world are focused on Augusta and its golf heritage. Most of its citizens who choose to participate make economic gains during this one week annually. The other 51 weeks of the year depict Augusta as a tale of two cities: Some citizens are flourishing while others are languishing in hopelessness and helplessness.