Georgia Democrat Olu Brown talks bid for governor

Former pastor and current small business owner Olu Brown is turning to politics, eyeing the governor’s mansion.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Former pastor and current small business owner Olu Brown is turning to politics, eyeing the governor’s mansion.

“I’m offering myself for governor because I believe leaders go first and when we see a problem we want to be a part of that solution,” Brown said.

Brown says one solution he hopes to provide is protecting and expanding Medicaid. With nine rural Georgia hospitals closing in the last 15 years, and a 15% reduction in federal healthcare spending, Brown says Georgia’s next governor must work to fill in the gaps.

“We have to make sure we’re providing preventive healthcare, we’re providing mobile healthcare, we’re providing telehealth care, and we’re standing up hospital systems where and when we can to make sure every Georgian counts,” Brown said. 

Brown says while Georgia is often called the number one state to do business, it’s not the best place to work. He says he’ll work to boost the salaries for Georgia’s teachers, and more.

“We have to shift from a minimum wage in Georgia to a living wage,” Brown said. “We have to protect the retirement of Georgia’s citizens who work their whole lives and in their golden years can’t even afford to buy groceries.”

The Texas native says it was his faith that brought him to Georgia. A former pastor, Brown now serves as a leadership coach and consultant. He says a top priority of his campaign is helping other small business owners across the state by investing in capital and technology.

As pastor of the East Point United Methodist Church, Brown says he helped transform a 25-person congregation into a $4 million megachurch. While he hasn’t held an elected office, he says he’ll take the leadership experience and skills he’s learned in business and ministry to help Georgians.

“And that’s leading with honesty, leading with character, building teams and finding solutions to big problems,” Brown said.