Decision 2024: Meet Dale Washburn, candidate for Georgia House District 144
Early voting began on October 15 and ends on November 1. Election day is November 5.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Anita Hyland and Dale Washburn are on the ballot for Georgia House District 144.
41NBC’s Monica Diaz-Meek spoke with Dale Washburn ahead of the November 5 election.
Candidate name: Dale Washburn
Running for: Georgia House District 144
Campaign Website: washburnforstatehouse.com
MONICA- Welcome back. Today we have Dale Washburn who is running for Georgia House district 144 for joining us. Thank you for being here today.
DALE- Honored to be with you today.
MONICA- I’m excited to have you. And I have a few questions for you today. Starting off, I want to ask, what are the main priorities you plan to address if you’re elected and how do you plan on doing so?
DALE- Well, my background is business, and I’ve been in the real estate business for 49 years. I’m very familiar with our property tax system and I have done a lot of work on that already. And I will be continuing to work on property taxes. I think our property tax system is unfair and outdated and needs a lot of work. And I will be continuing to work on that. Depending on what happens, we do have a constitutional amendment on the ballot that I urge everybody to vote yes for because it’s move in the right direction. That’s amendment number one. But I will be working more on property taxes and paying attention to that issue, particularly.
MONICA- Why do you think that you are the best candidate for this position? Why should folks elect you?
DALE- Well, I’ve been there six years. I’m finishing my third term. I have worked hard. When I got there, I wanted to get to know our leadership, of course, and I wanted to learn the legislative process, which I have worked hard to do and, wanted to, build relationships with, people across the aisle. I believe in, having good relationships with both parties in General Assembly. And I have done that, and I have been blessed to have a good legislative record. I’ve had a lot of success in legislation. I passed a bill down to the House. I carried a Senate bill through the House, at least one and every year. And then I’ve been there. So I do have experience as a legislator. I have a good committee portfolio. And I think with my experience in the committees that I have, I think I am the best candidate to continue to be the state representative for district 144.
MONICA- What is your reaction to record breaking voter turnout? What does that say to you about this current election cycle we’re in?
DALE-Well, I think it is very interesting. I’m hearing that from both sides. I was listening, a little bit as we were addressing to come today, and I was hearing both sides, both Democrats and Republicans, talk about their early voter turnout being so big. It certainly indicates that there’s a lot of concern about the country and about the direction of the country at the national level, I believe. And so, there’s a lot of interest in this election, and that’s a good thing. We are glad that people are turning out to vote. Good citizens should be aware, and they should vote. And that’s what that’s the foundation of our country and our democracy. And I think it’s a very good thing that we’re having such a big turnout right now.
MONICA- Why is it so important to you that you represent people here in middle Georgia? What does that mean to you, knowing that you can advocate for folks from a local level? Why is that so important?
DALE- Well, when I ran, I would always say in my campaign, stump speech to speak that, you know, if you send me to Atlanta, I will always vote for what’s best for Georgia’s families and what’s best for Georgia business. And those two things almost always compatible, because business has to be good for provide jobs for our people to be able to pay for everything that a family needs. And so I believe, that God’s plan for a civil, orderly society is all focused on my family unit operating the way it should. And I think that is, his plan for an orderly society. So I am very honored to be in the Georgia House of Representatives. It’s a great blessing for me to be there. I hope to be there a few more years. And so, I’m just honored to have the opportunity, to be there to advocate, for our families and for Georgia businesses.
MONICA- Well, thank you so much.
