Newcomer Phyliss Hightower to challenge Beverly for District 143 House Seat
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – There’s a newcomer on the ballot for District 143 State Representative who will run against current State Rep. James Beverly.
Phyliss Hightower is challenging 7 year State Representative James Beverly for the position representing the district she lives in on the east side of town.
“Somebody needs to be there to fight for those funds and I believe I’m the somebody that we need to do that,” Hightower said.
What she lacks in experience, she makes up for in drive.
“I’ve not been in politics before, but I’ve been civically interested much of my life,” she said.
She’s looking to prove herself as the next state representative for District 143.
“In this situation, I decided a lot of promises that were made by my opponent had not been kept,” Hightower continued.
Her opponent State Rep. James Beverly has held the position for nearly a decade and says in that time, he’s accomplished quite a bit for the betterment of his constituents.
“When it comes to getting people jobs, when it comes to actually moving land, when it comes to actually expanding I-16/I-75 and bringing macroeconomic opportunities for this community, I’ve done a lot,” Beverly explained.
One of his biggest local projects created jobs for dozens of unemployed men in the community working construction for GDOT on the 1-75/I-16 interstate expansion. He says he’s not done just yet.
“How do we make sure that the other 14 communities beyond Pleasant Hill are actually getting some of that money? I think that’s a big thing we need to do to deal with blight and poverty,” Beverly told 41NBC.
Hightower says if she’s chosen to represent the district, her top priorities will be focusing on Macon-Bibb’s poor and elderly populations.
“I want to see over 600,000 Georgians who are without healthcare and don’t have access to hospitals be able to have that access,” she added.
Prison Reform is another platform point the Hightower says she’s looking to see change for in the state of Georgia.
Beverly says his number one priority remains the same–finding ways to promote economic growth in the community. He believes he has an edge on Hightower because of his experience and reputation up at the state capitol in Atlanta.
The days until the general election are dwindling and it’ll be up to East-side residents to decide who they look to for change.
Election day for District 143 is May 22nd.
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