Georgia House Dist. 167: Buddy DeLoach, Nathaniel Hicks, Jr.

DeLoach

I want us to complete our work on finding a way to reduce or eliminate property taxes for homeowners. We promised to do that, and it’s time to do that.

Some other things are also very important to me. Healthcare at a reasonable cost is one of them. I think the new governor will be Rick Jackson, and I believe he’ll find a way to do that.

We need to continue efforts to make sure our children can read. I think we’re on the right track to do that. We’ve adopted programs that have worked in other states such as Alabama and Mississippi.

The other thing that we need to continue to improve is our mental health systems. We’ve gotten off to a good start, and we’re a lot better off than we were four or five years ago. But we’re not there yet. We can’t quit.

Hicks

I believe we must get back to the basics.

I’d like to focus my attention on affordability. It’s really getting hard out here for our citizens. Prices are soaring in everyday hard commodities and in construction – gas prices, affordable housing, healthcare.

As I write this, the national average for regular gas sits around $4.33 per gallon, pushed higher by geopolitical supply disruptions linked to the war with Iran. Diesel prices and residential utility bills have also climbed, adding freight and shipping costs to downstream goods.

Out-of-pocket medical costs, including deductibles and premiums, are as biting to household budgets as gas prices. They’re rising faster than the general Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Housing costs remain a primary driver of household strain, with home prices up roughly 25 percent compared to pre-pandemic baselines. Acquiring a new home requires an average income of roughly $121,400 per household. This rules out a lot of Americans who are in search of the American dream.

DeLoach

Public service is a family tradition. My family was in the colony of Georgia before the Revolution, and as far back as that time, and ever since, we’ve always had family members involved in public life. I prepared for it. I studied both history and political science — my degree from the University of Georgia is a Bachelor of Arts in political science. As a lawmaker, one thing that I’ve always felt strongly is that it isn’t just the legislation you pass that matters; a big part of your job is to make sure bad legislation doesn’t get passed. Some legislators err by overreaching and thinking that any problem that exists, that the government ought to do something about it. That isn’t the way our system works. There are places for the government step in and provide certain services, but not in every case.

Hicks

I have been in public service my whole life. I served my country from 1986 to 1992 in the U.S. Marine Corps. I served my community from 1992 to 2005 as a firefighter and paramedic. I have served my fellow man since 1992 as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I hold an associate’s degree in criminal justice and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the College of Coastal Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Georgia State University. I attended the Florida Coastal School of Law for three-and-a-half years. I was elected president of the Mcintosh County branch of the NAACP earlier this year.

DeLoach

I’ve had some great friends in recent times that I think might qualify here. It might be surprising to know that a couple of them were Democrats, Zell Miller and Tom Murphy. When Murphy, the longtime speaker of the state House of Representatives, was off the floor, he was bitterly partisan. But when he was presiding over the House, gavel in hand, he was fair to everybody.

We’ve had people like Johnny Isakson, who really set a high bar for public service and the way it ought to be done. I admired him. I also admired [former state and U.S. Senator] Paul Coverdell. Both Isakson and Coverdell were very down to earth. There was nothing pompous about them. When you met with them and sat down with them, they were very humble and listened. They were very focused on what they could do to help with the situations you brought to them.

Hicks

President Jimmy Carter. He had a lifelong commitment to human rights, public service, and ethical leadership. As a former Georgia governor and the 39th U.S. president, Carter’s post-presidency work through the Carter Center exemplified a policy approach rooted in global peace, disease eradication, and election integrity. His legacy emphasizes humility, faith-driven diplomacy, and bipartisan cooperation. It serves as a blueprint for all of us aiming to prioritize humanitarian welfare and democratic principles above partisan politics.