Candidates for House Race 144 answer the questions on voters' minds based on Listening Lab Results
In sit down interviews with each candidate, 13WMAZ asked about issues important to you: Violent crime, poverty, and Inflation
13WMAZ is bringing the answers to questions you have for candidates for House Race 150 based on our Listening Lab survey.
This election cycle, we're incorporating the results we gathered from the Listening Lab surveys Central Georgians filled out earlier in the year.
In the Bibb, Jones, Monroe, and Putnam counties the top 5 issues participants pointed out were: violent crime, inflation, federal and state spending, immigration, and poverty.
We sat down with the two candidates in the race for House District 144: Republican Dale Washburn and Democrat Anita Hyland.
Here is what the candidates had to say:
Inflation listening lab issue 1
As a representative what kind of impact do you think inflation has in your district?
Washburn: it has an impact on everybody's district, and the people in my district are paying higher and higher food prices. For instance, I think food prices, both at the grocery store and in restaurants, are probably one of the things that people see and feel the effect of.
Hyland: The cost of food has gone up drastically, and people's wages aren't being matched with it, and it's a middle class that we have got to build up. But you know, Harris says that is so true. We got to build it up from the middle class
Violent Crime listening lab issue 2
What role do firearms play in your district and what needs to be done to address it?
Washburn: one young teenager shot another one at the Walmart building. Those are the kind of things that I guess I would think about and point to anything I had to identify a problem with guns and crime and young people
Hyland: gun regulations. People go through classes age limit. You know, you can't drink 21 Why shoot guns now for people that go hunting for you know, the kids and stuff like that. Like a learned permit, you got to have a parent with you, no kids with you
Poverty listening lab issue 3
How will you work to ensure progress within the homeless population?
Washburn: local communities should take action to provide safe housing for people to get them off the streets. I don't do not think it is a good thing to have people living in tents out in common areas.
Hyland: Mental Health. Lot of them, they need that. Some will be able to go back into society. Some won't. Yeah, and we got to be prepared for the ones that can't. So, to help them out, it's like no need to put them in a home and nursing home because they are productive
Dale Washburn, the house district 144 incumbent, lives in Bibb County. He's been a real estate broker and consultant for 49 years, real estate licensing instructor for 20 years, and a former county commissioner. Washburn is married and has four children, and six grandkids.
Anita Hyland is 66 years old. she lives in newborn Georgia, she was born and raised in Norfolk Virginia. and moved to Georgia in 1933. she says she is now retired and loves politics Hyland is married and has two children and six grandkids
This election cycle, we're incorporating the results we gathered from the listening lab surveys you filled out earlier in the year and curating a list of questions to ask candidates in Central Georgia.