By BECKY CRISSMAN

becky.crissman@gaflnews.com



VIENNA — With the general election only a few weeks away, candidates at all governmental levels are working hard to sway the public support to their favor.

The Dooly County Chamber of Commerce, Vienna Woman’s Club, and the Southwest Georgia United Empowerment Zone sponsored a candidates’ forum Tuesday night here to give the local area candidates a chance to meet the public and answer questions that are on the minds of registered voters in the area.

Tim Lewis of Americus served as moderator for the event with Hugh Richardson as time keeper.

Second Congressional District Representative Sanford Bishop and State Senator George Hooks were on the list of guest speakers, along with Lynmore James, Dooly County Commissioners Terrell Hudson and Harry Ward, and Bob Jeter who appeared on behalf of Senator Saxby Chambliss.

After the speakers finished making their comments, the candidates squared off in a Q & A event where each was required to answer the same five questions asked by the moderator.

Roy Gibbs and Buddy Harden, candidates for state representative to fill the position left vacant by the retirement of Johnny Floyd were the first to answer questions.

“Our rights are God given,” said Gibbs after being asked why he chose to run for the position. “Government should serve the people. I want to be the voice of the common man and restore the vision of our founding fathers.”

Gibbs also commented that his experience as a pastor and an educator gives him the ability to work with people from all walks of life.

“We must consider our children first,” Gibbs said. “We need to empower them. We must motivate them.”

In order to do that, Gibbs said, “we need to come up with new strategies and support programs to strengthen families.”

Harden said he chose to run because God has blessed him with the opportunity.

“Always take advantage of the opportunities that God places before us. I feel like I have the skills and the talent to understand the needs of the people,” Harden said.

Harden says, “we should begin to look into alternative means of energy and look into the oil we have off shore in Georgia.” He also feels that Georgia legislators need to work to help farmers gain some stability.

After they touched on their issues the forum moved on to the candidates for the position of Superior Court Judge- Judge T. Harry Hurt and Judge Chris Hughes.

Hughes claims to have the experience. He said he has wanted to be a judge since he got his first taste on the student judiciary of the University of Georgia where he graduated.

“My main goal is to uphold the last three words of our nation’s pledge... ‘and justice for all.’” Hughes said.

Hughes said he has experience working both sides of the fence. He has served as an attorney for indigent clients, as a criminal attorney, a municipal court judge in Fitzgerald and a general practice lawyer handling a variety of caseloads for 16 years.

Furthermore, he said he has served as juvenile judge and filled in on the Superior Court bench for Judge Whitfield Forrester for 6 years before his retirement.

Hurt says his love of the community in which he serves inspired him to run to continue service as Superior Court judge.

“I have already been in the position for a year. I want to continue giving back to this community. It is where I was raised, where I raised my family and where they are beginning to raise their families.”

Hurt said he had a strong desire to become a lawyer as a child but responsibilities kept it on hold until some years later. As a lawyer, Hurt has worked in both civil and criminal court and has argued cases to the Supreme Court.

Some of Hurt’s concerns are the decline in the family unit and the increasing number of children who are being born out of wedlock.

“It is a horrible problem,” Hurt said. “Young people need to be taught skills.”

Both Hughes and Hurt agree that crime is a factor and that much of it is caused by poverty and illegal drugs.

“I believe that we need to tailor sentences and help those that we can,” Hughes said. “Public defense may not be a happy topic but we need to keep that system funded.”

Hurt said that he will work to make sure that his decisions in the courtroom will be the decisions of the people.

Candidates made themselves available to the people after the forum. The election is Nov. 4.