If you didn't get the memo already.
Nichols declares candidacy for State House
By Valerie Baldowski
vbaldowski@henryherald.com
Jim Nichols, former chairman of the Henry County Democratic Party, has thrown his hat into the political ring.
Nichols has declared his intentions to run for the Georgia House of Representatives District 109 seat, which is currently occupied by Steve Davis (R-McDonough). Thursday, he officially filed his intent to raise campaign contributions.
Nichols, 28, served as party chairman from February 2008 until January 2009. A Stockbridge resident, he works at United Parcel Service in Forest Park.
"I have spent a number of years working in politics at the grassroots level," he said. "I've matured in the political process."
He graduated from American River College in Sacramento, Calif., in 2004, after earning an Associate's Degree, with an emphasis in political science. He is currently majoring in Philosophy at Georgia State University in Atlanta.
Nichols has worked with advocacy and community organizations in the past, including Amnesty International, and the Save Darfur Coalition, a group dedicated to educating the public, he said, about what he termed "ongoing genocide in Darfur."
He currently serves on the National Advisory Board for Democracy For America, a national organization working to train constituents on how to get involved in the political process.
State Rep. Debbie Buckner (D-Columbus), who worked with Nichols during the 2008 legislative session, vouched for the qualifications he would bring to the job. "He's very knowledgeable on issues and topics that working families are concerned about," said Buckner. "I think he would bring a fresh perspective."
She said Nichols served as a legislative aide last year, and he received the Legislative Aide of the Year Award from the Young Democrats earlier this year.
Nichols, Buckner said, has a creative solution to issues, and his creativity is needed in the current economy. His energy and outlook on the issues make him a strong candidate, she added. "I think he could be a good leader."
Nichols said the government is not doing a good job representing constituents. He chose to run for public office, he said, at the request of others. "A number of people actually asked me to run last term, against Steve Davis."
One of the critical issues facing the state, Nichols said, is the current economy. "First and foremost, we have to get Georgia moving in the right direction," he said. "This is probably the worst economy we've face in our generation."
Students are struggling to pay student loans, said Nichols, and others are looking hard to find jobs. Economically, he said, a number of "tough choices" need to be made, and he predicted that the process leading back to economic recovery will be a long one.
He pledged support for transportation reform, specifically the use of commuter rail throughout the state. "We have to get some kind of rail in this region," he said.
Nichols said he was not familiar with the details of the proposed "Brain Train," which would pass through the metro Atlanta area, but added that he favors the idea of alternative forms of transportation to relieve traffic and improve the quality of life in Henry County.
On a national level, Nichols said, problem areas needing to be addressed are health-care costs and the need for health-care reform. The national health-care issue is reflected at the local level, he said. "Here in Henry County, we rank 37th in the world when it comes to quality of health care," he said. "If we don't get control of health-care costs, we won't get control of the budget deficit."
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