On March 9, supporters and colleagues showed up to support former Milledgeville Mayor Floyd Griffin at his campaign rally for a seat on the new Georgia State House of Representatives District 149.
After serving as a Georgia Senator from the 25th District from 1995 to 1999, and the mayor of Milledgeville from 2001 to 2005, Griffin decided to come out of retirement for what he said is his “last time” running for an elected position.
Held at Central Georgia Technical College, the candidate’s rally consisted mostly of surrogate speakers who emphasized Griffin’s eligibility for the position due to his experience as a businessman, senator, mayor, and colonel.
Before guest speakers took to the podium, Griffin began his remarks by noting the importance of Women’s History Month and saluting the African American women whom he credits with helping him rise to the position he is in today.
The first to advocate for Griffin was the Mayor of Toomsboro Joyce Denson, who is a longtime friend and supporter of the candidate.
“We need somebody that’s not worried about their title, but somebody that’s willing to work… He’s already proven to be a worthy servant by investing in our military, so now he’s going to invest in the service of the whole community of the state of Georgia,” said Denson.
While Griffin is waiting for the conclusion of the legislative session to get a full understanding of what issues he wants to cover, he has a few that are at the forefront of his mind going into this election.
“Reproduction rights, voting rights, and Medicaid expansion…those are the top ones…There shouldn’t be anybody in America that doesn’t have medical care,” said Griffin When Griffin previously served in the House, he collaborated closely with Senator David Lucas dealing with legislation. Lucas attended the rally and spoke about the importance of Baldwin County in this election.
“The majority of the district is in Baldwin County…The challenge is on Baldwin County to send somebody who represents you that has an idea of what it’s all about,” stated Lucas.
Lucas was accompanied by his wife, former Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Elaine Lucas, who spoke on the importance of encouraging young voters to get out and vote for candidates who they feel represent them.
Griffin went on to reveal that his campaign slogan is “the urgency of now,” to represent the need for urgency in getting out to vote for someone who would help this country from a democratic stance.
“I chose this because there’s so much going on in the political arena in Georgia and in this nation. It is very important that we participate in the political process from the standpoint of voting,” stated Griffin.
Jack Ellis, the former mayor of Macon, was also present to champion his colleague of over 30 years. He stated that Griffin is the right man for the job because he can speak to local government thanks to his time serving as mayor of Milledgeville.
Griffin invited the chairman of the Macon Bibb County Democratic Party Joshua Billings to the podium after emphasizing the importance of Bibb County being behind him in this campaign.
“His philosophy that the fundamental duty of elected representatives is to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for each citizen, resonates with the community he serves,” said Billings.
If elected, Griffin plans to continue to use the organizational and decision-making skills that he has developed in his time as a businessman and a public servant to be successful for District 149 in the Georgia House of Representatives.