Shawn Harris for District 14 Congressional House

At the close of March, we initiated contact with all Paulding County candidates, extending an invitation for them to address common questions posed by the community. Enclosed are their unaltered responses to these inquiries, providing insight into their respective stances. While not all candidates opted to participate, we believe that understanding their viewpoints is pivotal in making informed decisions as constituents.

Shawn Harris’ ANSWERS

1. Can you please introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of your background and experience? I was raised in Blakely, Georgia and am the youngest of five children. A drunk driver killed my father when I was a young boy. This left my mother to manage the family farm and raise her children on her own. Through the support of their extended family and friends, we overcame this tragedy and kept the farm thriving. In 1984, I began my military career by enlisting in the United States Marine Corps after high school. In 1986, enrolled in Tuskegee University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Education in 1991. After graduating from Tuskegee University, I was commissioned into the Army National Guard. Tuskegee is also where I met my wife of 35 years, Karla. Together, we continued on our path of service as a family. Karla attended medical school at Michigan State University to pursue her career as a physician while I transitioned to education. During this time, I taught at Gardner Middle School in Lansing, Michigan, focusing on sixth and eighth-grade education. I loved that job. In 2010, I pursued a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Grand Valley State University. After graduating, I became a principal, spending seven years as a teacher and administrator in the public schools of Michigan. While in Michigan, I was involved in my community, having served on the Grand Rapids Police Chief Advisory Board and as a board member at the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute. My board member contributions encompassed leading education, advocacy for healthier lifestyles, mitigating disparities, focusing on women’s health, and tackling social determinants affecting the community. After 9/11, everything changed. My focus shifted from education to military service. Initially, I was deployed to lead the fight against the Taliban, which led to providing pivotal leadership in Liberia during the Ebola crisis and serving as Chief of Staff to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Kosovo before concluding my service as the Defense Attache/Senior Defense Officer at the U. S. Embassy in Jerusalem. I went to the United States Army War College, where I earned a Master of Strategic Studies, a program designed for senior military officers and leaders who want to develop the skills and knowledge in strategic planning, national security policy, and international relations. In 2013, I obtained a Leadership in Homeland Security certificate from Harvard Kennedy School, honing his leadership skills in terrorism, intelligence, and emergency management. My life has come full circle, grounded in green pastures. Now a retired Brigadier General, I live in Rockmart, Georgia, where I run our cattle farm with my wife of thirty-five years.
2. What motivated you to run for the District 14 Congressional House seat?
   Being able to come home to Georgia after retiring as a Brigadier General who served 40 years with the U.S. Army, my wife Karla and I felt blessed. She continues her work as a family doctor, and we’ve started our first-generation Red Angus cattle ranch. Running for congress was not on my bucket list. But talking with folks around here, a lot of people are not feeling so blessed. Veterans are struggling. The rising cost of living keeps everyone working extra hard to make ends meet. And everyday people just don’t think anyone is listening to them. It was during these conversations that people started saying “Maybe you can serve a little longer and run for Congress.” At first, I thought it was a crazy idea. Then I learned that Marjorie Taylor Greene was my representative. I wasn’t too happy about that. The more I talked to people and the more I looked into her record, I started to think it wasn’t such a crazy idea. The way I see it, Georgians work hard. That hard work would go a lot farther if we had a representative in Congress working to raise pay and lower costs so everybody can have the tools and opportunities to build a good life. We should be building things here again and exporting American products instead of American jobs. We need high-paying, generational jobs that allow people to work close to home instead of traveling to Chattanooga, TN or Huntsville, AL every week. We need to ensure that people have access to the healthcare they need right here at home. North Georgia is severely lacking in medical specialists. Women with a high-risk pregnancy should have to go to Atlanta or TN to get the care they need to keep them and their babies healthy. Veterans frequently return home in need of care – physical and mental. That they can’t get appointments when needed – especially those in need of mental health support – is unacceptable. This isn’t only a concern for veterans. Right now, in North Georgia our only real mental health resource is a jail cell and that solves nothing. The main industry in my district is farming. We need to focus on getting the Farm Bill passed so that farmers can have access to federal resources and the latest in technology to grow their businesses. We need to remember that farmers are small businesses too. As I said, running for Congress wasn’t something I had on my retirement list. When people first started asking me to consider running, it seemed crazy but if my combat experience has taught me anything, it’s that the way to make clear decisions is to make them free of fear. The more Karla and I talked about it and what it would mean to our family and our community, the more it sounded like something that would help our neighbors. And we’re always up for that.
3. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing District 14, and how do you plan to address them if elected? Too many people in our district are driving to Atlanta, Chattanooga or Huntsville, AL to earn a decent living. It doesn’t have to be that way. I’m focused in bringing high paying generational jobs home to NW Georgia. We can build Huntsville, AL right here in the 14th District by bringing the defense and space industries here. Healthcare continues to be a challenge for Americans across the country It needs to be affordable, but it also needs to be accessible. If you need a specialist, you have to go to Atlanta or Chattanooga. If you’re a woman with a high-risk pregnancy, you’re probably going to have to life flight to one of the other cities. There are counties in our district without a hospital and hospitals without any OB-GYNs with privileges. And yes, abortion is healthcare, and we need to return to the days when Roe v. Wade was the law of the land. Our veterans also need better access to the care they’ve earned. It’s not just that we need specialists to help treat the complex conditions we see in veterans returning home, it’s that there is one VA Clinic in my 10-county district, and it doesn’t have an MD on staff. We need to do better for our soldiers. We have to pass the Farm Bill. Agriculture is GA’s #1 industry and over 70% of GA-14 is agriculture connected. These small businesses need the resources and technology to continue feeding America and the world. That includes making sure that kids are getting their SNAP benefits. No child should ever be hungry, especially when we have the resources to prevent it.
4. How do you plan to represent the diverse interests and needs of the constituents in District 14? The truth is that people agree more than they disagree. My leadership experience tells me that you bridge that gap by listening. I want to learn from people – all people – what they need. The answer will be different based on where in the district you live, what kind of work and education you have, your family situation and such. Learning from the people who will be impacted by my votes in Congress is the best way for me to know what to fight for in DC. I will have a diverse staff and have offices that constituents can easily access.
5. What specific legislative initiatives or policies do you plan to prioritize if elected? The Farm Bill will be a priority for me. Getting Roe v Wade back to being the law of the land and ensuring we have improved medical care – affordable, accessible and specialty care – for everyone are at the top of my list. I’m going to join with Senators Warnock and Ossoff to upgrade and provide new equipment to rural health care systems, increase pay for servicemembers, and increase rural broadband consistency and accessibility.
6. How do you plan to work across party lines to find common ground and advance legislation that benefits District 14? As a retired Brigadier General, I spent most of my career deployed to places where my job was to sit down and talk to those on the opposite said and get to yes. My job will be to do what is best for my constituents and that means addressing the challenge not blindly lining up along party lines. Most of us agree on what the pressing issues are and where we fall down is agreeing on a resolution. To get to yes – we need to listen to each other, find the areas of agreement and create a solution that gets everyone what they need (if not all they want).
7. What is your stance on healthcare reform, and what steps do you propose to improve access to healthcare for residents of District 14? Access is almost as difficult in my district as affordability is. We need to be sure that people have quality care close to home. My district suffers from a lack of specialists, especially OB- GYNs. I want to push for programs that make it affordable for doctors to practice in rural areas, that encourage specialists to move into underserved communities and I want to be sure that every VA Clinic has at least one MD on site.
8. How do you plan to support small businesses and promote economic growth within District 14? When I talk about bringing jobs to NW GA, I’m not talking about jobs that compete with small businesses. I’m talking about large scale industry jobs that bring employees and families to the community that will help our small businesses thrive. I’ll also stand against the expansion of businesses such as Dollar General and Walmart, which run the mom-and-pop shops out of business.
9. What are your thoughts on School Choice? School choice isn’t a real thing if everyone doesn’t have the opportunity to choose. Vouchers pull money from public schools, often to schools with less oversight which allows those schools to use unapproved curriculums. Then, they complain about how poorly public schools perform – always blaming the teachers for the failure when in fact it is the funding, testing requirements and untrained administration personnel who contribute to the challenges.
10. What strategies do you propose to address affordable housing in District 14? We have to stop hedge funds from buying homes at a premium to raise the resale value or simply keep them as rental properties, removing the dream of homeownership from most Americans lives. We also recognize that what affordable housing looks like in large cities and urban areas does not reflect the affordable housing needs in rural areas. Skyscrapers don’t work in the country; we need affordable single-family homes
11. How do you plan to address inflation within District 14? My focus will be on policy to drive down costs. We need to do more to eliminate price gouging. Companies that arbitrarily raise prices, especially when senior management is receiving enormous bonuses, must be stopped. That includes things like the recent Walmart case around inflated weights of products sold by weight. Congress must create and enforce laws that protect consumers at the point of purchase.
12. What is your stance on gun control legislation? I’m retired military so it’s no surprise I own a weapon or two. But I was trained in how to use them and what happens if you do. I’m not going to take anyone’s guns away, but I do expect that to own one you need to be trained, licensed and we need the resources to ensure that all background checks, red flag laws and similar safety mechanisms are funded and enforced. We need to go back to a time when weapons were respected for what they are because that lack of respect is how we end up with so many tragedies.
13. How do you plan to support veterans and active-duty military personnel within District 14? After serving 40 years with some of the bravest people you’ll ever meet, it matters a lot that get the benefits they’ve earned when they return home. We have over 30,000 vets in our district, and many are doing amazing things. Others are struggling mentally and physically. I will fight to ensure that VA Clinics are required to have at least one MD on staff. The teams at these clinics are doing an excellent job but they need help, and they aren’t all trained to effectively address the complex conditions many veterans face upon returning home. The need for appropriate and accessible care extends to their mental health as well. Waiting a week, even a day, for a vet in crisis to be seen is a death sentence more often than we discuss. Right now, if you have a mental health crisis, and this isn’t just veterans – you end up in a jail cell because there is no place else to go. In my district we don’t have any mental health facilities at all.
14. What measures do you propose to address the opioid epidemic and substance abuse issues within District 14? This is such a sad situation. It takes me back to the lack of mental health accessible in rural communities. Drug and alcohol abuse is a way to cover up pain. We have to give people a place – other than a jail cell – to detox, access some new tools and learn how to use them to get back on the road to a better life. We also need to understand that many people in this situation are highly functional and those closest to them don’t even know they have a problem. I want lift of programs that help people find their way back through therapy – talk and medicinal. People need a place to recover but they also need a safe place to be while they figure out how to rejoin society. Nothing like that exists in most rural communities and I will be working to build it.
15. How do you plan to address concerns related to cybersecurity and protect against cyber threats within District 14? Based on my experience in cyber security, I will collaborate with schools, companies big and small as well as all government organizations and medical facilities to ensure they have all the software, updates, and protections necessary. We’ll put together grants to help small local shops understand what they need and provide access to the education and personnel necessary to be safe. This includes working with my colleagues to ensure that our power grid remains safe and secure.
16. How do you plan to support farmers and promote agricultural interests within District 14? I’m going to fight to pass the Farm Bill, GA 14 is a predominately agricultural community. These farmers need this bill passed to run their small businesses. We also need to be sure that all farmers understand the resources available to them for upgrades and expansion. I’m going to work with the Cattlemen’s Association and other farm-focused organizations to lead classes and informational seminars to ensure everyone has access to the information they need to grow.
17. What initiatives do you propose to support and strengthen the local economy of District 14? We need high paying, generation jobs in NW Georgia. I plan to work with the space and defense industries to create a Huntsville, AL in NW Georgia where everyone who has anything from a GED to a PhD can get a good paying job with benefits close to home.
18. How do you plan to address concerns related to voting rights and election integrity within District 14? I support the Freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and anything that makes voting more accessible to all people. We know Georgia has its issues. As a candidate, I will be working with established groups as well as develop my own team of lawyers and poll watchers who are on call to help anyone who has an issue voting. Once elected, I will be working with the Secretary of State, regardless of party, to determine if there are funding issues we can address with federal dollars – better systems, etc. – to correct these challenges. I will also put my full support behind any state legislation that comes forth to address voter suppression.
19. How do you plan to address issues related to mental health and access to mental healthcare services within District 14? Rural areas do not have access to mental health care. People get disillusioned because it seems insurmountable but it’s not. There are excellent programs no one knows about because they don’t have the resources to communicate. There is not one mental health facility in the district right now other than the nearest jail cell. I’m going to create an accessible grants page for organizations that can help them move their programs forward. Push to reopen mental health facilities in NW GA I will also fight for full funding of mental health personnel in our schools for the students AND teachers. I’ve heard from teachers that the guidance counselors are so overwhelmed with unrelated assignments, they can barely do the job they want to do which is help students in need.
20. How do you plan to address concerns related to access to higher education within District 14? Reliable, consistent broadband access is where I’d start. So many people, especially single women, earn their degrees online and we have to be sure they have all the tools they need to succeed. We need to continue on a path that controls and eliminates student debt, and we need to bring back a focus on skilled trades. College isn’t for everyone and working in apprenticeship programs where you earn a salary and benefits while training is an excellent path to a financially secure future, and you don’t have debt when you graduate.
21. What is your stance on taxation policy? Tax policy is particularly important, both because it takes money out of people’s pockets whether we like it or not, and because it’s how we pay for things that only a government can buy. Taxes also shape our whole economy, which shapes our whole world. Everyday Americans pay plenty in taxes. But over my lifetime, large corporations and the wealthiest among us have pushed to change our tax laws so they pay less and less. That affects all of us. We need to revamp our tax policy so that everyone is paying into the system fairly. That will likely mean a higher rate for the wealthiest and a lower rate for the middle class.
22. How do you plan to engage and involve constituents in the decision-making process if elected? I’ve already started doing listening sessions throughout the district and that’s something I’ll continue once elected. Attending community events to hear their concerns, conducting town hall meetings – virtually and in person – are all ways I hope to learn from my constituents. I’m here to do their work so I want them to tell me what to fight for in Congress.
23. What do you see as your role in representing District 14 on a national level, and how do you plan to advocate for its interests in Congress? I’m running against Marjorie Taylor Greene. We’re already at the national level. I’m not interested in being a superstar on the national stage. My job is to stand up and fight for what my district needs. I’ll make my case powerfully and professionally on the floor of the House, in my district or on the national news. I will use all the resources available to me when making my case for my district. I can promise you that what I will not do is embarrass the good, hard- working people of the 14th as our current representative does.
24. Finally, what sets you apart from your opponents, and why should the constituents of District 14 vote for you? I’m a tested leader who knows how to win. I believe in the people of the 14th district. I respect them and I genuinely want to hear what they have to say. I’m not here to raise my profile. I’m not here as a support to any other candidate or agenda. I am 100% focused on sending
    Marjorie Taylor Greene home. Just as important, I’m a part of my community. I know who owns the local coffee shop, who has the best BBQ and what keeps my neighbors awake at night. This isn’t just a district I want to win. This is my home. I am going to stand up and fight for her just as I fought for our country for 40 years.
25. Additionally, we invite you to provide a closing statement that you feel we may have missed, allowing you to share any additional thoughts or insights with the community. We can win. Marjorie Taylor Greene is beatable. Not everyone agrees. This isn’t a time for doubt. We all see how her DC colleagues are deserting her and the people in our district are doing the same. I hear it all the time. I believe people, when they say she needs to go, they’ll do what they can to make it happen. We’re on the phones and we’re knocking on doors. We are actually talking to the voters of GA-14, and they tell us we’re winning. I ask for your vote and your prayers because this isn’t going to be easy but we’re going to do it. Let’s go Team Georgia!