MDJ Voter Guide: House District 34

Editor's note: The MDJ Voter Guide was published in Saturday's newspaper.

REPUBLICANS

Devan Seabaugh (R) (I)

Occupation: Healthcare

Party: Republican

Age: 58

Residence: Marietta-West Cobb

Hometown: Marietta

Family: My wife Beth and I have been married for 32 years and have five children, Heidi Bowles, Abby Teems, Zach Seabaugh, Olivia Seabaugh and Sophia Seabaugh.

Education/military service: Marietta High School, Emergency Medical Technician-West Georgia Technical College, Paramedic- Fulton County Training Center, BBA Business Administration-University of West Georgia

Have you served in elected office before: Yes, I was elected to the Georgia General Assembly in 2021 and continue to represent District 34

Campaign website: www.voteseabaugh.com

1. Why are you running for office?

I am a problem solver. I have spent a career in healthcare helping people during critical times in their lives. My career requires critical thinking and real-time problem solving. As a legislator, I enjoy having a seat at the table when critical issues are being discussed and solutions to problems facing Georgia need to be addressed. My service as a Representative is my way of giving back to a community that has supported me and my family. It allows me to represent my hometown and my neighbors with my time, treasure and talent in a way that has a positive impact on my life and on those I represent.

2. What is the greatest challenge your constituents face that elected office would allow you to address? How would you address it?

My constituents are adamant about safeguarding the freedoms enshrined in our Constitution. They also urge me to prioritize maintaining full funding for our K-12 schools, ensuring the sustainability of the Hope Grants and Scholarships for post-graduate education. They want to live in a fair and just, safe community free of crime. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of updating and maintaining our infrastructure and keeping state taxes low yet equitable. Addressing recent challenges such as access to healthcare, workforce development, and personal property rights is also crucial on our agenda.

3. Should Georgia expand Medicaid? Why?

Georgia has expanded Medicaid through Georgia Pathways to Coverage, a new program to help low-income Georgians qualify for Medicaid who otherwise would not be eligible for traditional Medicaid. Georgia has also expanded traditional Medicaid coverage for eligible mothers requiring maternal healthcare services. I will continue to monitor healthcare coverage for our low-income populations and be open to making adjustments accordingly.

4. Do you support the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, SB 180, introduced by Sen. Ed Setzler? Why?

Religious freedom is protected in the Georgia Constitution and ensures that individuals in Georgia have the right to practice their religion without interference from the government.

My understanding is the RFRA aims to further safeguard this fundamental right to religious freedom for individuals and organizations within the state by shielding people from government actions that significantly hinder their religious practices. Supporters say it prevents government intrusion into religious matters and allows people to practice freely. Critics worry it might enable discrimination or weaken other civil rights protections. I want to hear testimony on how the bill strengthens what is already in the Constitution and fully understand how it might discriminate or weaken other civil rights protections before making a definitive decision.

DEMOCRATS

Dr. Karl Gallegos (D)

Occupation: Physician, Scientist

Party: Democrat

Age: 74

Residence: Kennesaw

Hometown: Kennesaw

Family: Christine (spouse), Mia, Tess, Benjamin (children), Stephen, (son-in law), and Maeve, (granddaughter)

Education/military service: Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Bachelor of Science, Harvard Medical School - Medical Doctor, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill – Master of Public Health. Not a veteran.

Have you served in elected office before: No

Campaign website: Campaign website is in development.

1. Why are you running for office?

Like many of you, I am frustrated by the partisanship in our politics. Afterall, we all want what’s best for our families; we all hope to provide them with access to affordable quality health care, good schools, and clean water. Many politicians try to divide us by pushing an agenda based on their own personal interests or belief system, or by what they believe is in their political party’s interest.

As a physician and scientist, I aim to bring clarity to these issues through fact-based insight and discussion. One pressing concern is the nearly half million uninsured Georgians. Expanding Medicaid is essential for family stability and community prosperity—it reduces costs and ensures hospitals and clinics remain accessible to all.

I’m passionate about Georgians’ health and wellness, including quality healthcare and mental health access. We must expand school-based mental health programs to keep our children safe and address environmental hazards like lead and the “forever chemicals” (carcinogens) in our schools and communities. These critical areas are chronically underfunded.

Each day, health inequities harm people, communities, and populations across Georgia. Recently given the choice of how to distribute Georgia’s $11 Billion in surplus funds, Governor Kemp and the legislature voted to buy votes for their party and return $250 to each Georgia voter.

2. What is the greatest challenge your constituents face that elected office would allow you to address? How would you address it?

Legislating against a woman’s reproductive rights constitutes dangerous government overreach. Healthcare decisions should be made in consultation with a woman’s doctor, not dictated by politicians. Unfortunately, rights that women once had have been legislatively eroded, jeopardizing lives in some cases.

The current ‘heartbeat bill’ prioritizes political considerations over medical and scientific judgment, disrupting the balance of civil liberties and human rights for all women. Proponents claim it protects life, yet Georgia ranks 49th in maternal and infant mortality due in part to inadequate preventative and prenatal care for uninsured mothers.

Given the opportunity, I believe most voters would affirm Georgia women’s freedom to make their own healthcare choices through a ballot referendum. Currently, approval of such a referendum requires a 2/3 vote in the Georgia House and Senate, along with the Governor’s signature. Over half of our states allow citizens to initiate referendums through signatures. If elected, I will work to overturn existing laws and restore citizens’ right to initiate a referendum in Georgia.

3. Should Georgia expand Medicaid?

Yes. Why? Expanding Medicaid in Georgia is crucial for family stability and community prosperity. Not only will it provide a lifeline for nearly half a million uninsured Georgians (including 176,000 children), but it will also keep struggling hospitals afloat. Over the past years, nine rural Georgia hospitals have closed, and recently, two large Atlanta metropolitan hospitals followed suit. The consequences include bed shortages, costlier procedures due to lack of preventative care, longer wait times for surgeries and emergency room visits, and overburdened staff resources—all leading to poorer quality of care for all Georgians.

Georgia Pathways, while well-intentioned, has proven costly and ineffective. Its low enrollment rates and burdensome administrative requirements limit its impact to only a portion of the uninsured population. If elected, I will work with the legislature to establish a timeline for declaring Georgia Pathways a failure in its attempt to help all uninsured Georgians.

I am confident that Medicaid expansion will soon be approved, possibly as early as the next session. It’s the right thing to do and aligns with the documented success of other states that have chosen Medicaid expansion for both health and economic reasons.

4. Do you support the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, SB 180, introduced by Sen. Ed Setzler?

No. Why? SB 180, which omits the Establishment Clause, could potentially advance restrictive policies and extremist actions under the guise of ‘religious freedom.’ Notably, Georgia lacks a statewide ban against discrimination. In 2016, Governor Nathan Deal vetoed a similar religious freedom bill due to concerns about its impact on discrimination.

Major companies and business organizations, including Disney, Coca-Cola, and the National Football League, have expressed strong opposition to this bill. While the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act aims to enhance religious protections, its implications remain complex and contentious.

The bill’s authors argue that religious freedoms were denied to certain people during the COVID pandemic and could be denied in the future during another crisis. Balancing individual rights with the Common Good is essential, and government plays a crucial role in safeguarding against infringement. Striking the right balance between religious liberty, privacy, and equal protection remains a compelling challenge.