Amanda Hollowell outlines priorities in Georgia’s 1st Congressional District race if elected on Nov. 3

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Democratic candidate for Georgia’s 1st Congressional District Amanda Hollowell spoke with WTOC ahead of the November 3rd election about her priorities if elected.

She aims to invest in higher education, push away data centers that don’t produce enough jobs, and increase affordability in Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, which covers Chatham to Charlton counties, among other initiatives.

“We have a huge labor market. We’ve got the ports. We have a lot of small to medium business owners. And they need to be able to have a great, strong labor force, as well as making sure we make things more affordable for them, because we are a tourism industry. We are as well as a manufacturing industry. And we need to attract those folks to spend those dollars here.”

Military families

Hollowell comes from a military family, including a father who served in Vietnam, a brother who retired as a command sergeant major, and a sister who worked for more than 13 years at the VA.

She said she will work to make sure those families are taken care of when joining and leaving.

“Every day they all remind me, one, we don’t need our services rolled back. And two, we need to plan for the future for those service members who have served our country and making sure we’re not cutting their benefits and their services when they come back home,” Hollowell said.

She also emphasized housing shortages that could be impacting veterans now that would need to be addressed.

“We have three major military bases. I know housing is a huge issue, as well as that gap, bridging that gap for them when they actually leave service and reentering into our society,” she said. “I’ve heard from VFWs and American Legions across this district, and what they’re concerned about is how do we make sure we’re providing a safe military for our folks who are actually currently serving and not entering unconstitutional wars, but as well as not rolling back the services that we promised them as they protected our country and our democracy.”

War in Iran

There are still thousands of American troops in Iran.

She highlighted previous administrations that worked in Washington, D.C., to exit a war. She also shared ideas about doing it in a cost-effective and mutual way.

“We’ve had several pacts that were actually impactful that started under Obama and continued under President Biden. We can go back to the table of negotiation with them because what we have found is our farmers, our manufacturing, just even our groceries are all impacted by this war. And we have created a problem by an unconstitutional war, you know, administered by this administration,” Hollowell said.

Growth in southeast Georgia

“We have a huge labor market. We’ve got the ports. We have a lot of small to medium business owners. And they need to be able to have a great, strong labor force, as well as making sure we make things more affordable for them, because we are a tourism industry. We are as well as a manufacturing industry. And we need to attract those folks to spend those dollars here.”

Hollowell said she is focused on growth in southeast Georgia.

“How do we make sure that everyone has access to the ballot, that everyone can afford a home, that when our college students come back home, that they are choosing to stay here and make a life here and help grow our district versus fleeing because we have lack of opportunities,” Hollowell said.

Data Centers

She said she wants to ensure data centers and corporations investing in the region are creating jobs and opportunities for all.

“My heart goes out to those folks at the local level and the county level really trying to make up for these federal budget cuts and this, you know, trickle-down shortage that they’re feeling. But at the end of the day, we can’t just take the first deal. We need to take the deal that benefits everyone. And I want to make sure I am bringing those types of business opportunities to the 1st Congressional District,” Hollowell said.

Her journey to this point

Hollowell reflected on getting to this point. She said she’s been an organizer and advocate in this region for almost 20 years. Looking at ways to advocate for postpartum Medicaid expansion, extending family paid leave for state employees, as well as finding ways to fully fund public education throughout Georgia and the U.S.

“It was taking all those contacts that I’ve made over this long career period and putting them in action to put me in office, and we’ve done that.”

She beat out seven democrats in the primaries and beat Joyce Marie Griggs in a close run-off.

“I ran against a woman who’s been running for almost two decades, you know, for this space and had a really big name recognition, and what we proved over and over again, as a first-time candidate, I am what people want to see as the future of representation for the 1st Congressional District,” she said. “I answer all the hard questions, and I understand that you might not have voted for me, but I still represent you, and I still represent all of the 1st Congressional District.”

Opponent

Hollowell called out her opponent, Republican Jim Kingston, for agreeing with the Trump administration’s decisions so far.

“Voting someone in that has no new plans and just calls himself a foot soldier for Trump. And we’ve seen what Trump policies have done to the 1st Congressional District. You know, they are actually decimating our economy here, especially our international relations,” Hollowell said.

She emphasized that she has to answer the moment.

“I am thinking about, yes, answering the moment around Medicaid cuts and SNAP cuts and education cuts, especially higher education access and apprenticeship programs, but I’m also thinking about how do we move ourselves forward?” she said. “So I’m thinking about future opportunities.”