House Candidates Debate Athens Issues

By: Emily Kopp

Last Wednesday, the Athens-Clarke County Federation of Neighborhoods hosted a debate between Georgia State House primary candidates.

In attendance were the Democratic candidates for House District 118, challenger Spencer Frye and incumbent Keith Heard. The table also included the Republican candidates for House District 118, Chris Perlera and Carter Kessler. Regina Quick, Republican challenger in the primary race for House District 117, squared off against an empty chair. According to a prepared statement, incumbent Rep. Doug McKillip, R, could not attend owing to his son’s eighth birthday.

At the Federation of Neighborhoods event in May, McKillip received scathing criticism from attendants over his support of House Bill 954, nicknamed the “fetal pain” bill, which shortened the period available for women to seek an elective abortion by six weeks.

The candidates briefly introduced themselves before fielding questions about a variety of issues.

Frye and Heard mostly agreed on their answers to the moderator’s questions, but frequently butted heads on the issue of Heard’s party credentials. Frye criticized Heard’s voting record as in line with “the national Republican agenda.” Specifically, he took issue with Heard’s support of HB 1133. The controversial revision to how Georgia funds private and public education received national attention in May in the form of a New York Times investigative piece. In 2005, Heard voted in favor of the Women’s Right to Know Act, which, among its provisions, requires physicians to ask women if they would like to view an ultrasound before receiving an abortion.

Heard diminished Frye’s criticism as representing “four or five bills out of 15,000.” He equated his departures from the Democratic party to marital skirmishes, saying, “I don’t always agree with my wife either.”

The tension between the two candidates was often visible. In his closing statement, Frye’s said, “we need a true Democrat in office,” which was met with rolled eyes and an audible sigh from Heard.

Kessler, founder of UGA’s Young Americans for Liberty club, invoked strong libertarian rhetoric, taking a staunch stance for small government. Kessler’s positions drew criticism not only from Perlera, his opponent, but from the entire panel. Quick “vehemently” opposed his suggestion to repeal the part the Georgia constitution that establishes the state’s responsibility to educate its citizens. “Education begins at the home and it should end at the home,” Kessler said. He called public schools “a government racket.” Quick retorted, “Public education was my way up and out of [rural] Alabama.”

Kessler and Perlera diverged in their opinions on HB 630, which would prohibit the discrimination of public employees on the basis of sexual orientation. Kessler opposes the bill, saying that homophobia would not exist if “the government didn’t break people into groups.” Perlera tepidly said he was in favor of the measure.

Quick criticized McKillip, her absent opponent, as “an opportunist.” Her quip, which was met by laughter from the audience, was likely in reference to McKillip’s switch to the Republican Party after being elected as a Democrat in 2010. She vowed to reverse the process of redistricting championed by McKillip in February.

All of the debate’s candidates expressed their opposition to McKillip’s controversial “fetal pain” bill.

Frye said, “I’m not a doctor. I’m no woman. Those are the people we should be listening to.”

Quick, the only woman at the table, described herself as “pro-life at 23 weeks,” in reference to the period permitted for abortions established by Roe v. Wade.

Regular voting for primary elections are July 31st.

 *Emily is a student volunteer for Spencer Frye.