Harrison Edwards

I attended a Rick Jackson gubernatorial campaign event in my town today. I didn’t go as a candidate; I went as someone who has to vote for governor and also because I have been a political activist for years, and as someone people trust to ask real questions and bring back real answers. I wanted to ask the questions that people have asked me.  I showed up prepared to ask about issues that matter to you and questions that y’all have emailed me about.  * Data centers being pushed into rural communities * The impact on farmland * Water usage and energy strain * And whether local governments are being rushed into major decisions without full transparency I wanted a more clear answer because when I saw a video interview that he did in Columbia county which is in my district, his answer was that he was leaving it up to the county commissioners. That concerned me because we know that some of the counties have been very reckless when they signed the data center contracts.  I raised my hand multiple times. I was never called on. They went around me and then they limited the questions as if they were planting people there to ask questions. People know how he feels about foster care, those aren’t the questions that need to be answered.  And that matters because it means the concerns of everyday people weren’t being addressed in that room. After the event, I approached his communications director to have a conversation. I mentioned that he should do a Facebook live to reach people that aren’t reading the mailers and don’t turn on the TV. I raised the concerns I hear constantly from people across our communities. What happens to our farmland? What happens to our water? What happens when infrastructure can’t handle these massive projects? The response I got was dismissive and honestly, it was concerning. The comms director made it to point to tell me that they landed their big helicopter today and there was plenty of land available. Let that sink in. To some, that may sound like opportunity. But to the farmers in our communities, that sounds like their land and their livelihood are reduced to “there’s plenty more where that came from.” That kind of mindset is exactly what people are worried about. Because once agricultural land is industrialized, it doesn’t go back. And in districts like ours, agriculture isn’t just an industry… it’s part of who we are. It’s tied directly to our economy, our communities, and even our national security. He also said it will bring in wonderful tax revenue. I said the tax revenue is great but what are we gonna do when our land can’t be farmed anymore, are we going to get our food from Bill Gates? And what happens when that same revenue has to be used to: * Repair damaged roads * Upgrade strained power grids * Drill new wells because of water demand At that point, who is really paying the price? You are. I will say this; Rick Jackson shared a personal testimony that seemed genuine, and I respect that. But leadership is not just about the person at the top, it’s about the people they choose to surround themselves with. And after what I experienced at his event today, I have real concerns about the voices influencing that campaign. Because dismissive attitudes and surface-level responses to serious issues don’t lead to good decisions, they lead to long-term consequences for communities like ours. I’m going to keep showing up. I’m going to keep asking the questions that matter. And I’m going to keep speaking up even if I don’t get handed a microphone. Because you deserve leaders who take your concerns seriously. Tori Branum Marine Veteran Republican congressional candidate for Georgia’s district 12