Vance vying for re-election in new House District 149

Published 11:15 am Monday, October 21, 2024

State Rep. Ken Vance, who will soon complete his first two-year term in the Georgia General Assembly, wants to continue serving in public office.

That’s why he’s seeking re-election.

Unlike his previous election bid, Vance finds himself in a new district. 

Vance served on Milledgeville City Council for 28 years before he served for more than a dozen years as executive director of the Georgia Peace Officer and Standards Training Council.

The new District 149 was created earlier this year via a court order by a federal judge to develop a majority minority voting district.

“Really, more than half the district is not brand new,” Vance told The Union-Recorder in a Friday morning interview at his office where he works as director of Public Safety for the Putnam County Charter School District in Eatonton. “The district still includes about half of Baldwin County. It used to be half of Jones County, but now it’s just a sliver. It covers everything south to Ga. Highway 49 to the Wilkinson County line with a little bit of it touching Twiggs County and over to east Macon-Bibb County, where there are four precincts there.”

Even though the district is new, Vance, a Republican, is regarded as the incumbent.

“Since the people in East Macon don’t know me, I’ve been spending a lot of time knocking on doors and getting to know some of them,” Vance said. “I’ve gone to doors of homes where people have told me that no candidate has ever come to my door before and I told them, well here I am.”

Vance said his message to those prospective voters is straightforward. 

“I tell them that I’m a Republican, but I represent people,” he said. “And that’s been my message the whole time, and they appreciate that.”

He said he has and always would campaign with honesty and integrity, even if he were to lose.

Vance said there are a lot of homes in East Macon that are not up to code.

“Now, I give Macon and Bibb County credit, they have done a lot to rectify that situation, but still, if you are living on Social Security that is all you are getting,” Vance said. “And if landlords keep going up on the rent of these tenants, then you start cutting more and more into the need for food, medicine and other essential things.”

Even though there’s little that can be done about getting people more money through Social Security, there are some things that can be done on the state level, Vance said.

“I want to do whatever I can do to help the local people who live in my district,” Vance said.

Vance, whose background also includes working as a classroom teacher and in enforcement positions, said he supports more education funding, forging a stronger economy and public safety.

“Those are my main objectives,” Vance said.

During the last two years as a state lawmaker, Vance said he has learned what the process is all about under the Gold Dome in Atlanta.

“There’s a lot to the process, let me tell you,” he said. “One way to do that is learning ways to make connections with people who know a lot about certain things and sit down with them and let them educate you about what’s going on.”

Vance said he has learned much from Republican and Democratic colleagues.

One of them is state Rep. Mack Jackson, (D-Sandersville), whom Vance didn’t know before he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives two years ago.

“I’ve met some mighty nice people, Republicans and Democrats,” Vance said. “I didn’t know Mack Jackson before I was elected. Now that I know him, I consider him a friend. When the session is in, we talk every day.”

Vance is being challenged in this year’s general election by Floyd L. Griffin, who served as mayor of Milledgeville when Vance served on city council.

There relationship was sometimes contentious.

“We changed to a city manager form of government under Floyd Griffin,” Vance said

He said he has not seen Griffin but if he does he will be cordial to him.

“I’m going to do everything I can do as a candidate to win,” Vance said. “I just want to win and represent everyone who lives in House District 149.”

Vance said he believes he’s the best candidate.

“I really do,” he said.

Asked about the difference between him and Griffin, Vance quickly replied.

“I think [it’s] my day-to-day experience with what I’ve done in my life from the perspective of law enforcement and education,” Vance said. “I’m a public servant, but I  don’t like saying that to people, really. I’m just a man who likes helping people when I can. And that’s what I’ve done all my life.”