AUGUSTA, Ga. () – The campaign for Georgia’s lieutenant governor is intensifying with 9 contenders vying for the second-top role in the state’s government.

Ahead of next year’s election, one of those candidates stopped in Augusta Tuesday. 

Current lieutenant governor Burt Jones announced in the summer he would not seek reelection as he runs for governor.

One of the candidates running for his seat stopped in the Garden City Tuesday—-Republican State Senator John F. Kennedy. 

Kennedy has been in the Georgia Senate since 2015, representing the 18th district with counties around Macon, Georgia. 

We sat down to hear about his campaign why he thinks he’s the best person for the job. 

“I’m running for lieutenant governor because, number one, I think it’s important that we keep Georgia growing,” said Kennedy.

One candidate emphasizes that, if elected, a major focus will be ensuring both teachers and students remain in the classroom. This aligns with a recent bill passed by state lawmakers aimed at combating the increasing issue of chronic absenteeism.

“In Georgia, 360,000 students miss over 18 days of school annually. Those students are likely to struggle academically, fall short of the literacy benchmarks needed for success, and face challenges graduating. Without a diploma, achieving the Georgia Dream—or the American Dream—becomes much harder,” Kennedy stated.

He also wants to see a reduction in crime around the state.

It’s been two weeks since an Augusta Mall shooting and another in retaliation—incidents Sheriff Eugene Brantley confirmed were gang-related.

Kennedy says he wants to increase resources for local law enforcement to tackle this issue. 

“Gang activity is fundamentally about making money through illegal activities. Tragically, gangs recruit our young people from schools and among those not attending school, linking back to the absenteeism issue I’m deeply committed to addressing,” he explained.

The state senator adds with additional resources and funding, it paves the way for safer communities across the Peach State.

“As the forthcoming lieutenant governor, I aim to ensure that funding is adequately directed to all levels of law enforcement. This includes support at the prosecution stage as well as prevention initiatives. This applies to local Sheriffs, their departments, and state-level agencies,” Kennedy added.

Another priority for him is addressing the nationwide mental health crisis.

He also pointed out that many Georgians lack health insurance, partly due to state-run mental health centers closing over the years.

“Some of it goes back to years ago when we closed our mental health facilities we had that were state run and state owned,” he said. “Those people are now found to be homeless, and who’s dealing with them? It’s our Sheriffs, and they’ll be the first to tell you that they’re not properly equipped and resourced to deal with them. So, that’s something we’ve got to address as well.”

Kennedy is one of 8 Republicans running for lieutenant governor.

State Senator Josh McLaurin is the lone Democrat challenging for that seat.

That election for lieutenant governor will be next November.