GLENNVILLE, Ga. () — A local businessman from Tattnall County has declared his candidacy to represent District 157 in the Georgia House of Representatives.
Tattnall County Coroner Bradley B. Anderson announced his intention to run for the position on Wednesday. He will be vying against the current Representative Bill Werkheiser.
District 157 encompasses Tattnall, Evans, Jeff Davis, and parts of Appling County. Werkheiser notes that he currently serves approximately 60,000 people, a figure projected to increase significantly in the future.
Booming business, like the Hyundai Plant in Bryan County, is just under 20 miles from Evans County. Werkheiser said the district will soon feel even greater impacts.
“Even though it’s made an impact, you’ve not seen anything yet. We’re nowhere close to capacity,” Werkheiser said. “It’s coming. I don’t think we’re actually prepared. We’ve got some counties that still don’t have zoning, so we’ve got to do that. It creates both opportunities and problems.”
Representative Werkheiser told , he and his colleagues are working to tackle affordable housing now before more people move to the area.
“People that own houses saw their values go up, so that was good. People trying to enter the housing market for the first time, it’s almost impossible. So… there’s a lot of construction going on. We’re catching up. But again, that’s going to take some time,” Werkheiser said.
Anderson agrees that the area isn’t ready for the surge in population.
“Growth can be a blessing, especially when it brings jobs and opportunities to our area. However, I believe that growth should be managed to ensure there’s guardrails that are in place that protect our people and our resources,” Anderson said. “I think that requires a strong leader that can come in and find a healthy balance to protect the growth and also protect our community that we love so much.”
Both men said they are passionate about the community they serve, and they hope to connect with the residents of District 157 ahead of qualifying in March.
“I love what I do. I love serving the house. It’s where a lot of serious policy is,” Rep. Werkheiser said.
Werkheiser told News 3, he is passionate about criminal justice and advocating for people with disabilities. Those passions came together recently when a bill passed to no longer allow the state to execute people with intellectual disabilities.
Anderson is new to the political scene, but he said he has three passions: supporting agriculture, backing law enforcement and getting rid of the state income tax. He said he’s active in several community organizations and is a former law enforcement officer himself.
“I’ve started this campaign early where I can get out and meet all these folks and find out what their needs are,” Anderson said.
