『Jodi Lewis: Affordability, Advocacy & Accountability | Candidate Conversations — Episode 89』のカバーアート

Jodi Lewis: Affordability, Advocacy & Accountability | Candidate Conversations — Episode 89

Jodi Lewis: Affordability, Advocacy & Accountability | Candidate Conversations — Episode 89

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In this episode of The Town Square Podcast, hosts Trey Bailey and Gabriel Stovall continue the Candidate Conversations series with Jodi Lewis, candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives in District 118.District 118 includes the south side of Newton County, extends down Highway 36 into BOE/BOC District 1, includes all of Butts County, and covers much of Monroe County. It is a geographically large and politically diverse district — one that Lewis says deserves active representation, clear communication, and leadership that is willing to listen across party lines.Lewis introduced herself as a Newton County homeowner, mother, entrepreneur, and first-time candidate. She moved to Covington in 2017, bought her first home in 2020, and has three daughters, including a bonus daughter serving in the United States Navy. She shared that her maiden name is actually Covington, joking that when she moved to Georgia, the city seemed to be “calling her name.”Professionally, Lewis brings a background in criminal justice, counseling, marketing, communications, and entrepreneurship. She earned her undergraduate degree in criminal justice from Fayetteville State University, followed by two master’s degrees — one in professional counseling and another in public relations and marketing. After working in the mental health field, she transitioned into marketing and launched her own firm in 2012.Lewis said her work has included marketing strategy, legal case amplification, advocacy communications, and organizing one of the largest Caribbean-themed cruises. She also shared that her company was recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as one of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses in 2024 and won recognition for a healthcare marketing campaign tied to breast cancer research.When asked why she decided to run, Lewis said she was initially contacted by an organization called The Fighting 50, which encouraged her to consider public office. After conversations with the organization and her family, she began to see the campaign as a natural extension of work she had already been doing — advocacy, communications, problem-solving, and public engagement.Her family’s support helped solidify the decision. Lewis said her daughters and parents reminded her of the work she had already done, the countries she had traveled to, the businesses she had built, and the advocacy she had been part of. That encouragement pushed her to step into the race.Lewis also said she did not believe any candidate — Democrat or Republican — should simply be handed the opportunity to represent a district. In her view, public office should be earned through listening, engagement, and work.Throughout the conversation, Lewis returned often to a central theme: people want to be heard.As she has campaigned across the district, Lewis said the response has been encouraging. She described voters as excited that someone is knocking on doors, asking questions, and giving them an opportunity to share their concerns. Even when people disagree with her politically, she said many have still been willing to engage.The top issues she said she is hearing from voters include healthcare costs, housing affordability, property taxes, and the rising cost of everyday life.Lewis said many residents moved to communities like Newton, Butts, and Monroe counties to avoid the high cost of living found closer to Atlanta. But as housing prices rise and new homes are built in the $400,000 to $500,000 range, some residents are beginning to feel those same financial pressures following them.She connected those concerns personally to her own daughters, saying young adults are beginning to wonder whether they will ever be able to afford homes of their own.When asked how she would approach affordable housing from the state level, Lewis said she brings what she described as a common-sense and analytical mindset. She argued that complex problems require more than slogans and that elected officials should focus less on claiming credit for legislation and more on whether policies actually improve people’s lives.Lewis emphasized that she is not a career politician and said she believes politics has too often become like a football game, with each side more focused on winning for its team than solving problems for the people watching from the stands.Her background in communications also shaped much of the conversation. District 118, as Trey noted, is politically diverse and now leans Republican after redistricting. Lewis, running as a Democrat, said reaching voters across that landscape requires more than speeches and campaign talking points. It requires communication, explanation, and relationship-building.She argued that many elected officials need stronger communication skills, especially when it comes to explaining complicated policy decisions to everyday voters. Lewis said voters may not always know the name or number of a bill, but when the issue is explained clearly, they ...
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