Congressman Buddy Carter confirmed Monday what most political observers were already thinking — that he is indeed running for re-election to a third term.
“You can consider this my official announcement,” he laughed during a visit to Bryan County Monday afternoon. “There’s no doubt.”
Carter, a Republican, represents Georgia’s First Congressional District. He previously was mayor of Pooler and served in the state assembly.
Lisa Ring, chairwoman of the Bryan County Democratic Committee, last month announced she would seek her party’s nomination to challenge Carter in November of 2018. You can read more about that at http://www.bryancountynews.com/section/101/article/49543/.
Ring in May also filed an ethics complaint with the Federal Election Commission regarding a state senate campaign account Carter kept active after he announced he was running for Congress. Information on that is available at http://www.bryancountynews.com/archives/48957/.
Carter said a similar complaint was filed against him in 2014 by a Republican primary opponent when he first ran for Congress and that he expects this complaint to also be dismissed.
Carter was in town to tour the new Bryan County Emergency Services Station No. 2 on Daniel Siding Loop Road. The new station, which cost $395,000, was dedicated June 9. You can read more about it at http://www.bryancountynews.com/archives/49418/.
Carter also talked about health care and other issues during a one-on-one interview with the Bryan County News.
“I’d be in favor of cancelling the August recess if we’re going to get something done and not just spin our wheels,” he said of talk about Congress calling off its annual summer break to focus on health care.
“We’ve got to do something,” Carter added. “The Affordable Care Act is imploding.”
He said some 41 percent of counties nationwide have just one health insurance provider and several have none.
“I don’t know if it will be repeal and replace or just repeal,” he said. “I’d be fine with that too, but the ball is in the Senate’s court. If we go with just repeal, at least we keep the ball moving.”
Carter also touched on the constant feuding between President Donald Trump and the national media.
“The media is important, but we have to stay focused on what the American people elected us to do,” he said. “There’s just so much noise.”
Finally, Carter discussed two bills passed by the house last week dealing with illegal immigration. He voted in favor of what is known as “Kate’s Law,” which would increase penalties for illegal immigrants who are deported and are again caught in the United States.
The law is named after Kate Steinle, who was killed in San Francisco two years ago by an illegal immigrant who returned to the country despite numerous deportations. Carter also voted for a bill to deny federal grants to municipalities that declare themselves as “sanctuary cities” for illegal immigrants.
“That bill would also allow victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants to sue the so-called sanctuary cities for crimes that occur in them,” he noted.
Carter said no cities in his district have declared themselves as such.