‘We All Got To Eat’: Voters Speak Their Truth Ahead Of Nov.

The Guardian newspaper published a feature in May detailing the core concerns for swing county voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election, and their findings seemed fairly unanimous.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re Republican or Democrat, we all got to eat,” former Fort Valley, Georgia, city council member LeMario Brown, 38, told the outlet. Brown was talking about the top concern facing all voters: the economy. (LEARN MORE: POLL: Senior’s Top Health Concern Is The Economy)

A local pecan farmer, Brown said he’s seen prices of all things skyrocket, particularly in his production line. This makes it even harder to get insurance and protect himself against crop losses, particularly those caused by the ever-growing spate of natural weather disasters in 2024.

What Are His Neighbors Saying?

“Most individuals are standoffish because politics are like religion,” Brown noted, citing his work with Peach Concerned Citizens (a non-partisan civic group). “They don’t want to offend, Democrats or Republicans, but most of the time once you engage a person from a social standpoint, they tell you what the issues are if you’re listening because it’s either they’re going to do what they want to do, or we don’t have enough money to do this, or my light bill or gas is too high, so if you listen you’re going to figure what issues you can actually tackle.”

“We have some independent voters and I’ve heard the stories of: ‘Well, it’s the lesser of two evils, Biden isn’t doing that, Trump is doing this, Trump is going to do that, Trump isn’t doing that, Biden will do that.’ It’s kind of mixed, but I think it all stems back to economics,” he continued. “People want to be able to pay the light bill, put gas in the car, feed their family, the basic necessities of being a productive citizen in the community.”

Election Integrity And Trust Concerns

Aside from the economy, the Guardian found that many people throughout Fort Valley and Peach County, Georgia, are very worried about election integrity. Many neighbors told the outlet that corruption within politics is rampant, and a lack of trust is corroding confidence in the entire system — even on the local level. (LEARN MORE: State Finds County Violated Election Law In 2022)

This crisis in trust also relates back to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We just came through Covid-19 where nobody could work, no products were available, so what do you expect when something like that happens? Prices are going to go up, products will be hard to find, supply will be limited, you expect this, it’s going to take time for us to get over that,” Rev Leon Williams of Fairview CME church in Fort Valley stated. He added that voters should “listen to the parties and see what they say what they will do” and not just listen to the negative attacks on the opposition.

Focus Local

“We have a lot of people who only believe they need to vote in a presidential election but the president doesn’t necessarily pave the roads, streets, the utility bills, so we try to get information out to the people where it affects them right now,” Peach Concerned Citizens CEO Kattie Kendrick told the Guardian. (LEARN MORE: Taking Back Control: Your Guide to Navigating Rising Car Insurance Premiums)

Be Part Of The Solution Today

Our nation is at a crossroads, dealing with pivotal issues that directly impact your daily lives – from ensuring fair and secure elections to fighting against inflation and advocating for secure borders. The strength of our community, the rights of our parents, and the protection of girls’ sports are not just political issues; they are the fabric of our society. It’s time to take a stand against crime, reform our institutions, and ensure the prosperity and security of our nation.

Did you know that you, your family, and friends can send letters directly to your elected officials today? We can tell your leaders what you want from their time in office, and what you expect from our federal government. Letter-writing campaigns, or even just a single letter, can be enough to sway policy and create positive change.

Sign up for www.millionvoices.org today (text MV to 80550) and share this article with your friends and family so they can stay informed and become citizen lobbyists in the pursuit of faith and freedom across our great nation.