The field for Georgia's 1st Congressional District race is growing as 2022 approaches, with 2020 Democratic candidate Joyce Marie Griggs joining the list of challengers to incumbent Rep. Buddy Carter.
Griggs won the Democratic primary in 2020 before losing to Carter in the general election. This time, she says she's campaigning differently, making phone calls to constituents and increasing her campaign's online presence.
She says she felt the need to run again based on Carter's actions and voting record in Congress. She is critical of his views on critical race theory and race relations in general, pointing towards Carter's recent introduction of the For The Parent's Act, a bill that would deny federal funding to public schools that teach the "racist and divisive ideology known as critical race theory," Carter's press release on the bill read.
“What I'm about is empowering people, helping people, the poor, the homeless, the disenfranchised, those with wealth, because they can be helped also,” Griggs said. “So basically, what I'm doing is telling people, look at [Carter’s] record. Look at his record, and be real. Some of you are voting against your own self-interests.”
Griggs said her list of priorities hasn’t changed much since 2020, pointing towards affordable and accessible health care, job generation, fighting against police brutality, social and criminal justice reform, climate change and education.
In the last cycle, Griggs took home 41.7% of the vote to Carter's 58.3%. Carter won all but two counties in the district. Chatham and Liberty.
Griggs is a retired army intelligence officer who rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and served more than two years in Iraq.
Like last time, Griggs will be facing Democratic opposition. Savannah lawyer Wade Herring has already raised more money than both Griggs' and her 2020 primary opponent, Lisa Ring, did in the 2020 race. As of Sept. 30, Herring had over $200,000 in the campaign wallet, according to FEC campaign disclosures.
Griggs, meanwhile, has raised a little over $2,000 this cycle.
In the 2020 election cycle, Griggs raised over $134,000, which was enough to beat Ring, who raised a bit over $79,000.
Griggs' 2022 run will be her third for the 1st District seat. She challenged Jack Kingston in 2000 but received only 31% of the vote.
Griggs said she’d be pushing to be accessible during her campaign, calling as many people as she can. She knows it will be an uphill battle in the 1st District, but she said she believes the goal is worth the fight.
“We're playing politics with people's lives. And that is so disturbing to me,” Griggs said. “I'm not a politician. I am a servant. That's what I am. I am a servant leader. And we need to get away from things of that nature. And let's look at what the needs of the people are.”
Will Peebles is the enterprise reporter for Savannah Morning News. He can be reached at wpeebles@gannett.com and @willpeeblessmn on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Joyce Marie Griggs joins 1st District race, setting up potential rematch with Buddy Carter
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