Former DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond says that he joined the race for governor after reflecting on his monthslong listening tour.
“I thought it was critically important for me to travel outside of (Interstate) 285, in particular, around the state of Georgia to hear what real people, working people were saying,” Thurmond said on Thursday’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia” podcast.
“What I heard was a cry for a different type of leadership,” he said.
A former state labor commissioner, Thurmond served eight years as chief executive of DeKalb County before leaving office in January. He announced his campaign for governor earlier this month.
If elected, Thurmond said he would use state resources to offset the federal cuts in the Trump-backed tax and spending law which could strip hundreds of thousands of Georgians from Medicaid rolls and reduce food stamp benefits, among other cuts.
Thurmond enters the race as two prominent Democrats, state Sen. Jason Esteves and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, have already launched their campaigns.
Thurmond said his experience separates him from the rest of the Democratic field.
“We have honorable candidates running for the Democratic nomination,” he said. “I just bring a record of having done it. I bring a record of having won statewide elections. I know what it’s like.”
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