District 153 state House candidates make case ahead of Nov. 5 election

ALBANY – At the state level, parts of Dougherty County are represented by four state representatives, three of them Republicans with sprawling southwest Georgia districts. A fourth, District 153, is the only one wholly within Dougherty County and with a Democrat currently holding the seat.

The District 153 race is one of the few competitive local races for the 2024 election year and has been reliably Democratic.

Republican Brenda Battle is looking to change the dynamics, but she says she realizes it will be a challenge.

“(The seat) is completely blue; it has been for decades,” Battle, an Albany native who moved back to her home city six years ago, said. “We need a choice. I didn’t become a Republican this year, I’ve been for a while. A lot of people know me already.”

An insurance adjuster who attended Dougherty County schools and now focuses on worker compensation, Battle is running her first political race. The newcomer is challenging incumbent Democrat David Sampson, who is seeking a second two-year term.

A big theme for Battle is building relationships. That applies to herself and something she thinks should be a strategy for the county’s government entities, as well as building relationships locally and across the state.

“We as a county have not maintained relationships,” she said. “We have a role to play. Our school system needs help. Our people also have to have the skillset for these jobs. You’ve got kids who can’t read, who can’t count money. There’s just a lot of things we have to do to be ready for economic development.”

Students also need training and encouragement to earn good-paying jobs such as electrician, lineman and other opportunities attractive to young people.

Local governments, the candidate said, the school board and other entities often do not communicate with each other to give them common purpose.

“No man’s an island,” she said. “We have to talk to each other. I don’t think we do enough talking. Everybody’s doing their own thing. I’m not beating anybody up. This is where I live. It’s going to take new ideas to move us forward.

“For me, what I’ve found to be a problem is it appears a lot of our different entities, our departments, city commission, county commission … they all work independently instead of together.”

In his campaign, Sampson also is stressing the need for local officials to work together more closely.

A small businessman, Sampson got his start pounding the pavement selling shoes and now owns and operates Shoes and Medical Solutions (S.A.M.P.S.) an insurance agency and Durable Medical Equipment company, whose primary focus includes shoes for diabetics and braces.

Seeing the condition of the building he rented to open the business, the entrepreneur bought the shopping center on the 1700 block of East Oglethorpe Boulevard and renovated the building through his construction company.

As an example for the need for more cooperation, Sampson pointed at the annual sessions where governments and other entities, including Chehaw Park & Zoo, the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, Albany Technical College and others, meet with the local delegation of state officials about their monetary requests.

The process would go more smoothly if those groups could focus on a couple of projects that would bring the most benefit, he said. After the governor’s spending priorities and other spending issues are worked out, there is only so much money left over, and there needs to be a local consensus on what is most important.

“The answer is having we as legislators work together to figure out which ones we need to do first,” Sampson said. “Every year before we go back in session, everybody comes with their wish list. The truth is the leaders need to get together and have discussions and (say) ‘We’re all going to work together and make Albany and Dougherty County a better place to live and work.’ If we’re going out and everybody’s wanting their little piece, it’s not going to work. Let’s work together.”

It would be much easier to present the biggest two or three priorities each year and then go back the next year with another targeted list of spending requests, the incumbent said.

“Everybody has to be on the same page or we’re not going to get what they want,” he said. “We have to make it our business to prioritize what is important to the county, and the leadership of this county has to decide what is important.

“Do I want Dougherty County to be better? Absolutely. But I think we need to take a smart approach to what we want when we go to Atlanta.”

While he is the lone Democrat among the local delegation, Sampson said he has worked on building relationships across the aisle, particularly with Rep. Gerald Greene, R-Cuthbert. As the “dean” of the House, a designation afforded the longest-serving representative in office, Greene has been instrumental in pushing forward several projects that have benefited Albany and Dougherty County.

“In my mind, I have a great relationship with him,” he said. “At the end of the day, I still have to work alongside the delegation of the majority party and see what we can do. All of this for me, as I continue to grow in this position, it’s about relationships. It’s all about relationships.”

Sampson said he wants his constituents to know that he is available and responsive to them and encouraged a Herald reporter to provide his personal phone number: (229) 444-8866.

“Tell everybody, ‘David Sampson is saying if you have individuals out there who need to get in touch and give their comments, then give him a call,'” Sampson said. “Whatever you need to do, call me.

“For me, I just want to make sure I can work on unfinished business and work to get taxpayer money back to Dougherty County.”

Special PhotoStaff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
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