Georgia’s 7th congressional district election
October 28, 2020
The Georgia Congressional District 7 race remains one of the nation’s most contentious and is a key battleground race for both Democrats and Republicans alike. This year’s race puts Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux (who lost narrowly in 2018) against Republican newcomer Rich McCormick.
Bourdeaux runs on a platform of nationwide recognition following her 500 vote loss to former Republican Congressman Rob Woodall. Newcomer, veteran, and emergency room doctor Rich McCormick paints himself more as a considerate conservative, a contrast to the traditional “law and order” candidate.
With the contentious election issues such as COVID-19, the economy, climate change, LGBTQ+ rights and women’s issues have remained prevalent.
Rich McCormick (R)
COVID-19
- Emphasizes his frontline experience treating COVID-19 patients as an example of how to handle both healthcare and the economy.
- Supports reopening economy to combat COVID-19
- Opposes additional stimulus
Economy
- Supports the empowerment of the private sector.
- Supports additional tax reliefs for middle-class families.
- Supports removing regulations that limit economic growth.
- Supports promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.
Climate Change
- Believes that climate change is a global problem that requires global solutions.
- Believes that before the United States is to take any action against climate change there also must be a global promise and effort from nations worldwide.
Racial Injustice
- Highlights a position of community dialogue.
- Believes that racism is a people problem, not a political problem.
- Believes in order to solve this there must be community dialogue before there can be any discussion about political legislation.
- Argues that improving police-community relations is a necessary step to opening a dialogue about accountability, police training and then subsequent methods of accountability.
LGBTQ+ Rights and Women’s Rights
Carolyn Bourdeaux (D)
COVID-19
- Supports following scientific guidance around in regards to testing, contact tracing, wearing masks, and expanding healthcare access.
Economy
- Supports increasing job training and apprenticeships.
- Supports bettering college affordability by increasing Pell Grants, service loan forgiveness programs and ensuring that student loan payments are pegged to income.
- Supports increasing funding to infrastructure.
- Supports increasing jobs via the green economy.
Climate Change
- Supports addressing climate change.
- Supports investing in clean energy jobs and technologies.
Racial Injustice
- Supports establishing a system of data collection on cases of police violence and establishing a National Registry of Police Misconduct.
- Supports passing legislation that ends the transfer of military weaponry to local offices, ban on racial and religious profiling and establishment of federal use of force standards for police.
- Supports passing the Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act of 2019.
LGBTQ+ Rights and Women’s Rights
- Supports passing the Equality Act that would make explicit the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics.
- Supports passing the Do No Harm Act which would clarify that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act is intended to protect religious freedom without allowing the infliction of harm to other people.
- Supports the Paycheck Fairness Act.
- Supports working to ensure paid family medical leave.
- Supports a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.
- Supports efforts to lower the Georgia maternal mortality rate, including advocating for Medicaid expansion.
- Supports finally ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment.