Debbie Reed

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Debbie Reed

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

Trine University, 1976

Graduate

University of Cincinnati, 1980

Personal

Religion

Methodist

Profession

Teacher

Debbie Reed (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Georgia House of Representatives to represent District 112. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Biography

Reed earned a bachelor's degree from Trine University in 1976, a master's degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1980, and a master's degree from the Jungian Institute in Dublin, Ireland, in 2005. Her career experience includes working as a teacher and in medical research.

Reed has been affiliated with the following organizations:

• League of Conservation Voters
• Naral
• NAACP

Elections

2022

See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Georgia House of Representatives District 112

Incumbent Bruce Williamson defeated Debbie Reed in the general election for Georgia House of Representatives District 112 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bruce Williamson (R)	79.0	20,411
		Debbie Reed (D)	21.0	5,429

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 25,840
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 112

Debbie Reed advanced from the Democratic primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 112 on May 24, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Debbie Reed	100.0	1,504

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,504
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 112

Incumbent Bruce Williamson advanced from the Republican primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 112 on May 24, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bruce Williamson	100.0	10,840

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,840
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2020

See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Georgia House of Representatives District 115

Incumbent Bruce Williamson defeated Debbie Reed in the general election for Georgia House of Representatives District 115 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bruce Williamson (R)	77.5	23,812
		Debbie Reed (D)	22.5	6,895

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 30,707
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 115

Debbie Reed advanced from the Democratic primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 115 on June 9, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Debbie Reed	100.0	2,787

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,787
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 115

Incumbent Bruce Williamson advanced from the Republican primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 115 on June 9, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bruce Williamson	100.0	9,766

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,766
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Debbie Reed did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Debbie Reed completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Reed's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I worked my way out of poverty and went to college on scholarships earning a master's in microbiology. After working in medical research, I started my family ending up with 4 boys in 6 years. That lead to a interest in psychology so I became credentialed as a psychotherapist. Then, I taught 2 year colleges part-time, while my sons were growing. After, a serious injury from a ladder incident, health care became my focus. I started writing letters to politicians and attending democratic meetings. I could see the importance of our state legislature and decided to run myself.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Georgia residents must have access to affordable health care.
• Tax breaks and other help for small businesses which are very important for a robust economy and jobs.
• Climate change impacts all of us. Farmers, home and business owners. Let's do all we can to help our planet.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Health care, protecting individual rights to protect their own bodies and love whom they choose.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Oh there are so many people but I at the top of my list is Ruth Bader Ginsburg who used the law to improve the lives of women and men through-out the country.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Documentaries on Martin Luther King Jr. would be helpful to understanding my ideals. Or the movie about RBG "On the Basis of Sex".

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

To listen to their own constituents and try very hard to work out solutions for them.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Empathy and Determination.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To gain understanding of the problems at hand and the ones in the foreseeable future. To care and then create policies that improve the lives of those whom they serve.

What legacy would you like to leave?

One of improving the daily lives of people.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Kennedy died when I was a second-grader. It was shocking but I was relieved when Johnson was sworn in on Air Force One and I knew we would be alright.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Colon Community Schools, where at 14, I worked for the summer teaching a retarded boy his times table.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Very tough to choose: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Mary Poppins. She was an efficient problem solver and she could fly.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Coat of Many Colors

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Undiagnosed dyslexia but now I have read many books.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

There are more representatives who have more connection with the people. They write bills proposing laws that will meet the needs of their constituents. The Senate considers the overall impact of new legislation.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

No, because our government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people."

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Health care, jobs, and affordable housing are Georgia's biggest challenges.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

Cordial but independent.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Yes, it promotes understanding of the needs of Georgians. There is also strength in numbers.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

A bipartisan, independent group should be formed to determine redistricting with fairness at the heart of their agendas.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I would want to be on the Ways and Means committee since where we put our money demonstrates our values.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I would like to be in a leadership role on access to health care, small business job development, environmental issues, and social justice. That depicts my heart's desire for opportunity for all.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

John Lewis.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Not at this time.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have many stories but one in particular is about a mom with a mentally ill adult child who had Medicaid. He needed trauma therapy but could not get it due to coverage issues. She was not allowed to pay for that treatment either because he had Medicaid and it is against the law for her or anyone else to pay for it. It is Medicaid fraud. Therefore, his illness has continued because Georgia law does not allow others to pay for further treatment.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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2022 Elections

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Footnotes

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Current members of the Georgia House of Representatives

Leadership

Minority Leader:Carolyn Hugley

Representatives

District 1

Mike Cameron (R)

District 2

Steve Tarvin (R)

District 3

Mitchell Horner (R)

District 4

Kasey Carpenter (R)

District 5

Matt Barton (R)

District 6

Jason Ridley (R)

District 7

Johnny Chastain (R)

District 8

Stan Gunter (R)

District 9

Will Wade (R)

District 10

Victor Anderson (R)

District 11

Rick Jasperse (R)

District 12

Eddie Lumsden (R)

District 13

Katie Dempsey (R)

District 14

Mitchell Scoggins (R)

District 15

Matthew Gambill (R)

District 16

Trey Kelley (R)

District 17

Martin Momtahan (R)

District 18

Tyler Smith (R)

District 19

Joseph Gullett (R)

District 20

Charlice Byrd (R)

District 21

Brad Thomas (R)

District 22

Jordan Ridley (R)

District 23

Mandi Ballinger (R)

District 24

Carter Barrett (R)

District 25

Todd Jones (R)

District 26

Lauren McDonald (R)

District 27

Lee Hawkins (R)

District 28

Brent Cox (R)

District 29

Matt Dubnik (R)

District 30

Derrick McCollum (R)

District 31

Emory Dunahoo (R)

District 32

Chris Erwin (R)

District 33

Alan Powell (R)

District 34

Devan Seabaugh (R)

District 35

Lisa Campbell (D)

District 36

Ginny Ehrhart (R)

District 37

Mary Frances Williams (D)

District 38

David Wilkerson (D)

District 39

Terry Cummings (D)

District 40

Kimberly New (R)

District 41

Michael Smith (D)

District 42

Gabriel Sanchez (D)

District 43

Solomon Adesanya (D)

District 44

Don Parsons (R)

District 45

Sharon Cooper (R)

District 46

John Carson (R)

District 47

Jan Jones (R)

District 48

Scott Hilton (R)

District 49

Charles Martin (R)

District 50

Michelle Au (D)

District 51

Esther Panitch (D)

District 52

Shea Roberts (D)

District 53

Deborah Silcox (R)

District 54

Betsy Holland (D)

District 55

Inga Willis (D)

District 56

Bryce Berry (D)

District 57

Stacey Evans (D)

District 58

Park Cannon (D)

District 59

Phil Olaleye (D)

District 60

Sheila Jones (D)

District 61

Mekyah McQueen (D)

District 62

Tanya Miller (D)

District 63

Kim Schofield (D)

District 64

Sylvia Wayfer (D)

District 65

Robert Dawson (D)

District 66

Kimberly Alexander (D)

District 67

Lydia Glaize (D)

District 68

Derrick Jackson (D)

District 69

Debra Bazemore (D)

District 70

Lynn Smith (R)

District 71

Justin Howard (R)

District 72

David Huddleston (R)

District 73

Josh Bonner (R)

District 74

Robert Flournoy (D)

District 75

Eric Bell (D)

District 76

Sandra Scott (D)

District 77

Rhonda Burnough (D)

District 78

Demetrius Douglas (D)

District 79

Yasmin Neal (D)

District 80

Long Tran (D)

District 81

Noelle Kahaian (R)

District 82

Karen Mathiak (R)

District 83

Karen Lupton (D)

District 84

Mary Oliver (D)

District 85

Karla Drenner (D)

District 86

Imani Barnes (D)

District 87

Viola Davis (D)

District 88

Billy Mitchell (D)

District 89

Omari Crawford (D)

District 90

Saira Draper (D)

District 91

Angela Moore (D)

District 92

Rhonda Taylor (D)

District 93

Doreen Carter (D)

District 94

Karen Bennett (D)

District 95

Dar'shun Kendrick (D)

District 96

Arlene Beckles (D)

District 97

Ruwa Romman (D)

District 98

Marvin Lim (D)

District 99

Matt Reeves (R)

District 100

David Clark (R)

District 101

Scott Holcomb (D)

District 102

Gabe Okoye (D)

District 103

Soo Hong (R)

District 104

Chuck Efstration (R)

District 105

Sandy Donatucci (R)

District 106

Vacant

District 107

Samuel Park (D)

District 108

Jasmine Clark (D)

District 109

Dewey McClain (D)

District 110

Segun Adeyina (D)

District 111

Rey Martinez (R)

District 112

Bruce Williamson (R)

District 113

Sharon Henderson (D)

District 114

Tim Fleming (R)

District 115

Regina Lewis-Ward (D)

District 116

El-Mahdi Holly (D)

District 117

Mary Santos (D)

District 118

Clint Crowe (R)

District 119

Holt Persinger (R)

District 120

Houston Gaines (R)

District 121

Marcus Wiedower (R)

District 122

Spencer Frye (D)

District 123

Rob Leverett (R)

District 124

Trey Rhodes (R)

District 125

Gary Richardson (R)

District 126

L.C. Myles (D)

District 127

Mark Newton (R)

District 128

Mack Jackson (D)

District 129

Karlton Howard (D)

District 130

Lynn Gladney (D)

District 131

Rob Clifton (R)

District 132

Brian Prince (D)

District 133

Danny Mathis (R)

District 134

Robert Dickey (R)

District 135

Beth Camp (R)

District 136

David Jenkins (R)

District 137

Debbie Buckner (D)

District 138

Vance Smith (R)

District 139

Carmen Rice (R)

District 140

Teddy Reese (D)

District 141

Carolyn Hugley (D)

District 142

Miriam Paris (D)

District 143

Anissa Jones (D)

District 144

Dale Washburn (R)

District 145

Herring (D)

District 146

Shaw Blackmon (R)

District 147

Bethany Ballard (R)

District 148

Noel Williams (R)

District 149

Floyd Griffin (D)

District 150

Patty Stinson (D)

District 151

Mike Cheokas (R)

District 152

Bill Yearta (R)

District 153

David Sampson (D)

District 154

Gerald Greene (R)

District 155

Matt Hatchett (R)

District 156

Leesa Hagan (R)

District 157

Bill Werkheiser (R)

District 158

Larry Parrish (R)

District 159

Jon Burns (R)

District 160

Lehman Franklin (R)

District 161

Bill Hitchens (R)

District 162

Carl Gilliard (D)

District 163

Anne Westbrook (D)

District 164

Ron Stephens (R)

District 165

Edna Jackson (D)

District 166

Jesse Petrea (R)

District 167

Buddy DeLoach (R)

District 168

Al Williams (D)

District 169

Angie O'Steen (R)

District 170

Jaclyn Ford (R)

District 171

Joe Campbell (R)

District 172

Charles Cannon (R)

District 173

Darlene Taylor (R)

District 174

John Corbett (R)

District 175

John LaHood (R)

District 176

James Burchett (R)

District 177

Dexter Sharper (D)

District 178

Steven Meeks (R)

District 179

Rick Townsend (R)

District 180

Steven Sainz (R)

Republican Party (100)

Democratic Party (79)

Vacancies (1)