Georgia House of Representatives District 97 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Georgia, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Georgia House of Representatives District 97 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Georgia House of Representatives District 97

Ruwa Romman defeated John Chan in the general election for Georgia House of Representatives District 97 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ruwa Romman (D)	57.7	10,538
		John Chan (R)	42.3	7,729

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 18,267
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

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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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?

John Chan (R)

Fighting for individual freedoms.

Fighting crime, funding the police & making sure the Atlanta crime doesn't move any farther into Gwinnett

I will work to find solutions that bring the parties together so we can help all of the people in our district.

Ruwa Romman (D)

Uniquely Experienced: I spent more than a decade empowering and mobilizing our communities to make their voices heard working every election cycle since 2014 registering people to vote and empowering them to make their voices heard. That experience, coupled with my Masters in Public Policy and professional working experience make me uniquely qualified for this role.

Ready on Day One: My unique qualifications mean I'll be ready on day one to address the challenges facing our state head on. I've spent years advocating in Congress and the State Legislature. For. example, I have helped draft and pass legislation like the No Ban Act to address civil rights concerns.

Community Led. Community Driven: I'm running because my community asked me to run. Since launching our campaign, we focused on what the community wants and needs. We've held listening sessions, virtual live town halls, and focused on direct voter outreach.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

John Chan (R)

Crime Reduction.

Securing personal liberties. Parental rights in the education of their children & removing CRT. Securing religious freedoms. Working to reduce local taxes & regulations on the tax payers and on businesses.

Listening to the people and doing everything I can to be the leader they need, this is not about me, it's about them and what I can do for them.

Ruwa Romman (D)

I’m running on a platform focused on fully funding public education, bridging the economic opportunity gap, expanding access to healthcare, and protecting our fundamental right to vote.

Underinvesting in education is one of the biggest threats to our society and a detriment to our community. Here in Georgia, education accounts for 50% of our budget, yet Georgia ranks 38th in the nation and underpays its teachers. We must pass permanent fixes to pay our teachers more and reinvest in our students.

Additionally, we must bridge the economic opportunity gap. A single person with no kids in Gwinnett needs to make almost $17/hr for a living wage. The current federal minimum wage is only $7.25.. That's untenable. It’s why I will champion a minimum wage increase, increase worker protections and empower small businesses.

And, we must expand access to healthcare. Too many of us are one emergency away from financial hardship. Growing up, health insurance was not always guaranteed for my family. We must ensure that every Georgian has access to affordable, quality healthcare, and support small businesses that want to do right by their employees.

Finally, Voting Rights is the issue of our time. We are watching the culmination of a decade-long assault on voting rights here in Georgia. Our democracy is under attack by Republicans who do not believe in the fundamental right to vote and do not respect our election results.

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

John Chan (R)

NA

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

John Chan (R)

One that listens to all constituents and follows the path that his constituents want and are for the best for all involved. They do NOT take special interest money or favors to sway their vote.

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

John Chan (R)

I'm usually able to solve complex problems very quickly.

I can make sane decisions despite any situations or noise or distractions going on around me. I can be focused without any issues.

I am very skilled at getting people with different ideas & concepts to work together towards a common goal.

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

John Chan (R)

To follow the hearts of their constituents and do the best for Georgia and the US

What legacy would you like to leave?

John Chan (R)

I just want to make sure that I have done all I could to help as many people as possible.

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

Ruwa Romman (D)

My first job was working as a Student Ambassador at Oglethorpe University for three years. My first full time job was at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights for two years as a consultant.

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

Ruwa Romman (D)

Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince by Taylor Swift

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

John Chan (R)

Being born in America to Chinese parents who didn't speak a lick of English, it was very challenging in my early years in school due to not having anyone at home speak English.

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

John Chan (R)

The ideal relationship is one of trust and working toward the common goal of the best outcome for the citizens as Georgians and the United States.

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

John Chan (R)

There are several:

Legitimate and secure voting by US citizens, counted properly Education so that people are versed in common civics, common daily life and living, and being productive Drug education and Drug rehabilitation

Maintaining a thriving economy

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

John Chan (R)

A unicameral state legislature allows the legislatures to be more familiar with each other and be more able to communicate with each other.

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

John Chan (R)

While it's helpful, I believe it's more helpful to be in business or in a setting where one has had to get concrete products that are measurable.

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

John Chan (R)

Absolutely. It's always best to have as many relationships as possible to allow for the exchange of ideas and to understand different points of view to get to the best outcome.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

John Chan (R)

By population

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

John Chan (R)

Possibly - I would have to investigate it further.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

John Chan (R)

NA

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

John Chan (R)

Jody Hice

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

John Chan (R)

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?

John Chan (R)

Not yet

Ruwa Romman (D)

We heard so many stories on the campaign trail, but the one that stands out to me the most is a story a mother of three black boys shared with our volunteer. She works full time but can barely make ends meet. She tries so hard to maintain a good home for her kids and help them build the best future possible. They follow the laws and rules. One day, her son was helping fix her car outside. The neighbors called the cops on him. They lived in the area for years yet somehow he was seen as suspicious. She shares how she walked out right as things began to escalate and is still haunted by what could have happened had she not walked out when she did. Her story really solidified for us why we are doing this.

Tell us your favorite joke.

John Chan (R)

What do you call cheese that's not yours? Nacho Cheese 😂

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

John Chan (R)

In general - NO. The government already has too much power. It should only be in very extreme cases.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

John Chan (R)

Yes, one has to be able to get agreement between various lines of thinking to get policies that are the best for the group.

See also

More about these elections:

• Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2022

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