Rick Day
Rick Day (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Georgia House of Representatives to represent District 7. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Elections
2020
See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Georgia House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent David Ralston defeated Rick Day in the general election for Georgia House of Representatives District 7 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | David Ralston (R) | 83.7 | 27,074 |
 | Rick Day (D) | 16.3 | 5,255 | |
| Total votes: 32,329 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 7
Rick Day advanced from the Democratic primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 7 on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rick Day | 100.0 | 2,193 |
| Total votes: 2,193 | |||
| = 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 7
Incumbent David Ralston advanced from the Republican primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 7 on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | David Ralston | 100.0 | 12,916 |
| Total votes: 12,916 | |||
| = 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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2018
General election
General election for Georgia House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent David Ralston defeated Rick Day in the general election for Georgia House of Representatives District 7 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | David Ralston (R) | 84.3 | 21,058 |
| Rick Day (D) | 15.7 | 3,909 | |
| Total votes: 24,967 | |||
| = 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 7
Rick Day advanced from the Democratic primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 7 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rick Day | 100.0 | 937 |
| Total votes: 937 | |||
| = 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 7
Incumbent David Ralston defeated Margaret Williamson in the Republican primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 7 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | David Ralston | 74.1 | 5,755 |
| Margaret Williamson | 25.9 | 2,012 | ||
| Total votes: 7,767 | |||
| = 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
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Rick Day did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Rick Day completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Day's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Cannabis Legalization Criminal Justice Reform Healthcare Reform
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Criminal Justice. I have been an advocate for legal cannabis since 1976, when my first Letter to the Editor was published on the subject.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
My hero is Bernie Sanders, and has been for decades. His honesty, integrity and focus on family draws me to progressive politics.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
The Teaching of Jesus. The red letter words, these guide me though my life and politics.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Honesty, integrity and honorable intent.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I am not a politician, I know what they look like and how they act. Less politics, more statesmanship.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
To be held accountable by the electorate. To be directed by the electorate. To honestly represent the electorate.
What legacy would you like to leave?
That I knocked off the most Dark Money Candidate in the history of Georgia Politics, the Speaker.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
I was 8 when JFK was killed in my hometown. I'll never forget the shame and the impact it had on everyone around me, and as a nation.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
My first job was working Concession as a cashier at The Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX. I was 14.
What happened on your most awkward date?
I had to play a game of dominos with my date's grandfather, who was blind. He beat us and laughed as we left. She shrugged and said he was always like that with her friends. I could see his point.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
I am not very traditional anymore. All our Holy Days, or 'holidays' have been stolen by Madison Ave and military contractors, and injected with manufactured symbolism to sell things to us. My favorite holiday is the one where all my family gathers, for gathering sake. Those days with my fam are the real Holy Days.
What is your favorite book? Why?
"Black Like Me" was a graphic depiction of life as a black person in the South, where I grew up in parallel as a blue collar suburban kid. That, along with the then live news regarding Dr. King, and the burgeoning underground newspapers talking about Vietnam and Civil Rights, all led to my moral compass when it comes to government's interaction with its people.
If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?
God
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
My favorite thing is my ability to communicate electronically. It's also my least favorite thing because since the mid 1990s, I am well aware how harmful and deadly it certainly can be, to me or others. We need leaders experienced with the internet, its content and language nuance, and the issues of privacy vs security. I am that leader.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
This moment? Polaris by Deadmau5.
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
What struggle? I am white, male, tall and American. My face opened doors. That experience and my face opened more doors. I walked by contractors in permit offices who didn't look like me, but had been waiting a lot longer. I get warning tickets for speeding from white officers. My life struggle has been convincing other white boomers to be more open to tolerance, love and equality. That has been ongoing since 1980, and obviously, the struggle has been futile.
Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?
The imbalance of corporate controlled and ethically bankrupt New GOP control at all levels of government. We are not structured to be dominated by one party. You can't fly with only one wing. The refusal to do anything other than demonize Democrats endlessly. Its pathetic and it needs to stop. Present an agenda other than "we are not them!" Lead, or step out.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
Obviously not
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
Obviously not. We need to grow from our roots as a penal colony. There must be more focus on agriculture and the introduction of new cash crops, which lead to jobs, businesses and increased revenue bases to grow the state. There needs to be a serious look at the current structure of criminal justice, and fresh constitutional approaches to restructuring our 300 year old systems to more modern realities.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
A healthy skepticism but mutually respectful. Adversarial politics is as old as Karl Rove's conviction, and should be as dead as Lee Atwater. It is painfully obvious that even in total power, the GOP has no ability to enact and agenda, they can only point and shriek at liberals. Voters are weary, and want a clean slate.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Its beneficial to build relationship with other citizens. The two go hand in hand. But the fence around that relationship is money. When money is involved, no matter how indirectly, the dollar shields go up. There are few things worse than the impression of impropriety in campaign or crony activity. Especially between elected officials.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
Algorithm based on population. Totally random, with tiny tweaks based on a strict criteria. Anything else is gerrymandering.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Bernie Sanders. JFK. John Lewis. For all they have done for the betterment of humanity.
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
No. This one and perhaps one term only, perhaps 2. My goal is to take out my corporate controlled opponent. I plan on retiring as soon as my election or re election is over.
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?
While visiting a local thrift store, I saw a young woman, barely 15, holding an infant child in her arms. She looked, well, shell shocked. She looked at this life that came from her not 30 days ago, and she had no idea what to do. I asked her what she had in plans for their future. She looked at me with eyes that could not even comprehend the present, much less the future. She is a reminder of the neighbors and children of neighbors who are lost in the context of sexual abuse, and lack of proper reproductive education and broken and addicted families. She and other like her have no voice in the corporate business of doling out taxpayer dollars to private business and religious interests. I want to be her voice; to remind these fat cats there are real people out there who are being impacted by these diversions of revenue and budget setting. I want to represent her and her child's future.
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.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
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