Seven of the 14 candidates running for governor took the stage April 21 at Leadership DeKalb's primary forum to answer questions on affordability, education funding, and leadership. The event drew roughly 200 in-person attendees at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center in South DeKalb, plus 350 watching via livestream.
Moderator Maya Prabhu, a political journalist and Spelman College alum, walked candidates through questions on their personal leadership experience, the policies they would champion as governor, and how they would respond to the rising cost of living in Georgia. Six Democrats participated: Impact Church Lead Pastor Olu Brown, former Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, former State Senator Jason Esteves, State Rep. Derrick Jackson, and former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. Republican newcomers Clark Dean and Kenneth Yasger represented the GOP primary field.
All 14 candidates had been invited. The forum was the latest in a run of regional events (Esteves's Decatur town hall on data centers among them) staking out positions before the May 19 primary. Early voting starts April 27.
For Decatur-area voters, Leadership DeKalb's forum was a chance to see the field side-by-side on the affordability-and-education bundle that has shaped the primary so far.
