Former firefighter, Ga. House intern running for District 152 seat

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Tyler Johnson said he’s never held public office before but has a message for voters.

“And I want them to know that I’m a fighter," Johnson said. "I’m going to work hard for our district. I’m gonna work hard for them because that’s the whole reason to go up there.”

Johnson said he is a product of the Lee County School System.

After high school, Johnson said he joined the Army National Guard and has been doing that for the last eight years.

Johnson said he did an internship in the Georgia House of Representatives Rules Committee.

“I worked under Chairman Meadows in the House Rules Committee," he said. "I got to see all of that and I’ve maintained connections with a lot of those state legislators since then.”

Relationship building, Johnson pointed out, is one of the ways he stands out and makes him qualified for the job.

“Well definitely the fact that I have a heart of service and I already have the experience there at the state capital," Johnson said. "When I was working in the House Rules Committee and so a lot of what goes on at the state capital is relationship-based and I have (that) and like I said, I’ve maintained those connections over the years. I can be an independent voice when I get up to Atlanta.”

He added: "I don’t have all these other strings attached to me. I was working as a wildland firefighter (and) I resigned from that in order to run for this position.”

Johnson said his main points from his campaign are furthering the development of the Lee County Medical Center.

“Number two is education," Johnson said. "What I keep hearing whenever I go out and talk with people, and I’ve definitely heard it while I was growing up, is the States become more of a hindrance than a help in our classrooms. The third main point I want to hit on real quick is our economic development.”

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