Rep.-elect Carolyn Bourdeaux: Why She Ran, and Hope for the Future

“One of the big issues was health care reform; my own parents struggled with the cost of prescription medications, using up all of their discretionary income to pay for my father’s insulin and other medications.”

Merion West’s Henri Mattila was joined for a December 11th interview with Carolyn Bourdeaux, who recently defeated Republican opponent, Rich McCormick, to represent Georgia’s 7th Congressional District. Notably, Representative-elect Bourdeaux was the only member of the Democratic Party to flip a House seat from red to blue during last month’s general election. During the conversation, Representative-elect Bourdeaux outlines the key initiatives she plans to pursue when her first term begins in January. She also describes areas where she hopes to find common ground with colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Additionally, Representative-elect Bourdeaux explains why she believes Georgia will continue to send more Democrats to Congress in coming elections, as well as why she is optimistic about the future of the country.

Carolyn Bourdeaux, thank you so much for joining me today, and congratulations on your victory.

Glad to be here. Thanks for the invitation.

What inspired you to run for office in the first place?

I live in Suwanee, Georgia with my husband and eight-year-old son, and I teach at Georgia State at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and have been involved in public service for most of my life. And there was just this moment where it seemed to me that our elected officials have lost their line of sight to the people of this district and of this country. One of the big issues was health care reform; my own parents struggled with the cost of prescription medications, using up all of their discretionary income to pay for my father’s insulin and other medications.