Boyd Austin Jr.
Republican | Georgia
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Boyd Austin Jr.
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
Primary Runoff
Race
State Senator, Dist. 31
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Georgia, Athens, BA, 1984
WORK & MILITARY
Homeplace Communities Mgmt LLC, Properties Manager, 19
Raker Construction Co., Inc, Project Manager, 3
Captive & Independent Insurance Agent, Insurance Agent, 14
Part-time Mayor of Dallas, GA, Mayor, 25
AFFILIATIONS
First Baptist Church of Dallas, GA, Deacon, SS teacher, trustee, Exec Committee member, Georgia Municipal Association
President, Exec Comm, Legislative Policy Council, Northwest Georgia Regional Comm, Board Member
GMA Risk Mgmt & Employee Benefits System, Past Chair, Governing Board Member, Metropolitan North GA Water Planning District
Chair, Board Member, Legislative Affairs, Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, Chair, Board member appt'd by 3 Governors
Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Board Member, Appointed by Governor, WellStar Paulding Hospital
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Mayor of Dallas, GA, 25
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
Nathan Deal
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)
Governor Nathan Deal
Governor Sonny Perdue
Coach Vince Dooley
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (4)
Bill Yearta William J. Yearta (2019)
Micah Gravley (2016)
Nathan Deal (200 )
Phil Gingrey (2006)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
Strongly Agree
I support the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which requires health care providers to provide life-saving treatment for infants who survive an attempted abortion.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Only if the life of the mother is endangered.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Strongly Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Georgia is required by law to have a balanced budget. Due to thoughtful, conservative leadership, the state has been able to maintain a AAA bond-rating, and has set aside a healthy amount of reserves in a rainy-day fund. Due to the pandemic, cuts must be made to balance the budget this year. It is expected that every agency and entity of the state will face a decrease of 11% for Fiscal Year 2021.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Governments should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Strongly Agree
Governments should define marriage as between one man and one woman; no other definition of marriage should be legalized or supported with taxpayer or public funds.
No Answer
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
I promise to protect the freedom of Christians to share the Gospel and to practice Biblical principles.
Yes
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
It is often thought that religious liberty means a strict separation of church and state, but that's not the proper understanding of the role religion and morality play in the civic and public life of a self-governing people. To me, freedom of religion does not mean freedom from religion. In my opinion, public prayer and public religious display is part of our national heritage, and should not be banned from the town square.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Strongly Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
We need to allow the free market and innovation to drive improvements to our healthcare system. Access to telemedicine is key in allowing accessibility to populations that are further removed from doctors and healthcare facilities. Additionally, transparency in pricing is crucial to allow patients to understand the costs of any procedure. Putting an end to surprise billing is of great importance.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Strongly Agree
IMMIGRATION
I am in favor of construction of a wall and other necessary infrastructure on our border that gives complete control over entering and exiting the United States.
Strongly Agree
State and federal funds should be denied to any public or private entity, including but not limited to sanctuary cities, that are not in compliance with immigration laws.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
A top priority should be skilled workers who fill a gap in employment that is not currently occupied by U.S. citizens.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
I support adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
No Answer
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a born-again, evangelical Christian. I have a strong Christian family heritage, and have attended First Baptist Church of Dallas all of my life. I accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 8, and have been a member of FBCD for 50 years. I have taught Sunday School for 30 years,at varying age levels from middle school boys to the adult men's class. I am an ordained deacon and have served rotating terms on the board of trustees and executive council. I believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless, perfect life, and that He died for the atonement of sin. I believe in Christ's death, burial and resurrection. I believe in the rapture of the Church, and the final judgment of all people before the throne of Christ, where all shall confess Him. I believe in eternal life for believers, and judgment to eternal separation for those who reject Him.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and immigration, which of the following best describes you overall?
Very Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
First of all, I would direct voters to read the policy statements on my website. Many issues are addressed, there, and will be very helpful to voters who seek to know more about my beliefs. Please go to https://boydaustinsenate.com/issues/ For voters to understand other policy positions, I encourage them to check out the NRA ratings, the Georgia Life Alliance candidate survey, and the following article regarding illegal immigration https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/06/03/georgias-gop-split-immigration/
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
*Lifelong resident of district, and a 7th generation Georgian *1980 graduate of Paulding County High School *Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia, 1984. *Businessman who runs a property management company operating independent senior apartments *Part-time Mayor of Dallas, GA,1995-2020 *Governed during boom periods, as well as severe economic crises *Established a fiscal policy that left the City in excellent financial shape with plans in place for continued growth *By prioritizing law enforcement, Dallas is consistently rated as one of the state's safest cities *Leadership and experience earned four invitations to the Trump White House to discuss policy initiatives *Appointed by Governors Perdue, Deal & Kemp to state boards and authorities *Past President of the Georgia Municipal Association *Governing board of large public pension and risk management programs *Many boards and authorities, dealing with economic development, natural resources and infrastructure
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I encourage the voters to check out my campaign website (boydaustinsenate.com) and my Facebook page (Elect Boyd Austin for State Senate 31)
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
I support the use of Sharia law as a basis for legislation and judicial decisions in the United States.
Strongly Disagree
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Strongly Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
I fully support the Second Amendment and its strict interpretation. I support constitutional carry.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Strongly Disagree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
I would make broadband development and deployment a top priority. I have seen the stark reality of its deficiency in the district during this pandemic with families trying to work, receive instruction, or acquire medical attention from home. Another priority would be ethics reforms. In addition to the annual personal financial disclosure report, I would require immediate reporting of the acquisition/sale of any asset or business interest in excess of $50,000 by the public officer,spouse or affiliated entity. Greater transparency of PACs and Independent Expenditure Committees would require donor information, detailed expense reports, intended beneficiaries, and two-day reports of expenses between reporting dates and elections. I would move to reduce red tape at the state level to reduce project costs and schedules.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism is wrong. We're all Americans, first, and we live in the greatest country in the world. Many outside influences try to divide us and weaken us. We are our best when we stand together as one people.
