As the Nov. 8 election looms closer, Republican Georgia House incumbent Representative Matt Dubnik is preparing to run for re-election in a slightly altered district.
Dubnik has represented District 29 since 2016, but in the recent redistricting he gained territory in Oakwood that extends to the Flowery Branch city limits. He gave up the 30506 zip code, but he also gained the 30501 zip code and other parts of Gainesville.
Despite the redistricting, Dubnik said that many of his new constituents recognize him from his work in the community. Dubnik spoke on WDUN’s Newsroom about his campaign plans and his efforts to meet new constituents.
“Folks know me,” Dubnik said. “I've been out and about not just in my district before. Gainesville and Hall County have been home and are home. My business is here. Katie and I are involved in the community. So it's been a little easier than the first time trying to introduce myself.”
Dubnik is the chairman for the House’s Education Committee and said much of his focus will be centered on educational measures.
The state has a six billion dollar surplus to play with this year, and Dubnik was with Gov. Brian Kemp in Oconee County when the incumbent governor announced his educational initiatives for his next potential term.
“Those funds would be used for education purposes, really focused on learning loss and school safety and security, as well as helping paraprofessionals become teachers as a whole another way for us to recruit from within,” Dubnik said.
Dubnik stressed the importance of literacy rates and said that students need to be reading on-grade level by the end of third grade. He believes that quality K-12 education is one of the keystones of quality economic development.
“If you have quality K-12, you have quality access to health care and you have high-speed internet,” Dubnik said. “Those are the drivers of economic development. So [my] focus is on our transportation, our infrastructure, more high-speed internet, especially in our rural areas, and our educational focus.”
When asked about any parental complaints from the controversial House Bill 1178, known as the “Parents’ Bill Of Rights,” Dubnik said he had not heard any complaints from any superintendents or school board members.
“It's been completely the opposite,” Dubnik said. “100% have called to say, ‘Matt, we appreciate you clarifying things,’ if nothing else so that our board members, our superintendents and our parents are at least all on the same page. And I can't tell you how many parents, both locally and across the state, have reached out to say thank you – not just to me, but to the committee and to the legislature in general for passing some of the bills that we did.”
Dubnik also voiced his support for the Heartbeat Bill, which he voted for when it was introduced in 2019.
“I believe that life begins at conception, and I believe that all life has value,” Dubnik said. “And those are things that are the core of who I am and are grounded in me because of my faith. I think that that bill struck a balance of allowing for exceptions. I think that that bill struck a balance of protecting the lives of the unborn.”
Dubnik will run against Democratic challenger Devin Pandy on Nov. 8. The Republican incumbent said his grandfather-in-law James Mathis inspired him to become a state representative.
“He had a saying that you’ve got to pay a little rent to your community,” Dubnik said. “And for him that meant sometimes physically writing a check to do things, but it really meant giving back and being involved. I was just looking for a way to give back to my community.”
