PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 14, 2024
CONTACT: Davis Lundy 423-240-5749
[email protected]
ATLANTA, Ga. – Rep. Sanford Bishop cancelled his commitment to participate in the prestigious Atlanta Press Club/Loudermilk-Young debate Sunday with commonsense candidate Wayne Johnson, choosing instead to hobnob with Bill Clinton who is out campaigning for Harris/Walz.
“I was told Saturday afternoon that Sanford was going to skip the debate regarding his Congressional seat so he could go campaign for Vice President Harris. I could not believe what I was hearing, especially since Bishop told me this past Friday evening that he considered these debates as important aspects of the job interview for being elected to Congress. With that said, Sanford Bishop just skipped out on the most important job interview of his career,” said Johnson, who faces off with Bishop in the Nov. 5 election for a chance to represent citizens in Albany, Macon, Columbus and 30 counties in Middle and Southwest Georgia.
“It is also a fact that Sanford has skipped several opportunities to talk to the people who elected him, by not showing up at previous candidate forums that he had committed to participate in, even those sponsored by local Democrats. Canceling out of the debate sponsored by the Atlanta Press Club just takes it to a more bizarre level. The Atlanta Press Club debates are the most viewed and most prestigious debates that take place in Georgia every election cycle.” said Johnson.
“If I am a voter, no matter political party or affiliation — who has experienced personal and financial pain over the past four years — do you want to hear from Sanford, your current congressman, or do you want him skipping the question and answering process of a debate for him to make a political appearance with the former president, in support of another candidate. After talking to thousands of voters, I know what they would say. They would say that it is disrespectful to them and to the process, especially after him having accepted and having it publicized that he would be participating. They would want to see Sanford working to keep his job.”
Johnson welcomed the debate and stood next to an empty podium and took questions from a highly respected moderator and professional journalist. The first topic was affordability, and Johnson said, “that policies of President Biden, all supported by Sanford Bishop, are the cause of financial struggles of families in Middle and Southwest Georgia.” Bishop was not present to answer.
“When I debated with Sanford this past Friday before local television audiences of Albany and Columbus, he refused to ‘own’ or even acknowledge the pain his constituents are experiencing, and he did not show up today to explain why,” said Johnson.
The professional journalists in todays “job interview” with Johnson — since there was no one to debate — asked Johnson about his plan to provide a new car to a citizen for less than $200 a month and a mortgage for a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home for $1,000 a month, each without a requirement for a down payment. The journalists were keenly interested in his plan and specifically asked if it would work for Atlanta as well as Southwest Georgia.
“If we can make billions of dollars in direct loans to students to go to college, we can certainly make federal direct loans for housing and cars.” said Johnson. “I would want to pilot the programs in Middle and Southwest Georgia, and I know there are funds available within the agencies of the Federal government to fund the pilot programs because I know how to get these funds.
“Sanford told me Friday night that debates were important, and that he viewed them as a job interview. Today, he skipped his job interview with the voters while I showed up,” said Johnson. “Sanford’s behaviors with respect to getting in front of voters this election cycle has just been ‘weird.’ Either he is supremely confident that he has all the votes he needs, or he just no longer cares.”
Dr. Wayne Johnson was born in Macon and has been a lifelong resident of Georgia. Johnson is a husband, father, grandfather, and U.S. Army veteran. He obtained his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from Mercer University and his master’s in business from Emory University.
Johnson is a respected former banker who has established businesses in Middle and Southwest Georgia, other parts of Georgia and internationally. He has enjoyed both cattle and tree farming and has worked for major corporations with ties to Middle and Southwest Georgia.
“My message has been and will continue to be that we must address the kitchen table issues impacting every family in our district,” said Johnson. “A change will be good for the citizens of Middle and Southwest Georgia, and with their help, we will make a change happen this November.”