Gov. Brian Kemp: His Approach for Georgia

“And things like rural broadband, having quality health care, just a good quality of life, good ability to get a great education—whether it’s going into a technical field college or university setting. We had a lot of different options for folks, and we’re slowly moving the needle.”

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp was sworn in as the 83rd Governor of Georgia in January of 2019. Prior to being elected Governor, Mr. Kemp served as Secretary of State of Georgia, a member of the Georgia State Senate, and worked in the private sector in construction. During his time in office so far, Governor Kemp has prioritized promoting a pro-business climate in the state, investing in rural communities, putting forward pro-life policies, and prosecuting illegal street gangs. In this interview, which is part of the Merion West one-on-one interview series, Merion West editor Erich Prince speaks with Governor Kemp at the Governor’s office in Atlanta. The interview focuses on economic issues in Georgia, Governor Kemp’s efforts to bring foreign investment into the state, and what other states might be able to glean from Georgia’s focus on creating a pro-business environment.

First of all, I wanted to begin by starting [with] education, and you had an op-ed, which I read in The Albany Herald last week, coinciding with the beginning of school. And you mentioned “Back to school, not the status quo” and that burdensome regulations and mandates make it difficult for teachers to actually teach and students being tested too much. And obviously education and a strong economy run hand-in-hand. Talk a bit more about what you’re thinking regarding education as the school year starts.

Well, education and the economy do run hand-in-hand. Workforce development is one of the biggest issues that we have in our state; we know we’ve got to have a good education system to deal with those issues. And in today’s world, it’s not just college or technical [school]; it’s starting in high school, and people really need to be thinking about that. I think even in middle school, if we can get them to. I was having discussions on that today—to really make sure they understand the opportunities that are there available for them, and we have many different options and opportunities so that they can prepare for the future earlier.