Why I’m Running for Congress: A Voice for Georgia’s Working Families

Letters to the Editor
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Why I’m Running for Congress: A Voice for Georgia’s Working Families

Letters to the Editor
Share this Post
Views 2902 | Comments 11

By Jonathan Bonner Peachtree City 

As a single father, caregiver to my disabled veteran father, and lifelong resident of Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, I understand what it means to struggle—and to keep fighting.

I’m running for Congress because I’m tired of watching our communities be overlooked by leaders who are out of touch. Congress should be a reflection of the people it serves—not a gated chamber for the wealthy and well-connected. Did you know that less than 2% of Congress comes from working-class backgrounds? That has to change. If you make under $180,000 a year, that means you, too, are being left out of the room where decisions about your life are being made.

My story isn’t polished or privileged. It’s real. My mother was a federal worker for over 35 years. My sister teaches at a Title I school. My brother is part of the LGBTQ+ community. Like so many of you, my family represents the strength—and the struggles—of America. We’ve lived paycheck to paycheck. We’ve waited on hold with Medicaid and VA services. We’ve felt invisible.

I’m not running for power or prestige. I’m running to represent families like mine. I believe in modernizing our politics with transparency, integrity, and accountability. That means every donation to my campaign is publicly listed. No dark money. No corporate PACs. Just people-powered support.

I will fight to:

  • Protect and fund public education, including higher wages for teachers
  • Strengthen Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid
  • Expand affordable healthcare and mental health access
  • Tax polluting corporations and billionaires their fair share
  • Preserve reproductive rights and civil liberties
  • Create jobs by investing in clean energy and local businesses

Georgia’s 13th District deserves a representative who shows up—not just during election season, but all year long. I’ve been meeting with county leaders in Fayette, Henry, Gwinnett, Newton, and Clayton to unify our efforts, amplify voices, and bring real results.

This campaign isn’t about me—it’s about us. And if you’ve ever felt like no one in Washington speaks for you, I’m here to change that.

Let’s make history. Let’s make Congress work for the people again.

Jonathan Bonner
Democratic Candidate for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District

Letters to the Editor

11 responses to “Why I’m Running for Congress: A Voice for Georgia’s Working Families”

  1. Stranger Than Fiction Avatar
    Stranger Than Fiction

    “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

  2. Doug Tucker Avatar
    Doug Tucker

    By default, you have my current vote. I see POTUS has admittedly defied SCOTUS. Our Representative to the House of Representatives, the “Honorable” Brian Jack is complicit if he doesn’t initiate or support an impeachment. If he does, he will show some guts. If not, I consider him an ethically open target of opportunity and totally expendable.

    1. Hometown600 Avatar
      Hometown600

      Doug, Brian Jack proudly included Donald Trump’s name on every single campaign sign he put up. I wouldn’t count on him to do the right thing when it comes to protecting the Constitution and our democracy.

      1. Doug Tucker Avatar
        Doug Tucker

        I don’t Hometown. I’m just giving the young man a chance to do the right thing now that most of us know (unless we are blind, illiterate, and/or stupid) that Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, is a liar, fraud, and does not support the United States Constitution. I think he has now perjured himself. Congress needs to impeach Trump and refer charges against Steven Miller as a traitor.

  3. Stranger Than Fiction Avatar
    Stranger Than Fiction

    Mr. Bonner – With our democracy disappearing more each day, the only relevant question we have for you is: Will you defend the U.S. Constitution and stand up to authoritarian leaders who refuse to honor our founding document?

    None of Penny’s questions matter if we lose our democracy and live under a dictator.

    1. Jonathan Bonner Avatar
      Jonathan Bonner

      I want to be absolutely clear: I will always defend the U.S. Constitution and stand against any attempt to undermine our democracy.
      Protecting our founding document is not just political for me — it’s personal.
      Both of my parents served in the military, and my family has fought in every major U.S. conflict dating back to World War II. Service to this country runs deep in my blood, and so does the responsibility to defend the freedoms generations before us sacrificed so much to protect.

      I believe standing up to authoritarianism, extremism, and corruption isn’t just a duty for elected officials — it’s a moral obligation for every American who loves this country.
      You have my full commitment that I will fight every day to preserve, protect, and strengthen our democracy for current and future generations.

      1. Stranger Than Fiction Avatar
        Stranger Than Fiction

        Thank you Mr. Bonner. It would be nice to have a Congressional representative from our district with no fealty to an autocrat. We haven’t had that in years. I wish you much success.

  4. My.02 Avatar
    My.02

    Mr Bonner – the goals you would represent us to accomplish look like the very same ones that failed us under Biden / Harris. They also avoid the major issues that confront our country today. Please follow-up with answers to these questions:

    We are $37,000,000,000,000 in debt. How does that shape your agenda?

    Social Security and Medicare face automatic cuts in under 10 years if nothing is done to increase funding or cut spending. What is your plan?

    Do you only want to tax “polluting corporations”? Should only billionaires be taxed their “fair share”, and how much is that?

    What do you plan to do for “reproductive rights” / abortion at the federal level now that it is a state issue? What civil liberties, specifically, are in danger that you will work to preserve?

    What clean energy do you want to invest our federal tax dollars in, that is different from what has failed (eg billions spent on 7 charging stations) under Biden? How should the federal government invest in local businesses?

    You also missed current national goals such as maintaining national sovereignty through a secure border and voter ID, deportation of illegals (especially violent ones) and tax relief for individuals and businesses.

    PS I respect anyone who has worked their way up, but we need specifics about what results you will get, not airy identity politics.

    1. Doon Avatar
      Doon

      DJT’s overall approval rating is at 42%. The Tesla CEO, you know the presidential advisor extraordinaire is at 35%. And you (My.02) want to do a political platform survey on a candidate running for congress that should align to those very same standards and ideals? Even in the MAGA world you can’t make this stuff up, but then I’m reminded … oh but you can … you can make anything up in the MAGA world.

    2. Jonathan Bonner Avatar
      Jonathan Bonner

      Thank you for reaching out with these thoughtful and important questions. I appreciate the opportunity to give you a direct and detailed response. Here’s where I stand:

      On the $37 trillion national debt:
      Our debt is unsustainable. Any serious plan must combine responsible spending cuts, closing tax loopholes that benefit the ultra-wealthy and large corporations, and growing the middle class economy. I will advocate for audits of federal programs to eliminate waste, fight for a balanced budget amendment, and push for tax reform that promotes both fairness and growth.

      On Social Security and Medicare:
      I will fight to protect and strengthen both programs without cutting benefits. This can be achieved by lifting the income cap on Social Security taxes so that millionaires and billionaires pay into the system the same way working families do. We must also cut prescription drug costs further to reduce Medicare’s expenses.

      On taxes:
      I believe we need fair taxation — not punitive, but fair. That means billionaires and major corporations should not pay a lower effective tax rate than working families. I support a modest increase on top earners (those making over $650,000 annually) and stronger enforcement against tax cheats. Polluters, specifically, should pay higher fines and taxes because of the burden they place on public health and infrastructure.

      On reproductive rights and civil liberties:
      Although the Supreme Court returned abortion laws to the states, I support federal protections for access to contraception, IVF, and ensuring no national ban is imposed. Civil liberties I will defend include the right to privacy, freedom of speech, due process, and equal protection under the law — all of which are increasingly under pressure.

      On clean energy and investment:
      We must be smarter. I support investment into next-generation nuclear energy, expanded domestic production of rare earth minerals (to reduce dependence on China), grid modernization, and direct support for small- and medium-sized businesses innovating in clean tech — not just mega-corporations. Oversight and performance metrics must be tied to all federal funding.

      On national sovereignty, border security, and voter ID:
      A secure border is critical. I support comprehensive immigration reform that includes s deportation of violent criminals, and better legal pathways for work-based immigration.
      I support voter ID laws as long as they are free, easy to obtain, and do not create burdens for rural or low-income voters.

      On tax relief:
      I strongly support tax relief for individuals, small businesses, and first-time homebuyers — real working people — not just large corporations. Our economy grows from the middle out, not the top down.

      Lastly, while my background reflects working-class America, I agree with you: specific policies and measurable results matter more than identity.
      I am committed to being a Congressman who delivers clear, practical solutions — not slogans.

      Thank you again for the opportunity to respond directly. I welcome tough questions like these and hope to earn your support through action, not words.

      1. My.02 Avatar
        My.02

        Mr Bonner – Thank you for a reasoned response. I do not agree with most of your solutions, but I greatly respect someone who will think through positions and respond in a straightforward way.

        I am heartened that you acknowledge the very real federal debt bomb, which must be addressed in a significant way, and now. That alone sets you apart from most progressives.

        My questions may be the toughest you face, since true journalism is a forgotten craft, and most journalists believe a in big government, tax and spend approach as your answers suggest. You certainly won’t be asked similar by the eternally angry and aggrieved commenters here who seem to reflect the bulk of democrats these days.

        I wish you well.

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