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Peachtree City residents deserve local leaders who are genuinely invested in our community, not those who view public office as a stepping stone.
James Clifton, now a candidate for City Council Post 4, has run in two other elections before deciding to move here and seek another seat. He has lived in Peachtree City for only about a year this time. While he spent several years here between 2017 and 2021, he chose to move away and only recently returned.
Mr. Clifton has chosen to align himself entirely with Steve Brown — he has placed his entire campaign inside Mr. Brown’s shadow. Their website is the same, their materials the same, and their talking points interchangeable. Rather than building his own voice or offering his own ideas, Mr. Clifton has chosen to campaign as an extension of a failed one-term mayor who was voted out by 70% of voters.
This decision raises a fair question of whether he would lead independently if elected or continue to follow the direction of the person whose platform he has copied so completely. Was Mr. Clifton’s decision to align himself with Mr. Brown a way to counter his lack of local credibility, knowing it was a political vulnerability?
What is striking is how much of Mr. Clifton’s professional life is based outside Peachtree City. His law practice is in Fayetteville. His real estate brokerage, AREA, is registered in McDonough. His other business venture, Justice Pinball, operates out of Newnan. For someone asking to represent our city, he seems to have built his career and business interests everywhere except here. He does not even serve on any local volunteer board.
Mr. Clifton is also an active real estate agent who collected thousands of dollars from real estate political action committees during his first two runs for office, a profession he declines to be transparent about. This presents an alarming contradiction for the Brown/Clifton ticket, considering issue #18 on their joint campaign website states, “No more real estate developer political action committees having undue influence on our local government ordinances and policies.”
Mr. Clifton calls himself many things—lawyer, real estate broker, entrepreneur, even a pinball repairman—but being deeply involved in Peachtree City life is not one of them. He now seeks a third attempt at elected office. I have lived in Peachtree City since 1989 and am a lifelong Republican. I find it difficult to trust how a candidate, whose professional and financial ties lie elsewhere, can truly understand and protect the character of our community.
I find value in experienced candidates who are rooted in Peachtree City. We must elect those who are willing to serve and listen to the residents – and not elect those who will serve as rubber stamps for political gain.
Early voting ends this Friday, October 31st at the library. Election Day is November 4th at your precinct. Please get out and vote.
Lyda Miller
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