By April Ryan
[This post contains video, click to play]
Reality TV show star Dr. Heavenly Kimes’s political programming has changed. She has now filed to run for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District seat instead of running for election in the Georgia State legislature. Realizing her platform is much larger, Kimes wants to replace Black Democratic Congressman David Scott, who faces age criticism like former President Joe Biden. The dentist and reality show star of Bravo’s Married to Medicine joins a growing list of contenders for Scott’s seat, which he has held since 2003. So far, a state senator, a state rep, a former school board chair, and at least three others have announced they are candidates for the congressional seat.
Kimes, the newest Georgia congressional candidate, is watching the current shutdown crisis in this nation and amplifies, “Right now, because of the government shutdown, WIC funding could run out in one to two weeks unless Congress acts. More than six million mothers and young children rely on WIC across America.” Since the government shutdown on October 1st, the National WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Association warned that the program’s $150 million contingency fund would only last a week or two into the government shutdown, putting millions of families at risk. Kimes uses her life story to draw attention to the current plight, saying,” Those programs aren’t handouts. They’re lifelines. They help mothers survive, babies thrive, and families get back on their feet.”
“When I had my first baby, I was on WIC and food stamps. I know what it feels like to stretch every dollar, making sure there’s formula, milk, and healthy food on the table,” said a reflective Kimes. She says she is not alone. “My story is the story of millions of women in this country. And as your Congresswoman, I’ll fight to protect these programs because no mother should have to choose between paying rent and feeding her child.” The outspoken Dentist added, “This is what real family values look like.” Not holding back, Kimes blames the government shutdown squarely on the GOP, stating, “Today, Republicans are trying to take that away. They’re cutting WIC. They’re cutting SNAP. They’re cutting hope for working families who are already doing everything right. They say they care about children, but their votes tell a different story.”
If the shutdown is not resolved in the next week and a half, sources close to the situation on Capitol Hill say it will last longer than originally expected.
