LTPP Hosts Challengers to Congressman Doug Collins

News, Politics

GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Bernard “Bernie” Fontaine, Mike Scupin, Roger Fitzpatrick and Dr. Paul Broun are the challengers to 9th District Congressman Doug Collins in the May 24 Republican primary. Thursday night they were featured speakers at the Lanier Tea Party Patriots (LTPP) meeting.

Fontaine is a Vietnam Veteran and retired Georgia National Guard Brigadier General who holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration and master’s degree in business from Brenau University. He sits on the Board of Directors for NASCAR and is a firefighter in Jasper and Union counties.

Fontaine says, “The federal government is a runaway freight train. The president is taking over and Congress is inert. Obviously things have to change.” Fontaine said his campaign will focus on improving the local and national economy, addressing the nation’s debt and regulatory overreach.

Scupin, the founder of the LTPP said, “My heart isn’t in going to Washington. My heart is in trying to save this nation.” He added that he isn’t likely to introduce a lot of bills. “We don’t need a lot of bills to change things. If I stand up and vote against leadership then leadership isn’t going to let any bill I introduce go to the floor. The only thing I can promise you is if a bill violates the Constitution and God’s law then you’d better believe I’m going to vote against it.”

Fitzpatrick, a former Marine, educator and member of the White County Board of Education, said, “I want to fight for you. I want to fight for me. I want to fight for my children and grandchildren and the prosperity of this nation. I want you to vote for me because I’m a person of integrity. I’m going to do what I tell you I’m going to do.”

Dr. Paul Broun is the former 10th District Congressman who recently moved to Habersham County. He was commissioned as a medical officer and, in 2012, was deployed to Afghanistan to serve wounded soldiers there.

Broun said, “I am absolutely fed up with what is going on in Washington.”I’m fed up with the leadership and the Republican Party. We have been betrayed by John Boehner and Paul Ryan and Doug Collins.” Broun said the greatest example of that betrayal was the passage of the Omnibus bill, which Collins voted for. “That bill fully funds Planned Parenthood. It fully funds Obamacare. It fully funds the president’s amnesty program, the Syrian refugee program and all of the bad policies Barack Obama has put into place.”

Michelle Hall, a candidate for Hall County Superior Court Judge, John Williamson, who is challenging Dist. 51 State Senator Steve Gooch, and Lucretia Hughes, a candidate for state representative in Dist. 116, also attended last night’s meeting.

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