Perry McGuire

By: Krystle Russin

Perry McGuire, a Republican state senator in the 1990’s, recently switched from the Georgia secretary of state’s race and entered the race for attorney general in November.

“Whether Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, if you violate the public trust, I will bring the full resources of the attorney general's office down on you.  That will help create an environment of trust with the public, as well as serve notice to any public official who skirts the rules or violates them outright - zero tolerance,” said McGuire.

The former Chick-fil-A attorney answered some questions via e-mail about the campaign.

Q: You only entered the race a short time ago.  What has it been like so far?  Is it different than campaigning for Secretary of State?

A: When I decided to enter the attorney general’s race, I received an overwhelming amount of support and endorsements from Congressmen, Senators, Representatives, and business and family leaders.  I thought about this race for a long time before entering it, and I'm glad I did.  The attorney general’s race is a challenge to an incumbent attorney general from the other party, so I can focus my attention on the office itself, my proposals for reforming that office to better serve citizens and taxpayers, and why I believe I will do a better job than the incumbent.

Q: You were the first Republican elected in your state senate district.  What did you do during the campaign to defeat history in that race?

A: I tapped into the conservative common-sense values that most Georgians, regardless of party affiliation, live and breathe every day.  To me, the Democrat Party has veered away from those values in the past couple of decades.  The key for me was to be honest about my values and beliefs with the voters...they knew the difference.

Q: You told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that you plan to focus on illegal immigration.  What would you do if elected to solve the problem?

A: Illegal immigration - use state resources to assist the feds with quick catch and move toward deportation.  The state has resources that the feds can't put on the ground, so I believe we're obligated to assist.  This nation has the most generous LEGAL immigration policy in the world, so I think it's absolutely wrong to give a wink and a nod to illegal immigration - people who are here in violation of our laws.

Q: You also mentioned corruption – how will you try to minimize government corruption in Georgia?

A: I said in my opening statement that honest government officials and those who hold the public trust will have nothing to fear from me.  But, whether Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, if you violate the public trust, I will bring the full resources of the attorney general's office down on you.  That will help create an environment of trust with the public, as well as serve notice to any public official who skirts the rules or violates them outright - zero tolerance.

Q: Which issue have you heard about most from supporters, and what do you plan to do about it if elected?

A: I hear about illegal immigration and all it brings in terms of lawbreaking and public safety issues.  I hear from victims and victim’s rights groups who don't believe the current system provides adequate protection and swift justice - after all, we have a Victim’s Bill of Rights law in this state, and it should be enforced, particularly through the attorney general’s office.  I also hear about corruption, voter fraud, and other items that bring into question the public trust.  That's a big thing for me - the integrity of the public trust.

Q: Are there any people who have served in the office of attorney general, either nationally or statewide, that you look to as examples?

A: On the state level, I certainly admire Mike Bowers, Georgia's first Republican attorney general.  He took a hard line on issues like fairness, the death penalty, and enforcing state law regardless of their personal views.  Our neighboring state of Alabama has had two great AG's in recent years, Bill Pryor (now a federal judge) and Jeff Sessions (now a U.S. Senator).  At the national level, I'd have to say I've admired Ed Meese, who served as attorney general under Ronald Reagan, and also former Attorney General Griffin Bell, Sr. All of these men had great courage against sometimes daunting opposition to do what was right for the law.

Q: What is the most important reason why you should be elected?

A: While I'm sure we'll be talking about my opponent in this race, I want to make sure the people of Georgia understand that I will lead with courage, protect the public trust, work with the Governor and leaders of this state, honor current law and not try to make new law, and bring a new energy and optimism to the office of the chief law enforcement officer of this state.  Georgia deserves a strong attorney general, and I believe I will be that strong attorney general.