🏆 My Candidate Rankings — GA 1st Congressional District Primary🇺🇸

By Dean Burnette — Grateful USA Citizen | Southern Fried Thoughts | Published April 16, 2026

│ ⚠️MIDTERM ELECTION WARNING — READ THIS FIRST

│ Friends, the midterm primary is almost here — and some people don’t even know it’s coming. May 19, 2026, is the Georgia General Primary, and this ballot is no joke.

│ 🚨ALERT: There are 34 decisions on the Republican ballot in Chatham County, 33 on the Democratic side, and 14 decisions, even if you only vote nonpartisan. That is NOT a typo. That is a serious civic responsibility.

│ 📋CALL TO ACTION: Before you walk into that booth, get informed. Visit my full voter guide at:

│ 👉deaninsavannah.substack.com

│ 👉southernfriedthoughts.com

│ Your phone is not allowed in the voting booth. Print it. Fold it. Carry it in.

Who Is Dean Burnette, and Why Should You Listen?

Well, first — you don’t have to. And I mean that sincerely.

I’m not a politician. I’m not a pundit on a cable news channel. I don’t have a PAC, and nobody’s paying me to say any of this. I’m just a grateful American — born and raised in the South — who loves God, loves his family, loves this country, and genuinely believes that when good people stay informed and engaged, America wins.

I go to church. I follow local politics. I go to candidate forums when most folks are watching TV. I sit down with friends, download sample ballots, do the homework, and share what I find. That’s it.

So when I tell you I’ve prayed over this, watched these candidates in action, and formed honest opinions — I mean exactly that.

Today, I want to share my candidate rankings for Georgia’s 1st Congressional District Republican Primary on May 19, 2026. There are six candidates in this race, and every one of them deserves your attention. But in the end, only one of them gets my full, wholehearted endorsement.

Let’s talk about why.

🙏 First — A Word of Gratitude to Every Candidate

Before I get into rankings, let me say something I genuinely mean.

Every single person on this list made a real sacrifice to run.

They filed paperwork. They raised money. They left their families at the dinner table to go knock doors and shake hands with strangers. They opened themselves up to public scrutiny, opposition research, and internet criticism. In a country where most people just complain from the couch, these six individuals stood up and said, “I’ll fight for you.”

That deserves respect — regardless of where they finish in my rankings.

So to Brian, Krista, Jim, Eugene, Pat, and Kandiss — thank you. Georgia is better because you care enough to run.

Now, let’s get into it. 👇

🏆 Dean Burnette’s Official Rankings — GA 1st Congressional District Primary

(Based on Values, Integrity, Grassroots Connection, and Real-World Leadership)

🥇 #1 — Dr. Kandiss Taylor ✅ ENDORSED — The People’s Champion

Website: kandisstaylor.com

Let me tell you something the media won’t — because it doesn’t fit their script.

Kandiss Taylor is the real deal. Not just on a stage. Not just in a polished ad. I have personally watched her chair meetings as Georgia’s First Congressional District Republican Party Executive Committee Chair. I have seen her go toe-to-toe with Governor Brian Kemp in debates — calm, clear, and completely unshaken. She doesn’t perform. She leads.

She was born and raised in Appling County. She has lived in the 1st Congressional District her entire life — with the exception of her time at Georgia Southern University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education, her master’s in School Counseling, her specialist’s degree in School Counseling, and eventually her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University in Virginia Beach.

Then she came home. She has spent 22 years as a public school educator — as a 3rd grade teacher, a school counselor, and a district-level administrator. In her role as Director of Student Services, she has held the hands of abused children. She has helped homeless families navigate a broken system. She has intervened in mental health crises. She has worked to rehabilitate delinquent youth. She has sat with families in crisis.

That is not a résumé. That is a life of service.

Why Kandiss Gets My #1

Here’s the thing about this race. Several candidates have impressive credentials. But Kandiss is the only one who has been here — not just for a campaign season, but for decades — building the grassroots LOCAL movement in the 1st District from the ground up.

She may not have a Trump endorsement. She may not be backed by big corporate money. And honestly?

That’s exactly why she’s the one we need.

Because here’s what big money buys: obligations. Favors owed. Phone calls you have to return to donors instead of constituents. When Kandiss Taylor arrives in Washington, she won’t owe a debt to lobbyists, the Chamber of Commerce, or the consultant class. She will owe us — the farmers, the fishermen, the veterans, the church moms, the teachers, the small business owners, and the everyday working families of Southeast Georgia.

That’s how it’s supposed to work.

What Kandiss Stands For

Her platform is crystal clear, and she has lived every word of it:

• 🇺🇸 Secure the Border — Let ICE do its job. No sanctuary cities or counties. No compromises at our ports of entry.

• ✂️ Cut Government Waste — Let DOGE work. Smaller government, smarter spending, stronger results.

• 🌾 Protect Georgia Farmers — Defend family farms from government overreach and foreign land ownership. Georgia feeds the world.

• ⚓ Strengthen Our Ports — The Ports of Savannah and Brunswick are economic engines and national security assets. They must serve American workers, not globalist agendas.

• 🏫 Restore Parental Rights in Education — Remove CRT, CSE, and political agendas from classrooms. Parents — not government — raise our kids. Period.

• 🎖️ Fight for Veterans — Georgia’s 1st District has over 700,000 veterans. They deserve unwavering support, faster VA care, and real respect.

• 🧠 Prioritize Mental Health — This isn’t a talking point for Kandiss. She has spent her career doing this work in our schools and communities.

• 🏝️ Protect Our Coast and Tourism — Preserve the Golden Isles, the Okefenokee, and Savannah’s heritage from federal overreach. No UNESCO. Locals first.

The Postcard Candidate for the People

Kandiss Taylor is not running for power. She is running to serve. She is the postcard candidate for the people — not the corporations, not the consultants, not the political machine.

She has been in the trenches of the 1st District when the cameras weren’t rolling. She has shown up for pro-life rallies, Second Amendment fights, and real election integrity battles — not just when it was convenient, but consistently, faithfully, over years.

She is rooted in faith, grounded in family, and committed to freedom — not as campaign talking points, but as a way of life.

│ “People directly select who will run the country through elections, and those representatives indirectly make decisions chosen by the people.” — Kandiss Taylor

That’s grassroots LOCAL. That’s the people’s movement. That’s our candidate.

I am proud to endorse Dr. Kandiss Taylor for Congress, Georgia’s 1st District. I hope you’ll join me.

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🥈 #2 — Lt. Col. Brian Montgomery (Ret.) 🎖️ — Battle-Tested Patriot

Website: brianmontgomery.org

I want to give credit where it is absolutely and unquestionably due.

Brian Montgomery is an impressive American. West Point graduate. Ranger-qualified Infantry Officer. 82nd Airborne Division. 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart — right here in our district. Deployed to Iraq, Haiti, and Poland. He has been tested in ways that most of us will never fully understand, and he came through every time.

Nobody questions his courage. Nobody questions his patriotism. And his platform — pro-defense, pro-family, anti-waste, strong on fiscal discipline — hits the right notes for this district, particularly given the presence of Fort Stewart and Kings Bay.

Why He’s #2 and Not #1

Here’s my honest assessment, and I say it with full respect.

Brian’s campaign carries the energy of a top-down, institutionally supported operation. His primary message leans heavily on alignment with President Trump, which I appreciate in principle. But I find myself asking — where is his unique voice? Where is the fire that comes from having lived among us, not just arrived among us?

Service in uniform — extraordinary as it is — does not automatically translate to the kind of community-level, grassroots, show-up-every-week leadership that the 1st District movement demands right now. I’ve seen a lot of brave men come home and still need to learn the people’s pulse. Leadership in a combat zone is extraordinary. Leadership in a county party meeting, at a rural farmer’s kitchen table, in a school counselor’s office — that’s a different kind of tested.

Kandiss has both the fight and the roots. That combination is what puts her at #1.

That said — if Kandiss were not in this race, Brian Montgomery would be a very compelling choice. He is a man of integrity and courage, and I am grateful he is stepping up.

Still — a good man. Georgia is better for his service. 🙏

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🥉 #3 — Dr. Krista Penn 🏥⚓ — A Servant Leader Worth Watching

Website: krista4congress.com

Dr. Krista Penn brings something genuinely unique to this race, and I want to honor that.

She is a Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan as a combat nurse. She is a healthcare executive. She has been married for 23 years to a Federal Law Enforcement Officer whose family roots in Georgia stretch back to the 1700s — now that is coastal Georgia heritage right there. She is still serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

Her platform focuses on issues that are kitchen table real for 1st District families: rural healthcare access, expanding telehealth in underserved communities, protecting our coastline, supporting small businesses, and caring for veterans. These are not buzzword issues — these are lived realities for people across Southeast Georgia.

Why She’s #3

Krista is newer to the political arena and is still building name recognition across the district. She hasn’t yet demonstrated the same depth of local political infrastructure that Kandiss has built over many years of consistent, unsponsored grassroots work.

But here’s what I’ll say plainly: Krista Penn is genuine, she is credentialed, and she cares deeply about this community. She is exactly the kind of candidate who makes the Republican Party better. If she continues in public service — and I hope she does — Georgia will be better for it.

A woman of service and substance. 🙏

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#4 — Jim Kingston — The Legacy Name

Website: jimkingston.org

Now, if the name Kingston sounds familiar — it absolutely should.

Jack Kingston is Jim Kingston’s father. He represented Georgia’s 1st Congressional District in Congress for over two decades, from 1993 to 2015. He was a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and one of the most recognizable names in Georgia Republican politics. That family carries serious history and serious weight in this district.

And I want to be fair — Jim Kingston deserves the opportunity to distinguish himself on his own merits, and voters deserve to hear his platform clearly.

My Honest Concern

The voters who powered the LOCAL movement did so because they were genuinely tired of the same family names, the same donor networks, and the same revolving door of establishment politics. In 2026, name recognition alone does not close the deal in a primary electorate that is hungry for authentic change.

Furthermore, Jim Kingston is young and has not yet had the same level of visible involvement in district politics as some of the other candidates. I’m working with what is publicly available, and I would encourage Jim to get his message out clearly and boldly. Voters in this district are paying attention, and they deserve full transparency on where you stand.

I’ll keep watching. I respect the family’s legacy of service. But the 1st District has changed, and the expectations of what representation looks like have changed with it.

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#5 — Pat Farrell — An American Who Stepped Up

Website: patfarrellforcongress.com

Pat Farrell has a more limited public digital footprint at this stage of the race, and that makes a detailed assessment harder. But let me say this clearly and from the heart.

Any American who files for Congress, builds a campaign, and puts themselves in front of voters deserves honor for that act alone.

Pat appears to be a citizen candidate driven by real, genuine concern for the direction of this country. And those voices matter. Those candidates keep the bigger names honest. They ask questions in debates that the polished, well-funded candidates would rather avoid. They represent the spirit of citizen participation that the Founders envisioned.

Pat — thank you for running. Your community sees you. Keep fighting for what you believe in. Get visible, get vocal, and keep telling your story. The 1st District is a big, beautiful, diverse piece of Georgia — from the marshes of the Golden Isles to the farms of Appling County — and every voice in this conversation makes it richer.

Georgia is better because you are in this race. 🙏

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#6 — Eugene Yu — The Wildcard with a Mission

Website: yuforyou.org

Eugene Yu is a genuinely interesting and unconventional figure in Georgia Republican politics.

He is the founder and CEO of Konnech Inc., a Michigan-based election software company — which has made him a notable and sometimes controversial figure in election integrity circles. He has spoken publicly and at conservative events about concerns with voting systems. He ran for Michigan Secretary of State in 2022. His “Yu for You” branding is memorable and clearly crafted with intention.

For voters who place election integrity at the very top of their priority list, Eugene’s background and his willingness to speak openly about these issues could be genuinely compelling.

Why He’s #6

The questions surrounding his company, the uncertainty about his ties to and investment in this specific district, and a limited local presence make it difficult to rank him higher at this time. This race needs someone who is deeply rooted in Coastal Georgia — in the marshes, the farms, the military bases, the fishing docks, the church pews, and the county party meetings.

That local rootedness is something Eugene would need to demonstrate more clearly to move up in these rankings.

That said — Eugene, thank you for adding your voice to this conversation. Every candidate in this field has made this race more meaningful.

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📊 Quick Reference Rankings Table

Rank	Candidate	Key Strength	Dean’s Take
🥇 #1	Dr. Kandiss Taylor ✅	Grassroots LOCAL leader, lifelong district resident, faith-driven servant	ENDORSED — The People’s Champion
🥈 #2	Lt. Col. Brian Montgomery	West Point, Ranger, combat veteran, strong national security platform	Respect — battle-tested, but needs more local roots
🥉 #3	Dr. Krista Penn	Navy veteran, combat nurse, rural healthcare champion	Genuine servant leader — newer to district politics
#4	Jim Kingston	Family legacy, business background	Name recognition isn’t grassroots energy — show us your voice
#5	Pat Farrell	Citizen candidate, authentic concern	Honored for stepping up — needs more visibility
#6	Eugene Yu	Election integrity focus, outsider perspective	Interesting voice — needs to demonstrate district roots

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🚨 The Truth the Media Won’t Tell You

The left-wing media wants you angry at conservatives. The right-wing media wants you angry at moderates. And here’s the uncomfortable truth: all of them profit when you’re divided.

That is their business model. Keep you outraged. Keep you clicking. Keep you fighting with your neighbors instead of talking to them. Keep you scrolling instead of showing up.

And here’s the part that really matters: the media — social AND legacy — is not going to badmouth their biggest customers and advertisers. You know who buys the most ad time and commands the most political influence? The very people who benefit from keeping establishment politicians in office and grassroots leaders out.

So when a candidate like Kandiss Taylor — who can’t be controlled, who doesn’t owe anyone a favor, who has been building a movement from the ground up without corporate backing — gets ignored by the political press, that’s not an accident. That’s the system working exactly as the establishment designed it.

But here’s the good news: the moment you start thinking for yourself, it all falls apart for them.

When you:

• ✅ Go to a candidate forum instead of watching cable news

• ✅ Read a platform instead of reading a headline

• ✅ Talk to your neighbor at church or the feed store instead of arguing with strangers online

• ✅ Pray over your ballot instead of letting a PAC fill it out for you

That is when real democracy wakes up. That is when we win.

🗳️ My Final Word — Vote Kandiss Taylor, May 19, 2026

Friends, I want to close this out the same way I started it — honestly, humbly, and from the heart.

To every parent, grandparent, young adult voter, farmer, fisherman, hunter, veteran, teacher, and small business owner in Georgia’s 1st Congressional District — this is our moment.

We don’t need to wait for permission from Washington. We don’t need a celebrity endorsement or a Super PAC check to validate our vote. We need someone who knows our roads, our schools, our marshes, our ports, our churches, and our struggles. Someone who has invested their entire life in this community — not just their campaign season.

That is Kandiss Taylor.

She is not perfect — no candidate ever is. But she is faithful, fearless, and genuinely for the people. She won’t forget where she came from, because she never left. She won’t forget who sent her, because it will be us — the everyday people of the 1st District — who put her there.

Before May 19th, I’m asking you to do one simple thing. Turn off the national news for one evening. Sit down with your family. Pray. Think about what you actually want for your kids and grandkids. Think about who you actually trust — not who has the biggest TV ads or the most famous endorsers — but who you trust with your future.

After watching, listening, and praying over this, I believe with my whole heart that Dr. Kandiss Taylor is the leader this district needs right now.

She will owe Washington nothing.

She will owe us everything.

And she will deliver.

🗳️ Vote Dr. Kandiss Taylor — Georgia 1st Congressional District Republican Primary — May 19, 2026

👉 Learn more at kandisstaylor.com

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⚠️ BALLOT WARNING — Don’t Walk In Unprepared

🚨 This is not a small ballot, friends.

If you are voting Republican in Chatham County on May 19th, you are looking at 34 separate decisions. Democratic voters face 33. Even nonpartisan-only voters face 14 decisions. That means judges, commissioners, party platform questions, school boards, and more — all on the same day as the congressional race.

Georgia law prohibits your cell phone in the voting area. A printed guide is completely allowed.

So do yourself a favor — get my full voter guide, print it out, fold it up, and carry it into that booth with confidence.

📋 Get the Full May 2026 Georgia Conservative Voter Guide here:

👉 deaninsavannah.substack.com — A Simple May 2026 Georgia Conservative Voting Guide

👉 southernfriedthoughts.com — A Simple May 2026 Georgia Conservative Voting Guide

I downloaded the official Chatham County sample ballot. I sat down with friends, did the research, cross-referenced conservative scorecards from gascores.com, and put together a guide that covers every race — from U.S. Senate to the Board of Education. I did the homework, so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Early voting begins April 27. Primary is May 19, 2026.

Print it. Share it. Show up. 🖨️🇺🇸

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🙏 A Closing Prayer and Promise

Lord, thank You for the freedom to vote. Thank you to every man and woman who stepped up to run, who sacrificed their time and peace for public service. Give us wisdom as voters. Give us discernment as citizens. And give us the courage to show up — not just on election day, but every day — for our families, our communities, and this great country.

To everyone reading this — whether you agree with every pick on my list or not — thank you for caring enough to read it. That means you’re engaged. That means you’re showing up. And that makes all the difference.

God bless you. God bless Georgia. And God bless the United States of America. 🙏🇺🇸

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— Dean Burnette

Grateful USA Citizen | Southern Fried Thoughts | Savannah, GA

“Promoting joy, unity, and clear thinking — one post, one prayer, one community at a time.”

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│ ⚠️Disclaimer: This post reflects the personal opinion and endorsement of Dean Burnette as a private citizen and social media commentator. It is not paid political advertising. Conservative voting scorecards sourced from gascores.com(Freedom Caucus Scorecard). Always do your own research before voting. Visit each candidate’s website. Attend local forums. Ask hard questions. Then vote your conscience.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

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Q: Who is Dean Burnette endorsing in the Georgia 1st Congressional District Primary?

A: Dean Burnette is endorsing Dr. Kandiss Taylor for the Georgia 1st Congressional District Republican Primary on May 19, 2026. He endorses her based on her lifelong roots in the district, her record as Chair of the Georgia 1st District Republican Party Executive Committee, her consistent platform on faith, family, and freedom, and her independence from corporate donors and political establishment funding.

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Q: When is the Georgia 1st Congressional District Primary?

A: The Georgia General Primary is on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Early voting begins April 27, 2026.

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Q: Who are the candidates in the Georgia 1st Congressional District Republican Primary?

A: There are six candidates: Dr. Kandiss Taylor, Lt. Col. Brian Montgomery (Ret.), Dr. Krista Penn, Jim Kingston, Pat Farrell, and Eugene Yu.

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Q: Why does Dean Burnette support Kandiss Taylor over the other candidates?

A: Dean supports Kandiss Taylor because she has been a lifelong resident of the 1st District, has spent 22 years in public education serving the community, serves as the current District Republican Party Executive Committee Chair, has debated Governor Brian Kemp on a public stage, and runs without corporate donor obligations. He believes she will answer only to the everyday citizens of Southeast Georgia, not to lobbyists or the political establishment.

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Q: Does Kandiss Taylor have the Trump endorsement?

A: As of this writing, Kandiss Taylor does not have the official Trump endorsement in this race. Dean Burnette views this as a positive because it means she arrives in Washington without owing political favors to any outside power structure. She answers only to the voters of Georgia’s 1st District.

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Q: How many decisions are on the May 19, 2026, ballot in Chatham County, Georgia?

A: Chatham County Republican voters face 34 decisions on the May 19, 2026, primary ballot. Democratic voters face 33, and even nonpartisan-only voters face 14 decisions. Dean Burnette has compiled a full voter guide available at deaninsavannah.substack.com and southernfriedthoughts.com.

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Q: Can I bring a printed voter guide into the Georgia voting booth?

A: Yes. Georgia law prohibits cell phone use in the voting area, but printed guides are completely welcome and encouraged. Print Dean’s voter guide, fold it up, and carry it in with confidence.

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Q: Where can I find Dean Burnette’s full May 2026 Georgia conservative voter guide?

A: You can find the full guide at:

• deaninsavannah.substack.com

• southernfriedthoughts.com

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Q: What does Kandiss Taylor stand for?

A: Kandiss Taylor’s platform includes: securing the border and enforcing immigration law, cutting government waste, protecting Georgia farmers from foreign land ownership and government overreach, strengthening the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick for American workers, restoring parental rights in education, fighting for veterans (the 1st District has over 700,000), prioritizing mental health services, and protecting Georgia’s coastline from federal overreach and UNESCO involvement.

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Q: Is this post paid political advertising?

A: No. This post reflects the personal opinion and endorsement of Dean Burnette as a private citizen and social media commentator. It is not paid political advertising and is not affiliated with any campaign, PAC, or political organization.