When Georgia Needs a Voice That Won’t Back Down: Why Kandiss Taylor Has My Vote

Dean Burnette | Faith, Family, Politics | January 27, 2026

We’re living in interesting times, folks. And by “interesting,” I mean the kind of times that make you want to check if you accidentally wandered onto the set of some crazy reality show where up is down, wrong is right, and common sense has left the building faster than Elvis.

The State of Our District

Here in Georgia’s First Congressional District—stretching from the beautiful marshlands of our coast through the pine forests and farmlands that make this corner of the Peach State so special—we’ve got ourselves a decision to make. And it’s not the kind you make lightly, like choosing between sweet tea and unsweet (there’s no choice there, by the way—always sweet).

No sir, this is about who’s going to represent us in Washington, D.C. Who’s going to stand up when the powers-that-be try to tell us how to raise our children, run our businesses, worship our God, and live our lives?

Now, I’ve watched a lot of politicians come and go. Some talk a good game. They’ll smile for the cameras, kiss babies during election season, and tell you exactly what you want to hear. Then they get to Washington and suddenly develop a strange case of amnesia about all those promises they made on the campaign trail.

But every once in a while—and I mean rarely, like finding a four-leaf clover in a hundred-acre field—you come across someone who actually means what they say.

That’s Kandiss Taylor.

A Different Kind of Candidate

I’ll be straight with you. Kandiss isn’t your typical politician, and thank the good Lord for that. We don’t need another smooth-talking, poll-tested, focus-grouped representative who changes positions more often than a weathervane in a tornado.

What we need—what Georgia’s First District desperately needs—is someone who understands that faith isn’t just something you dust off on Sunday mornings. It’s the foundation of everything. It’s what built this nation, what sustained our ancestors through hardships that would make our current “struggles” look like a walk in the park, and what will guide us through whatever storms lie ahead.

Kandiss gets that. Not because it polls well. Not because some consultant told her it would play well with “values voters.” But because it’s who she is, down to her bones.

The Issues That Matter

Let me ask you something: Are you tired of watching our schools teach our children that their country is irredeemably evil? That their faith is backwards? That the values we hold dear are somehow “problematic”?

Are you fed up with career politicians who think they know better than parents how to raise their own kids?

Are you concerned—like I am—about the attacks on religious liberty, where Christian business owners are forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood?

Do you worry about an economy where hardworking families can barely afford groceries while Washington sends billions overseas?

These aren’t just talking points to Kandiss. These are the battles she’s already been fighting, long before she decided to run for Congress.

Faith in the Public Square

Now, I know some folks get nervous when candidates talk about faith. The media—God love ’em, though they make it hard sometimes—will tell you that religion has no place in politics. They’ll screech about “separation of church and state” (a phrase, by the way, that appears exactly nowhere in the Constitution, but I digress).

Here’s what I know: Our Founding Fathers were men of faith. They understood that our rights come from God, not from government. They knew that a republic could only survive if its people were virtuous, guided by moral principles that transcended the whims of whoever happened to be in power.

Kandiss Taylor understands this in her soul. She’s not running to impose her faith on anyone—she’s running to protect everyone’s right to live according to their conscience. There’s a difference, and it’s an important one.

She stands with Christians, yes. But she also stands with our Jewish brothers and sisters who’ve watched with horror as antisemitism has become somehow acceptable again in some circles. She stands with anyone who believes in the fundamental American principle: that we’re endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.

The Politics of Division vs. The Politics of Principle

Here’s something that really gets my goat: The way the media—and I mean the national news networks, the cable channels, even a lot of our local outlets—deliberately stoke division among us.

They need us angry. They need us at each other’s throats. Because rage gets ratings, and ratings get revenue. It’s that simple.

They’ll take the most extreme voices on both sides, amplify them until you can’t hear anything else, and then act shocked—shocked, I tell you—that Americans can’t seem to get along anymore.

Well, I’ve got news for them: Most of us out here in the real world—the folks who work for a living, raise our families, attend our churches and synagogues, coach Little League, and volunteer in our communities—we get along just fine. We don’t agree on everything, but we don’t have to. That’s what makes America beautiful.

What we need are representatives who understand this. Who won’t go to Washington and immediately get absorbed into the blame game, the finger-pointing, the endless cycle of outrage that accomplishes nothing except making consultants and talking heads rich.

Kandiss Taylor isn’t interested in playing that game. She’s interested in results.

Standing Strong When It’s Hard

Let me tell you what really impresses me about Kandiss. She’s already been through the fire. She’s already faced the mob. She’s already stood firm when it would’ve been easier—so much easier—to back down, apologize, and fade away.

But she didn’t.

That tells me something. It tells me that when she gets to Washington and faces pressure—and believe me, there will be pressure—to go along to get along, to compromise on principles, to trade her vote for some pork barrel project or political favor, she’ll have the backbone to say no.

We don’t need another representative who talks tough during campaign season and then wilts like a magnolia in a heat wave when things get difficult.

We need someone who’s already proven they can take the heat.

The Family Connection

You know what else matters to me? Family.

I’ve written before about how blessed I am—a Cajun mama and a Scottish daddy, a heritage I’m proud of, and a family that taught me the values I still hold dear today.

Kandiss understands that families are the bedrock of society. Not government programs. Not corporate initiatives. Families. The ones that stick together through thick and thin, that pass down faith and values from generation to generation, that teach children right from wrong.

Our families are under assault from every direction. The culture tells our kids that parents are the enemy, that traditional values are oppressive, that anything goes as long as it “feels right.”

We need representatives who will fight for parental rights. Who will stand up to school boards that think they know better than moms and dads. Who will protect children from ideologies that seek to confuse and harm them.

Kandiss will be that voice.

A Vote for Faith, Freedom, and the Future

Look, I’m not naive. I know one congressional representative can’t fix everything that’s broken in Washington. The swamp is deep, and the alligators are hungry.

But here’s what I also know: Change starts with one person willing to stand up. Then another. Then another. Pretty soon, you’ve got a movement.

Kandiss Taylor can be that spark for Georgia’s First District.

She’s not running because she needs a job. She’s not running because she craves power or prestige. She’s running because she sees what’s happening to our country, to our state, to our communities, and she can’t stay silent.

That’s the kind of person I want representing me.

A Call to Action

So here’s what I’m asking you to do, whether you live in Georgia’s First Congressional District or you’ve got friends and family who do:

Pay attention. Don’t let the mainstream media tell you what to think about this race. Do your own research. Visit kandisstaylor.com and see for yourself what she stands for.

Get involved. If you believe, like I do, that Kandiss is the right choice, then volunteer. Donate if you can. But most importantly, talk to your neighbors. Real conversations between real people matter more than a thousand TV ads.

Pray. I’m serious about this. Pray for wisdom in this election. Pray for our district, our state, our nation. And pray for candidates like Kandiss who are willing to step into the arena despite knowing they’ll face attacks and criticism.

Vote. When election day comes, show up. Bring your family. Bring your friends. Too many good people stay home because they think their vote doesn’t matter. It does. Every single one counts.

The Hope We Have

I’ll leave you with this thought.

For all the challenges we face—and they’re real, I’m not minimizing them—I remain optimistic. You know why? Because I’m an American. Because I believe in the resilience of the American people. Because I’ve seen us overcome obstacles that seemed insurmountable.

And because I believe that God isn’t finished with America yet.

But faith without works is dead, as the Good Book says. We can’t just hope things get better. We have to work to make them better. And that starts with electing representatives who share our values, our faith, and our vision for the future.

Kandiss Taylor is that person for Georgia’s First Congressional District.

I’m proud to support her, and I hope you’ll join me.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, all this serious talk has worked up my appetite. I think there’s some leftover gumbo in the fridge calling my name. Because no matter how complex the problems we face, some things remain beautifully simple: faith, family, good food, and the blessing of living in the greatest nation on God’s green earth.

God bless Kandiss Taylor, God bless Georgia, and God bless the United States of America.

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Dean Burnette is the writer behind Southern Fried Thoughts, where faith, family, and politics are served up with a side of Southern charm. A Louisiana-born, Georgia-grown patriot, Dean believes in the power of storytelling to unite rather than divide. Connect with him at deaninsavannah@gmail.com.

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