(AURN News) — Reality television star and business owner Dr. Heavenly Kimes is making her case to voters as she runs for Congress in Georgia’s 13th District, centering her campaign on health care access, economic concerns and what she calls a need for “real” representation.
Kimes, known for her role on “Married to Medicine,” said her decision to run is rooted in what she sees firsthand in her community as a practicing clinician and small business owner.
“Health care is a problem. Affordability is a problem, not just in our great 13th district, but throughout the United States of America,” Kimes told AURN News.
She pointed to rising costs and gaps in coverage as a central issue, arguing that existing programs should be expanded.
“The ACA should be made permanent because without it, 20 million people lose their health care. Point blank, period,” she said.
Kimes also emphasized what she described as the real-life consequences of limited access to care.
“Every day, all day, I see patients crying to me, saying that they just cannot afford care,” she said.
Beyond health care, Kimes addressed immigration and citizenship, saying current debates over birthright citizenship should not be up for interpretation.
“If you’re born in America, the Constitution says that you are a citizen of the United States of America. Point blank, period,” she said.
On immigration enforcement, Kimes said current policies are creating fear in communities.
“I think that ICE should be abolished,” she said, adding that enforcement practices are “causing chaos within our communities.”
Kimes said her campaign is also focused on economic pressures facing families, including rising costs for food, health care and housing.
“People are feeling this in their pocketbooks, the gas prices, the eggs prices, the prices of food. They just want tangible results,” she said.
Addressing questions about her candidacy, Kimes said voters are looking for someone outside traditional politics.
“They are sick of politics as usual. They’re looking for somebody that they can trust, somebody that’s real and relatable,” she said.
Kimes acknowledged she does not have a traditional political background but said her experience in business and health care gives her a different perspective.
“I do not have experience with politics. None at all. But what I do have experience in is real life,” she said.
The Democratic primary for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District is scheduled for May 19, with early voting beginning April 27.
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