Phyllis Tufts Hightower knows she faces a challenge in taking on Floyd Griffin in a state legislative seat contest, but she is conceding nothing to her Democratic opponent in the upcoming General Primary.
Hightower and Griffin will square off in the May 21 Democratic Primary, and the winner will face incumbent Republican Ken Vance in the November General Election in the newly drawn House District 149.
Vance served as state representative in the 133rd House District, which, due to a judge’s ruling in the lawsuit challenging the state’s reapportionment process after the 2020 census, was changed by the General Assembly from majority White to slightly majority Black.
Hightower said she understands her situation.
“Certainly have a challenge,” she said outright. “Mr. Griffin is a stable in Baldwin County, Milledgeville. He’s accomplished a lot. He has a strong legacy there. I respect that.“I also believe there comes a time when it’s important to pass the baton. And I believe he’s at the point where it’s time for the baton to be passed to me.
“He certainly is a challenge,” she added. “But, I believe I bring the challenge to him as well.”
Griffin is a former state senator and mayor of Milledgeville and was the first Black person elected to both positions.
Hightower also said it did not overly concern her that several former Democratic local and district office-holders were present at a rally Griffin held in Milledgeville in mid-March.
“I respect the fact that folks have kinships and relationships, but that doesn’t always translate into votes,” she asserted. “People have a mind of their own. Back in the day, people relied on certain people to tell them who to vote for. But people began to think for themselves and choose the folks they wanted to support.
“I’m not intimidated by the process; I’m not intimidated by the people.”
When she learned that it had been reported that Macon-Bibb’s Democratic Party chairperson was at that same rally and actually spoke, Hightower was critical.
“Given the fact that there are other Democrats in the race, they’re not supposed to do that,” she asserted. “I think it’s highly inappropriate for them to make such a public display of support.”
The make-up of the district’s population may make the challenge even harder for Hightower as Baldwin County has the majority of registered voters in the district. According to the counties’ voter registrar offices, there are 24,334 registered voters in the district who live in Baldwin County, 8,957 in Bibb County’s four precincts, and 5,794 in Jones County.
Hightower is a native of Jones County and a graduate of JCHS as well as Georgia College & State University. Her brother, David Tufts, is a long-time member of the Gray City Council. She also has Baldwin County connections. She said two uncles, Clarence ‘Smoky’ Simmons and Deacon Jesse Simmons, lived in the county.
“Both of them have streets named after them,” Hightower noted. “They have family down there, and they have reached out to me. They know Floyd Griffin, but they have said they are going to tell everyone to vote for me.”
The candidate worked for 8.5 years with Coliseum Psychiatric as an art therapist, which involves the use of drawings and sketches to help diagnose, evaluate and treat mental illness. Hightower worked at the Macon Youth Development Center (YDC) with incarcerated girls the last 16 years of her employment with the state.
She also pointed out she is the author of a book, Ten Ways to Avoid Debt.
“That was a project I had for years,” she recollected. “And, it’s kind of like there’s a moment, where you say ‘it’s time to get it done’. And, I did that and got it published.”
Hightower said her experience in mental health and awareness of problems in that area in Georgia make her a good choice for state representative.
“I believe that the experience I’ve had with state government, working in mental health for 30 years and working with at-risk youths for 16 of those years is something I bring to the table.
“Our mental health system in Georgia has basically been depleted of funding,” she asserted, pointing to the demise of Central State Hospital.
“It used to be a town within itself,” she said. “Now, it’s kind of like a ghost town. And the services that used to be there to help folks with mental health issues, through no fault of their own, they’re gone now, and the funding reallocated.
“It’s important,” Hightower went on, “that legislators look at ways to fund mental health in more effective ways. You still have state systems, but they don’t provide services that folks need.”
She said she can help in that regard.
“I can bring my background in mental health to the table, making sure we get funding, so that folks maintain their dignity – no fault of their own – when they’re in a mental health crisis.”
Hightower also feels her experience with youths – particularly youthful offenders – is a benefit for the people in the 149th district.
“One of the things I’ve said is youthful mistakes ought not to define their futures,” she offered. “So I see that they need more of a pipeline to success than a pipeline to the prison system. If somebody doesn’t get in there and have a seat at the table, to advocate for them, then we keep going down the same path. We’re losing our young people.”
Hightower also believes her gender is a plus in this election.
“There’s women who have reached out and said that ‘I feel like you’re a strong enough woman to handle this, and I’d like to see a woman in that seat’,” she related, noting that Milledgeville now has a female mayor.
“People were willing to give a woman an opportunity to step up in places where they haven’t stepped up before,” she stated. “Because, not only is she (Mary Parham-Copelan) the first woman mayor; she is the first Black woman mayor. I think that kind of thinking really has changed the climate in politics.”
Hightower, 63, briefly considered her age a possible deterrent when deciding to run.
“Initially I thought, hey, I am too old for this. But when I became aware of my opponent, I realized – maybe I’m not.”
According to his Facebook account, Griffin will turn 80 May 24.
Hightower said she knows the voters have a choice, but she also knows what that choice should be.
“I think at this time and in this climate, I am the right person for this seat,” she asserted, “and I hope that the voters will recognize that.”
