“Raise the Bar. Serve the People”
Childcare
No parent should have to choose between going to work and affording safe, reliable care for their child—but in Georgia, too many do. Nearly 44% of Georgia’s children live in “child care deserts,” with limited or no options nearby, and even when care is available, it’s often unaffordable. In 140 out of Georgia’s 159 counties, child care costs far exceed the federal affordability threshold of 7% of household income. For many working families—especially those earning $25,000 to $30,000 a year—childcare expenses consume 30–50% of their income. In a state with a $16 billion budget surplus, that’s unacceptable. In Henry County alone, 27% of residents are cost-burdened by housing and likely face similar childcare struggles. Kate Denny supports increasing state investment in childcare and afterschool programs, streamlining the licensing process for providers, and incentivizing employers to help meet the need. It’s smarter—and more fiscally responsible—to invest in our kids now than to fund juvenile justice later.
Wages & Workforce
Kate Denny believes in hard work, fair wages, and economic policies that respect both. Georgia’s minimum wage is still just $5.15 an hour—less than the cost of a gallon of milk—while the living wage for a single adult in Henry County is $26.45, and $25.83 in DeKalb. Many workers fall into the gap where they earn too much to qualify for assistance but too little to cover basic needs. These Georgians are raising families, paying taxes, and holding our communities together—and they deserve better. Kate supports raising the minimum wage, tying future increases to inflation, raising benefit eligibility thresholds, and reforming policies that trap people in poverty. She also believes that unions and collective bargaining are essential tools for wage fairness—because in a capitalist economy, the ability to negotiate is part of the balance.
Education
Every child in Georgia deserves access to an excellent public education—no exceptions, no excuses. Yet Georgia ranks last in the nation for afterschool funding and has the steepest education wealth gap in the South. In DeKalb County alone, 112 Title 1 schools serve more than 92,000 students, while Henry County has 27 Title 1 schools. Kate Denny will fight to increase funding for public schools, especially in underserved communities, and ensure resources are directed to where they’re needed most. She strongly opposes school voucher programs that divert public dollars to private institutions with no taxpayer accountability. Public funds belong in public schools—because strong public education is the foundation of a strong state.
Affordable Housing
Georgia’s housing crisis is affecting working families across the state, but especially in counties like Henry, where 27% of residents are cost-burdened by housing and more than 1,800 children have been identified as homeless. In DeKalb, that number is 1,600. In Henry County, up to 21% of all single-family homes are owned by just seven corporate landlords—the highest percentage in metro Atlanta. Kate Denny believes the solution isn’t to ban corporate ownership but to better regulate and tax profits, hold landlords accountable for maintenance and fair fees, and expand affordable housing supply. That means modernizing zoning laws, encouraging accessory dwelling units, and subsidizing new developments that keep working families housed with dignity.
Healthcare
As a trauma nurse with nearly 20 years of frontline experience, Kate Denny knows firsthand how broken our healthcare system has become. Insurance companies use algorithms to deny care, out-of-pocket costs are skyrocketing, and nearly 25% of Georgians’ take-home pay now goes to healthcare expenses. Services like autism screenings are uncovered, waitlists for therapy span years, and families are drowning in medical debt. Kate will fight to hold insurers accountable, simplify licensing processes to attract more doctors and nurses, and push for better state oversight to ensure the care you’ve paid for is the care you receive. Quality healthcare shouldn’t be a privilege—it should be a guarantee.
Separation of Church & State
As both a devout Christian and a constitutionalist, Kate Denny holds a firm belief in the separation of church and state. That means no Ten Commandments in classrooms, no state-sanctioned prayer, and no policies that blur the lines between personal faith and public law. Kate believes in freedom of religion and freedom from religion—because when government favors one belief, it marginalizes others. She also supports common-sense public safety laws, like Child Access Prevention (CAP) laws for firearms, tailored to fit both rural and urban communities. To her, respecting the Constitution means protecting all people equally—regardless of their faith, background, or political views.