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Jeannie Babb Taylor is a businesswoman, author and mother of six and she wants to add state leader to her resume.
In the race for District 3 state representative, Republican incumbent Ron Forster (R-Ringgold), now in his third term, will face Taylor, a Democrat, in November.
Republicans have dominated several races in the area for a number of years but Taylor, 34, said she is not slowed by those odds.
“I love it…I like a good challenge,” she said.
Taylor said people are ready for a change, but getting people to the polls is her biggest challenge.
“I am not sure what the answer is yet,” she said.
“In the primary there was less than 10 percent (that voted),” Taylor noted… “I was very disappointed that 90 percent of the people in the county are going to let 10 percent of the people make their decision for them.”
Determination to succeed seems to be a trait that Taylor carries as a theme in many aspects of her busy life.
She has her own career and teaches her children at home.
“For me it’s not really a matter of balance…”Taylor said. “It’s more a matter of integration. I don’t really have separate spheres in my life. Everything is all together.”
She said her children are very involved in the family businesses and they enjoy campaigning with her.
“They think it’s great,” she said. “They have these little ‘vote for mom’ t-shirts.”
When not shaking hands with her political team at hand, the group may be found taking a dip in Chickamauga Creek.
“I enjoy swimming and canoeing,” she said. “We live on Chickamauga Creek so mostly we play in the creek.”
She said she feels quite at home in Catoosa County.
“I grew up on a small farm in the Burning Bush area,” she noted.
Her love for her children and the country are the main reasons she said she chose to run for office.
“People say ‘how are you going to do that since you have children,’” she said. “It’s for them that I am doing this.
“I want them to grow up in a place that is a wonderful place to live so they don’t feel like they have to grow up and go to New York or somewhere to be a success. I want them to be able to be a success right here.”
She dedicates much of her time to another passion - writing.
“I am writing a novel; it’s Biblical fiction,” she said. “I finished my first novel ‘The Prophet's Mantle’ on the last day of 2005, and am editing it now.
“You might say it is a novel about the best women friends of Jesus,” she explained. “Or you could say it is a gospel story from a woman's perspective.”
Taylor said she has written since high school and has penned mostly articles, poems and short stories.
She said she is also an avid armchair Bible scholar.
“I enjoy participating in debates on various biblical topics,” she said.
Taylor is also passionate about other causes and issues.
“I am a vocal advocate for breastfeeding, expanded health care, maternity options, expanded educational opportunities, and women's equality.”
Business-wise she invests her time and expertise in growing Ringgold based businesses. She serves as chief financial officer for OSA, Inc. and BabbTechnologies.
For now she is putting a lot of focus on reaching the state legislature and helping leaders strive for open government.
“It is something people aren’t paying a lot of attention to — the importance of open government,” she said. “There have been a lot of things lately happening more behind closed doors. I am strongly in favor of open government.”
Babb said she doesn’t like where the state is headed.
“We’ve been hit really hard with the economic downturn. Of course, it’s hit the whole country but (it’s been) especially hard on Georgians…
“Several objective measures show the kids of Georgia are especially suffering,” she added.
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