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Michelle Au

DEMOCRAT

Michelle Au is running for Georgia State Representative, District 50.

Personal background

Michelle is a second generation Chinese-American who grew up in New York City and received a strong public-school education. She graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Michelle also holds a Master’s in Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Michelle lives in Johns Creek, Atlanta, with her husband and three children.

Professional background

Michelle is an anesthesiologist and equity partner at Physician Specialists in Anesthesia in Atlanta, where she has practiced for more than ten years. She is certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Additionally, she has completed residency training in both pediatrics and anesthesiology at Columbia University.

Political background

Michelle was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2020 representing District 48. In 2022, she was elected to the State House after the incumbent Representative announced retirement. She serves on the House committees for Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Public Health, and Special Rules, co-chairs the bi-partisan General Assembly Working Group on Addiction and Recovery, and chairs the bi-partisan General Assembly AAPI Caucus.

Economy

Supports small business growth, fair taxation, affordable healthcare, and workforce training. Advocates for Georgia Earned Income Tax Credit, tax code modernization, higher tobacco taxes, and ending special interest tax breaks to relieve the working class.

Believes rising living costs harm Georgia families; plans to fight for economic prosperity, having already worked to reduce healthcare expenses, suspend gas taxes, and secure tax cuts for workers in the State Senate.

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Energy & the Environment

As of July 25, 2024, Michelle Au’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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Healthcare

Supports reducing prescription costs, enhancing medical leave, patient protections, equal coverage for mental health, and opposes ER claim denials. Plans to expand Medicaid, boosting hospital funds, job creation, and lowering healthcare expenses for Georgia's state, taxpayers, and consumers.

Supports women's reproductive rights, opposes six-week abortion ban, plans to restore healthcare decisions to women, following Roe v. Wade reversal.

Blocked "bans of medication abortion pills at the Capitol, ensuring this critical resource will continue to be available for millions of Georgia women...is the only pro-choice physician in the General Assembly."

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Voting & Elections

Opposes the bill, viewing it as an attack on voting rights, citing restrictions on mobile polling, drop boxes, absentee ballot rules, and interference with voter mobilization efforts.

Believes that despite significant campaign spending, voter turnout is low due to barriers that disproportionately affect voters of color and low-income individuals, undermining the sacred right to vote and the state's fundamental promise.

Supports expanding voting rights, co-sponsoring bills for same-day and automatic registration, increasing polling places, and opposing laws that create voting barriers; committed to ongoing legislative efforts to protect and enhance voting access.

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Public Safety

Supports enacting gun safety measures like universal background checks, waiting periods, and safe storage laws; aims to reduce gun violence to protect communities and first responders; recognized by Everytown for Gun Safety for legislative efforts.

Supports enhancing neighborhood safety by fostering trust between families, communities, and first responders, funding mental health services, and providing resources and training for police to effectively combat crime; authored/co-sponsored bills for public safety in the State Senate.

Supports "investing in deterrence services in high-risk communities to stop crime before it happens... In addressing the root causes for most crime, including mental health issues and poverty, our families will be made safer and more secure."

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Education

Supports protecting teachers and students' well-being, opposes campus carry and state interference in curricula, wants to end divisive parent-teacher policies, and advocates for positive school environments, mental health resources, and safer school infrastructure.

Believes in equitable education for all Georgia students, supports full funding for PreK-12, opposes vouchers, and advocates for resources and fair compensation for educators to address the achievement gap.

Believes "Investments in early childhood programs not only improve outcomes for the children who participate but for Georgia and the nation as a whole, says Au."

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