Georgia General Assembley, Mike Hodges

Mike is a lifelong resident St. Simons Island in Glynn County. He graduated from Brunswick High School, and earned his bachelor's in banking and finance from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. He and his wife have two children and one grandchild.

Mike is a founder and senior officer of the First Bank of Brunswick, being named the CEO in 1996. He is now the President of the Georgia Southeast
Coastal Market after being acquired by Ameris Bancorp in 2001.

Mike Hodges is currently the state senator representing State Senate District 3, where he has been since 2022 and is serving his first term. He serves as Secretary of the Senate Committees on Banking and Financial Institutions and Judiciary.

Candidate website

The candidate's website says, "Reduce or eliminate the state income tax to provide relief for Georgia’s hardworking citizens during difficult economic times."

Plans to reduce or eliminate the state income tax to provide relief for Georgians.

The candidate's website says, "Support Georgia workers, small businesses, agriculture, tourism, ... Keep taxes low, cut burdensome regulations and provide workforce development to generate economic development."

Supports Georgia workers, small businesses, agriculture, tourism, the Port of Brunswick, and fisheries and other industries to promote economic growth.

Wants to increase workforce development to generate economic development.

The candidate's website says, "Increase access to rural broadband and other infrastructure improvements in rural areas of District 3."

Plans to increase access to rural broadband and other infrastructure improvements in rural areas of District 3.

The candidate's website says, "Our future and the quality of life for Georgia families depends on a vibrant and safe workforce. We also need to maintain Georgia’s status as one the #1 state to do business."

Wants to maintain Georgia’s status as the #1 state to do business.

- Plans to reduce or eliminate the state income tax to provide relief for Georgians.
- Supports Georgia workers, small businesses, agriculture, tourism, the Port of Brunswick, and fisheries and other industries to promote economic growth.
- Wants to increase workforce development to generate economic development.
- Plans to increase access to rural broadband and other infrastructure improvements in rural areas of District 3.
- Wants to maintain Georgia’s status as the #1 state to do business.

Economy

The candidate's website says, "Support environmental stewardship with sound management and legislation to protect our rivers, lakes and coastal area from pollution and other threats. Mike will always seek local input regarding natural resources issues affecting the local communities in District 3."

Wants to protect rivers, lakes and coastal area from pollution and other threats through environmental stewardship and legislation. 

Seeks local input about natural resources issues affecting the local communities in District 3.

- Wants to protect rivers, lakes and coastal area from pollution and other threats through environmental stewardship and legislation. 
- Seeks local input about natural resources issues affecting the local communities in District 3.

Energy & the Environment

The candidate's website says, "Expand and improve mental health programs to make them affordable and accessible for Georgians who need help."

Wants to expand and improve mental health programs to make them affordable and accessible for those who need help.

The candidate's website says, "We need to support our physicians, healthcare workers and medical facilities to ensure the well being and safety of families in District 3."

Supports physicians, healthcare workers and medical facilities to ensure the well being and safety of families.

Said, "Georgians need affordable access to effective healthcare, not just during a pandemic. We need free market solutions so we can choose our insurance providers, physicians and coverage options. We must work to lower insurance premiums for Georgia families."

- Wants to expand and improve mental health programs to make them affordable and accessible for those who need help.
- Supports physicians, healthcare workers and medical facilities to ensure the well being and safety of families.
- Said, "Georgians need affordable access to effective healthcare, not just during a pandemic. We need free market solutions so we can choose our insurance providers, physicians and coverage options. We must work to lower insurance premiums for Georgia families."

Healthcare

The candidate's website says, "Mike will stand against efforts to compromise Georgia’s new Election Integrity Act... Photo ID, secure election drop boxes and expanded early voting, including weekends, will ensure a fair election process."

Will stand against efforts to compromise the Election Integrity Act, which requires Photo ID ands ecure election drop boxes and expands early voting.

- Will stand against efforts to compromise the Election Integrity Act, which requires Photo ID ands ecure election drop boxes and expands early voting.

Voting & Elections

Said, "Protect our rights afforded to us under the Constitution including free speech, religious freedoms and the right to bear arms."

Opposes gun control and supports the Second Amendment.

The candidate's website says, "Georgia must protect families and business owners by banning any attempts to defund our police across the state. We must properly fund and train our law enforcement personnel to ensure our neighborhoods and schools are safe."

- Opposes gun control and supports the Second Amendment.
- The candidate's website says, "Georgia must protect families and business owners by banning any attempts to defund our police across the state. We must properly fund and train our law enforcement personnel to ensure our neighborhoods and schools are safe."

Public Safety

The candidate's website says, "Just as important, public schools need our continued support to ensure safety, technology upgrades, high academic standards and smaller classroom sizes."

Believes public schools need continued support to ensure safety, technology upgrades, high academic standards and smaller classroom sizes.

The candidate's website says, "Mike believes we should give our parents a voice in their child’s education, and that parental involvement will lessen the opportunity for unnecessary or unwise curriculum choices."

Wants to increase parental involvement  in their child’s education.

The candidate's website says, "All Georgians should be afforded the opportunity to attend a college or technical school to prepare them for a future career... We need to stand together in support for College of Coastal Georgia, Golden Isles Career Academy and Coastal Pines Technical College."

Supports the opportunity for Georgians to attend a college or technical school to prepare them for a future career. 

- Believes public schools need continued support to ensure safety, technology upgrades, high academic standards and smaller classroom sizes.
- Wants to increase parental involvement  in their child’s education.
- Supports the opportunity for Georgians to attend a college or technical school to prepare them for a future career. 

Education

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Mike Hodges

Mike is a lifelong resident St. Simons Island in Glynn County. He attended from Brunswick High School. He earned his bachelor's in banking and finance from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. He and his wife Dana have two children and one grandchild.

Mike is a founder and senior officer of the First Bank of Brunswick, being named the CEO in 1996. He is no the President of the Georgia Southeast
Coastal Market after being acquired by Ameris Bancorp in 2001.

Mike Hodges is currently State Senator representing State Senate District 3, where he has been since 2022 and is serving his first term. He serves as Secretary of the Senate Committees on Banking and Financial Institutions and Judiciary.

- Plans to reduce or eliminate the state income tax to provide relief for Georgians.
- Supports Georgia workers, small businesses, agriculture, tourism, the Port of Brunswick, and fisheries and other industries to promote economic growth.
- Wants to increase workforce development to generate economic development.
- Plans to increase access to rural broadband and other infrastructure improvements in rural areas of District 3.
- The candidate's website says, "Our future and the quality of life for Georgia families depends on a vibrant and safe workforce. We also need to maintain Georgia’s status as one the #1 state to do business."

The candidate's website says, "Mike is proud to be endorsed by 5 of the 6 Georgia Senate District Sheriffs – ... Brantley County Sheriff Len Davis, Camden County Sheriff Jim Proctor, Charlton County Sheriff Robert Phillips, Glynn County Sheriff Neal Jump, and McIntosh County Sheriff Steve Jessup."

- Supports the right to bear arms.
- The candidate's website says, "Georgia must protect families and business owners by banning any attempts to defund our police across the state. We must properly fund and train our law enforcement personnel to ensure our neighborhoods and schools are safe."

The candidate's website says, "All Georgians should be afforded the opportunity to attend a college or technical school to prepare them for a future career. We need to stand together in support for College of Coastal Georgia, Golden Isles Career Academy and Coastal Pines Technical College."

- Believes public schools need continued support to ensure safety, technology upgrades, high academic standards and smaller classroom sizes.
- Wants to increase parental involvement  in their child’s education.
- The candidate's website says, "All Georgians should be afforded the opportunity to attend a college or technical school to prepare them for a future career. We need to stand together in support for College of Coastal Georgia, Golden Isles Career Academy and Coastal Pines Technical College."

Mike Hodges is a lifelong resident of Coastal Georgia, specifically St. Simons Island in Glynn County. He graduated from Brunswick High School in 1971 and earned his BBA in Banking and Finance from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, with additional degrees from the UGA School of Banking and The Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware. Mike has been married to his wife Dana for 38 years, with whom he has two grown sons, and they are anticipating the arrival of their first grandchild.

Mike Hodges has had a 47-year career in the banking industry, including serving as the founding director and senior officer of the First Bank of Brunswick, where he became CEO in 1996. The bank was acquired by Ameris Bancorp in 2001, and he currently serves as the President of the Southeast Georgia Coastal Market for Ameris Bank, covering Glynn, Camden, Liberty, and Ware Counties. He has also held leadership roles in various civic and professional organizations.

Mike Hodges is a first-time candidate running for Georgia State Senate District 3. He has not held elected office before, but he has been appointed to and served on the Jekyll Island Authority Board from 2005 to 2019, including a term as Chair from 2017 to 2019. His candidacy has been endorsed by the current Georgia State Senator for District 3, Sheila McNeill.

The candidate's website says, "During his tenure, there was a transformation of public healthcare services... with a capital investment of over $500 million and the recruitment of more than 125 physicians."

The candidate's website says, "In addition to the Social Security and Medicare benefits our senior citizens have earned... It is our duty to take care of those who took care of us."

The candidate's website says, "During his tenure, there was a transformation of public healthcare services... with a capital investment of over $200 million and the recruitment of more than 125 physicians."

- Your state senator represents the interests of your district in the Georgia State Senate.
- Your state senator can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws after going through the legislative process. 
- State Senators are involved in approving some appointments by the Governor.
- The State Senate, along with the State House of Representatives, makes up our state lawmaking body: the Georgia General Assembly.
- There are 56 Georgia senators, each representing a single district.
- State Senators are elected to two-year terms. They are paid a yearly salary of $17,342.