1st Congressional District candidates Buddy Carter and Lisa Ring
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1st Congressional District candidates Buddy Carter and Lisa Ring / GPB News

Coastal voters had a chance to hear candidates from Georgia’s first congressional district Wednesday night at a League of Women Voters forum in Savannah.

The contest pits a two-term incumbent against a first-time candidate.

First congressional district political forum

Before an audience of hundreds in a Savannah college auditorium, Republican incumbent Buddy Carter and his challenger, Democrat and first-time candidate Lisa Ring, shared the opinion that violence against women was wrong. But that’s the only issue they agreed on. The two shared vastly different opinions on healthcare, social security, the rights of women, people of color and the LGBTQ community.  

They also disagreed on whether drilling for oil on Georgia’s coast would be good for the state.

“I believe that at a time that we should be moving to 100 percent renewable, sustainable energy sources, beginning to drill off our coast for the first time ever is irresponsible,” Ring said.

Carter countered, “I want to know what’s out there. I think it’s irresponsible of us not to know what’s out there.”

Coastal voters will decide who will represent them in the Nov. 6 election.

U.S. Representative and Republican candidate  Buddy Carter
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U.S. Representative and Republican candidate Buddy Carter / GPB News

Democratic candidate Lisa Ring
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Democratic candidate Lisa Ring / GPB News