As the race to find Georgia's next governor heats up, 11Alive will be profiling several of the candidates who will appear on the ballot.
Also, look for more extensive coverage of this race and others until Election Day, Nov. 6, as Georgia Votes 2018.
FULL COVERAGE | Georgia Votes 2018
11Alive's Joe Henke recently met with Hunter Hill on the campaign trail during one of several of his bus tour stops in North Georgia.
As he talked with voters at Mike’s Ellijay Restaurant he introduced himself as a Georgia native.
“I grew up here my whole life,” Hunter told the crowd. “I got a chance to go to West Point to play football and then choose to be an infantry officer when I graduated and then ultimately became an Airborne Ranger and led 5 different teams on three combat tours of Iraq and Afghanistan.”
After serving overseas, Hill returned to Georgia and civilian life. He works professionally in the real estate industry. In 2012 the Republican was elected to his first of three terms in the Georgia Senate.
It was during his first senate campaign when Hill met his wife Shannan at an event hosted at his mother’s house.
“She is amazing, she is smart, she is strong,” Hill said when asked about her.
Shannan and Hunter married a year after meeting and are now parents to two young children.
Hill said his military experience, along with his faith and family, are what led him into politics to begin with.
“I fought on three combat tours overseas and I saw that our elected leaders were letting us down and they were wasting our money on low return activities," he explained. "Then I get into the Senate and I find it is career politicians. Republicans campaigning like Ronald Reagan and then governing like Barack Obama.”
WHERE HE STANDS | Hill supports lowering firearm purchase sales to age 18
The military background Hill often mentions during interviews and campaign stops is front-and-center in his campaign ads.
“Hunter Hill. Army Ranger. Unlike these guys I’m not a career politician,” he quips in one ad while pointing at look-alikes of two other candidates.
While in the Senate, Hill severed on several committees and chaired the Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee. In August 2017 he resigned from the Senate to focus on the 2018 governor’s race.
As Hill’s military career, faith and family influence his political positions, he campaigns as a supporter of President Donald Trump.
“I’m proud of President Trump,” Hill told a voter in Ellijay. “Now the next governor has a chance to work with an administration that is going to be favorable with states on 10th Amendment issues.”
The Cobb County-native is now trying to talk with as many voters as possible leading up to the May 22 primary.
Hill launched his “Battle-Tested Leadership” Bus Tour in early May with 19 stops scheduled statewide.
He told 11Alive he enjoyed hearing the vision many voters have for Georgia, while also sharing his own vision for the state’s future.
“We are going to communities all over the state, where we might not have gotten to meet people yet,” he said of his bus tour. “Our vision is simple. A more limited and focused government that delivers results for taxpayers, we want to eliminate the Georgia state income tax and then elevate K-12 education.”
When Hill isn’t on the campaign trail and delivering stump speeches on his bus tour, he said he enjoys listening to music, playing the drums and working out to stay in shape. Most importantly, when he has free-time, though, he wants to be at home.
“I love being with the family,” Hill said. “We are working so hard as we travel the state, that when I have some downtime I’m hanging out with Shannan and the kids.”
To learn more about Hill, visit his campaign website.
