LILBURN, Ga. — With this historic Election Day just around the corner, both presidential candidates are making their final pitches to potential supporters.
In this hyper-charged political environment 11Alive'sThe Georgia Vote has worked for months to make sure that everyday Georgians -- and what matters most to them -- remain at the center of the conversation.
Meet Jeff Viehweg, daytime manager at Mainstreet Guns and Range
The former security professional now works to serve potential customers at this Lilburn gun store where he says the emphasis is on education as well as sales.
"We're teaching comfort," said Viehweg. "We're teaching respect for the process and what to do -- not just buying it, but owning it. What does it take to be a good owner? What does it take to be a conscientious owner of a gun?"
"A firearm to me is a tool," he continued. "No different than a hammer or a saw . . . all of those things can be dangerous, all of those things need correct education in order to use them well, keep yourself safe, and the folks that are around you while you're using it."
Situated in Gwinnett County -- one of Georgia's most prominent swing counties in this election -- Viehweg says he sees customers from all backgrounds.
"Absolutely. The people that come in here are on both sides of the aisle, let's say, and they come in asking questions one particular way or they come in asking questions another particular way," he said. "All of them together are looking for the education of what this store is and why we do what we do."
Issues he cares about
The economy
"How that economy is going to affect my family going forward, the price of things, that's my biggest worry," said Viehweg.
Immigration
"We need to fix our immigration issues and that's not just stopping people at the border that aren't supposed to be here, that's making sure the court system can handle the legitimacy of all the folks that are already here," he added.
His biggest worry
"The divisive division that has come from this argument between the two sides," said Viehweg. "The fact that one side is trying to make you fearful of one way and the other side is trying to make you feel fearful a different way. That bothers me more than anything else. There's no collectiveness on either side."
What he's optimistic about
"It's the fact that both sides are really looking for change and I agree that change needs to happen," he said.
Watch our Voice of the Voter segment during The Georgia Vote Sundays at 11 a.m. on 11Alive.