During a meeting to address the planned data center in Rincon, James Daniels watched as residents came forward to express their thoughts. One resident raised concern over the potential impact of artificial
intelligence, which then prompted Daniels to question whether the board fully understood how the project feels somewhat scary to some parts of the community.
With 48 hours left to qualify as a write-in candidate, Daniels told his wife he was tired of being on the sideline and decided it was time to enter the race for District 5 County Commissioner. He will run against Phil Kieffer in the General Election Nov. 3.
"I have no idea why it got under my skin and I told my wife, we have until Monday for somebody to go to the Herald, get their name in the paper, and get all the paperwork filled out and turned in to be able to run," said Daniels.
And that's exactly what he did.
He knows the risks of running as a write-in candidate, especially this late in the game. But Daniels said he "swings for the fences every day" and it's a gamble he is willing to take.
Daniels said he is not a politician but a lifelong resident who cares deeply about developments that have been approved in the past. On Facebook, he shared several principles he will stand on if elected, including transparency, agenda items written in layman's terms and public hearings before decisions are made.
But one of the biggest pain points he discussed was the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority.
"I don't think we need the IDA meddling in development in small communities anymore because they can do it under NDAs," Daniels said. "They can do it behind the scenes. They can give tax abatements. Ultimately, they can shape your community without your consent. We don't elect these people. We don't put them in that position. I don't feel like they should have that much control over the community and how it grows, and they do. It's really scary."
Daniels said in years past, prior leadership would pump the brakes on developments they felt would not be a good fit for the community.
"I think everybody needs to keep in mind the commissioners are there to make rules, but they should be making the rules for the people [that elected them]," said Daniels. "We are represented in democracy, so they should represent our thoughts and what we want."
Growth in what was once a bedroom community has become a growing source of frustration for many Effingham County residents. Daniels wants to ensure small businesses are not overrun by big chains in the future.
"Support the people who want to be here," said Daniels. "We don't want major corporations taking over."
OpenAI has committed to investing $20 billion to build a new facility and at least 400 jobs.
He also pointed to frustrations over the way the news of the data center was announced to the community.
"They say this isn't going to cost us anything - OpenAI is paying for it, but it is going to cost us. It's going to cost us as a community in our identity. Look at Statesboro, it is a college town. Hinesville is a military town. We've always been a bedroom community and I think they're going to strip that away when they build a monstrosity like that. So it is going to cost us. Maybe not dollar-wise, but it's going to cost us."
When is Election Day?
The General Primary is Nov. 3. Residents that want to vote for Daniels will need to physically write his name to the "write-in" spot on the ballot. Call the Effingham County Board of Registration for more information.
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Effingham Co. resident launches write-in bid for county seat | Exclusive
