Ceretta Smith: Candidate For Congress District 12
Ceretta Smith: Candidate For Congress District 12
Election Date: May 19, 2026
Candidate Website: https://cerettaforga.com/
Candidate Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cerettaforga/
Candidate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CerettaforGeorgia
Candidate Threads: https://www.threads.com/@cerettaforga
Candidate TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cerettaforgeorgia
Candidate Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cerettaforgeorgia.bsky.social
See your sample ballot and all candidates for this and every election here: https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/
Question 1 Topic: Defending Constitutional Rights
Over the past year, federal officers within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have detained individuals without cause and searched homes without a judicial warrant, which violates the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.
Will you support the Fourth Amendment right to privacy and demand an end to unlawful conduct by DHS and other government agencies?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: I strongly support the Fourth Amendment and the fundamental right to privacy it guarantees every American. No government agency, including DHS, should detain individuals without cause or conduct searches without a lawful warrant. Upholding the Constitution is not optional; it is a duty. As a veteran, union member, and retired federal worker, I understand both the importance of national security and the necessity of accountability. We can and must do both. I will advocate for strict oversight, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law to ensure that no agency operates above the Constitution.
Question 2 Topic: Defending Constitutional Rights
Public reports estimate that since 2022, President Donald Trump has issued more than 100 threats to investigate, prosecute, imprison, or otherwise punish those who are critical of him, including news organizations and talk show hosts (such as Jimmy Kimmel). In September 2025, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi indicted former FBI director James Comey after Trump publicly called for his prosecution.
Do you agree that the president and other government officials should not attack political enemies or those exercising their First Amendment rights?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: No public official, regardless of position, should use the power of government to target critics or political opponents. The rule of law must be applied fairly, independently, and without political influence. I believe in protecting First Amendment rights and maintaining the integrity of our justice system. As a veteran, union member, retired federal employee, and former elected official, I will always stand for accountability, judicial independence, and equal justice under the law.
Question 3 Topic: Defending Constitutional Rights
Videos, court statements, and internal communications show that officers of the Department of Homeland Security, including ICE agents, have knowingly and criminally acted outside of their authority. Since the killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent, the administration has prevented the state of Minnesota from conducting a proper criminal investigation of the perpetrator.
Do you agree that, subject to existing legal precedent, states have the right to prosecute crimes, and will you advocate for the investigation and prosecution of crimes committed by federal officers?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: I believe in the rule of law and equal accountability, no one is above it, including federal officers. The killings of Renee Good and my union brother Alex Pretti in Minnesota, just weeks apart, have raised serious concerns about the use of force and the
obstruction of state investigations. States have a clear role in prosecuting crimes within their jurisdiction. As a veteran, union member, former elected official, and retired federal employee, I will advocate for full transparency, independent investigations, and the right of states to pursue justice when lives are lost.
Question 4 Topic: Commitment To Democratic Process
A landmark 2004 Princeton study found that a small group of elites and corporations have the greatest influence on U.S. legislation. This issue was exacerbated in 2010, when SCOTUS’s Citizens United decision paved the way
for the creation of SuperPACs, which to date have spent more than $5 billion in anonymous special interest dollars to influence US elections and policy.
In your role, will you work to ensure that corporations and PACs are not able to exert undue influence on the legislative process?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: I believe our democracy works best when it answers to the people and not wealthy interests or unchecked money in politics. The influence of corporations and Super PACs, especially after Citizens United v. FEC, has undermined public trust and tilted the balance of power. As a veteran, union member, former elected official, retired federal employee, and a proud member of Take BAC Congress, I support overturning Citizens United and advancing reforms that increase transparency, limit dark money, and restore accountability to the American people.
Question 5 Topic: Commitment To Democratic Process
The Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank that authored Project 2025, has catalogued every instance of voter fraud in federal elections since 1982 and found that it occurred exceedingly rarely—about once for every million votes. Still, unfounded claims of fraud are frequently used to cast doubt on election results and to advocate for more restrictive laws. President Trump has even called for Republicans to “nationalize” the elections, and on March 31, 2026, he signed an executive order to restrict absentee ballots.
As an elected official, will you help protect free and fair elections, and refute unfounded claims of fraud that undermine faith in our electoral process?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy, and they must be protected with facts and not fear. Claims of widespread voter fraud have repeatedly been shown to be extremely rare, yet they are too often used to justify restricting access to the ballot. As a veteran, union member, former elected official, and retired federal employee, I believe in protecting both election integrity and every citizen’s right to vote. We should be strengthening access, transparency, and trust in our elections and not undermining them.
Question 6 Topic: Commitment To Democratic Process
Though congressional district maps are usually only redrawn once a decade after the census, several states, including Texas and California, passed new laws in 2025 with the explicitly partisan purpose of gerrymandering to gain more seats in the House of Representatives. In Wisconsin and Illinois, gerrymandering has resulted in the winning party receiving about 25% more House seats than their vote share.
Do you agree that fair representation requires fair maps, and will you advocate for them?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: Fair representation is a cornerstone of our democracy, and extreme partisan gerrymandering undermines that principle by allowing politicians to choose their voters instead of the other way around. As a veteran, union member, former elected official, and retired federal employee, I support fair, transparent redistricting processes that reflect the true will of the people. We must restore balance, accountability, and trust by ensuring every vote carries equal weight.
Question 7 Topic: Belief In System of Law
In the case of J.G.G. v. Trump, the administration disobeyed a federal court’s explicit order on March 15, 2025, to stop a deportation flight of Venezualan immigrants and to return any flights that were already in the air. The following year, on February 26, 2026, Federal Court Judge Patrick Schiltz issued an opinion detailing the Trump administration’s failure to comply with hundreds of court orders pertaining to Habeas petitions.
In your position, will you follow court orders and hold other officials accountable for failing to do so?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: The rule of law depends on respect for our courts. Court orders are not optional, they must be followed by every administration, regardless of politics. As a veteran, union member, former elected official, and retired federal employee, I will always uphold the Constitution, follow lawful court orders, and support accountability for any official who refuses to do the same. No one is above the law.
Question 8 Topic: Belief In System of Law
Donald Trump has personally profited an estimated $1.2 billion from cryptocurrency in the second term of his presidency while simultaneously acting to deregulate the industry.
Do you believe that a president and other government officials should be required to divest from conflicts of interest during their term in office, and will you commit to doing the same?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: Public service should never be used for personal profit. Elected officials, including the president, must avoid conflicts of interest and be fully transparent in their financial dealings. As a veteran, union member, former elected official, retired federal employee, and a member of Take BAC Congress, I support strong ethics laws that require divestment or blind trusts for assets that pose a conflict. One of our core pillars is banning stock trading while in office to restore trust and accountability. I will hold myself to that same standard and work to ensure integrity across government.
Question 9 Topic: Countering Authoritarianism
On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court struck down $175 billion of tariffs instituted by President Trump, determining that imposing these tariffs overstepped the bounds of his authority. The administration has also illegally withheld congressionally-appropriated funds from states and government agencies through executive action, per the Government Accountability Office.
Will you commit to supporting Congress’s power of the purse and demand an end to this form of executive overreach?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: Yes. I strongly support Congress's constitutional power of the purse and believe it must be respected without interference or unlawful executive overreach. As a veteran, union member, former elected official, retired federal employee, and member of Take BAC Congress, I believe in restoring the balance of power between branches of government. That includes ensuring congressionally appropriated funds are spent as directed by law and holding any administration accountable when it exceeds its authority.
Question 10 Topic: Countering Authoritarianism
In 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that the president is immune from criminal liability for “official acts,” making impeachment the only reliable check on presidential power.
Do you believe that Congress has the responsibility to conduct impeachment proceedings, as it did by investigating alleged corruption by President Biden, in order to prevent corruption, abuse of power, and unconstitutional acts for which the president is otherwise unaccountable?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: During his second term in office, Donald Trump has fired seventeen independent inspectors general and defunded or removed key staff from independent government watchdogs including the Office of Professional Responsibility, the Office of Government Ethics, and the Office of Special Counsel. The administration has also failed to keep adequate records, blocked the release of records (such as the Epstein Files), and claimed ownership of presidential records in violation of legal precedent and ethical standards.
Question 11 Topic: Countering Authoritarianism
During his second term in office, Donald Trump has fired seventeen independent inspectors general and defunded or removed key staff from independent government watchdogs including the Office of Professional Responsibility, the Office of Government Ethics, and the Office of Special Counsel. The administration has also failed to keep adequate records, blocked the release of records (such as the Epstein Files), and claimed ownership of presidential records in violation of legal precedent and ethical standards.
In your role, will you work to ensure transparency and accountability through adequate record keeping and independent inspectors, and will you hold those who do not meet these standards accountable?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: Yes. Transparency, accountability, and proper record- keeping are essential to a functioning democracy, and independent watchdogs like inspectors general play a critical role in preventing abuse of power. I support protecting independent oversight offices, enforcing strict records laws, and holding any official accountable who undermines transparency or violates established legal standards.
Question 12 Topic: Truth in Public Discourse and Decision-Making
Despite overwhelming scientific consensus on the benefits and risks of vaccines, some high-profile critics continue to make claims about vaccines that have been debunked.
Do you believe that RFK Jr.’s choice to staff the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices with people who push easily-refuted pseudoscientific theories is harmful to Americans’ health, and will you advocate for science-based decision-making?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: Yes. It is very harmful to public health when science- based advisory bodies are replaced with individuals promoting debunked or unproven theories. I support ensuring that vaccine policy is guided by credible medical science and protecting the integrity of expert institutions. I will advocate for evidence-based decision-making that keeps Americans safe.
Question 13 Topic: Truth in Public Discourse and Decision-Making
Many public officials make false assertions when they believe it is politically useful. Vice President J.D. Vance defended this practice after claiming Haitians were eating cats and dogs, saying “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Do you agree that lying about the facts voters use to make decisions distracts from the actual issues, and will you commit to accurately representing established facts?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: Yes. Misrepresenting facts erodes public trust and distracts from the real issues voters need to make informed decisions. It is beneath the office of any elected official to mislead the public. As a veteran, union member, former elected official, retired federal employee, and member of Take BAC Congress, I am committed to honesty, transparency, and accurately representing established facts.