Election Day is Tuesday. Over the past few weeks, we’ve focused on what matters most, having direct conversations with voters across District 51. However, a few recent developments need to be addressed directly.

Three weeks ago, residents of District 51 began receiving mailers alleging that I lied under oath about where I live and how long I’ve been a resident of Fulton County. My opponent also amplified this claim online.

To address this directly: like many renters in the Metro-Atlanta area, I have moved residences several times. I am a current resident of Fulton County and District 51. I have lived in this district for a total of 20 years. I grew up here, attended elementary school just around the corner from where I live now, and moved back a few years ago.

This issue arose when a Democratic Party of Georgia staff member responsible for completing candidate paperwork asked me a question that I misunderstood. I provided an answer that was then entered into a document on my behalf. I believed I was being asked how long I had lived in the district in total, when in fact the question referred to consecutive years.

Many candidates, including myself, had to return during qualifying week to correct various errors. I submitted an updated version with the correct information, meaning the initial version containing this error was in effect for only about a day.

This entire issue has been manufactured by my opponent and her supporters in an attempt to distract from the real issues in this race. The mailer even includes fabricated handwriting to suggest I personally completed the document, rather than it being typed by someone else.

These ads were paid for by an independent committee called “Georgians for Responsible Government.” It registered with the State of Georgia at the end of April to funnel money from “Georgia Solidarity Network,” described on its website as “a bi-partisan political action committee, formed in 2024, that supports pro-Israel elected officials and legislation in Georgia.” The actors behind Georgia Solidarity Network include some of my opponent’s and Governor Kemp’s largest donors.

Another concern is that this dark money PAC and my opponent both publicly posted my address, effectively doxxing me and my family at a time when violence against the LGBTQ community is rising. While politics can be contentious, sharing my address without regard for the safety of my family crosses a serious line.

Esther Panitch often speaks about her work with survivors of domestic violence. She of all people should understand the risk of publicly disclosing the address of someone who is receiving violent threats. She knows what the worst possible outcomes of that action can be.

Unfortunately, it does not stop there. American Future is a Super PAC funneling money from DraftKings, FanDuel, and others interested in expanding sports betting in Georgia. They have targeted not only District 51, but multiple seats in the Georgia General Assembly. American Future is pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars per seat, significantly outspending grassroots campaigns like ours.

Over the past few weeks, they have also run mail and digital ads that misrepresent how Esther Panitch represents District 51 and Democrats in the Legislature more broadly. These ads label her a progressive, even as she has supported Republicans over Democrats in key races and voted for Republican legislation when her colleagues did not.

The rise of corporate and foreign-influenced money in our elections is an issue that goes beyond political ideology. Everyone should be alarmed at the scale of dark money PACs influencing our democracy. The gambling industry, through American Future, has spent more on state-level campaigns than any of the Democratic candidates for Governor.

My campaign is powered by everyday people who believe in a better Georgia and are willing to help build it. If your community does not trust you enough to help you win fairly, as democracy is intended, you should not be able to use unlimited PAC money to cross the finish line.

No matter the outcome of this race, we cannot allow this to become the new normal.

If you are ready for a new generation of leadership, please make sure to vote on Election Day, May 19th. If you have already voted, tell a friend. Visit aaron4ga.com to join us before Tuesday, make a contribution, or stay informed.