Georgia Democrats scored a raft of victories across the state during this year’s elections, flipping a net total of over 30 seats in municipal elections around Georgia. These results indicate how, despite gains by the Republican Party in contexts like the Virginia governor’s race, the Democrats are continuing to accrue momentum as their national leaders notch wins for the American people like the bipartisan infrastructure deal recently passed by the House and sent for President Joe Biden’s signature. That bill “will provide $550 billion in new funds over 10 years to shore up roads, bridges and highways, improve internet access and modernize the nation’s power grid,” and it “also includes… $50 billion to help communities grapple with” climate disasters, The New York Times explains.
Alongside other provisions, the bill works out to an investment of over $1 trillion in the needs of the people of the United States. On the national level, Democratic leaders and negotiators are also continuing work on a pricier social spending package that would support an array of initiatives, from child care to improving health coverage. In the meantime, local leaders such as those elected in Georgia recently have the chance to be on the front lines of putting policies into practice that uplift their communities.
The Democratic victories include “mayorships in Cairo, Stone Mountain, Hampton, and McDonough and crucial city council seats in Lawrenceville, Peachtree Corners, Sandy Springs, Tucker, Stone Mountain, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Kennesaw, and Powder Springs,” per the Democratic Party of Georgia. Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), who chairs the Democratic Party of Georgia, commented as follows:
‘Democrats’ strong showing this election cycle – from metro Atlanta to rural Georgia – is testament to the unprecedented grassroots enthusiasm our party has been building across the state for years… The 2021 municipal elections show that with strong candidates, strategic organizing, and early investments, Georgia Democrats are well-positioned to continue mobilizing voters and flipping seats throughout the state in 2022 and beyond. Local leaders have the biggest say in the issues closest to home, and it is crucial they reflect the values of the communities they represent. With forty-one Democrats newly elected in twenty-one counties, so many communities across Georgia will benefit from Democratic leadership at the helm.’
This year’s elections provided a foreshadowing of the midterm elections that will take place next year, when control of both houses of Congress will be at stake. The Republican victories in Virginia and elsewhere have left some observers concerned about the Democratic Party’s chances in those approaching midterms.
