The Undecided and Youth Voters.

Georgia’s gubernatorial stage has not been set, and possibly won’t be until June. A large portion of Georgia’s voters are undecided, on both sides, in their choice for the primaries. As a reminder, if no candidate reaches the 50% voter threshold, there will be an election runoff in June. 

According to the AJC, Keisha Lance Bottoms is leading the polls, and it is still possible that she will cross the 50% threshold. On average, she has between 32-43% of the vote. As we’ve discussed in the past, there isn’t a clear picture regarding the other candidates due to the “social media bubble.” It’s extremely difficult to gather and infer what the gubernatorial landscape is for Democrats. 

Surprisingly, Republicans are facing the same dilemma. Rick Jackson is currently leading in the polls, but not without Burt Jones’ momentum. In most polls, the two candidates are closely competing with each other. However, those numbers are still low. They only have between 16-37% of the vote. 

You can speculate for days on end as to why there is no clear candidate. It can be that Georgia voters are preoccupied with the current living, economic, and political situation. Yes, that is why voters should head to the polls and vote. But oftentimes, when life gets extremely difficult to survive, those things get put on the back burner. It’s a never-ending cycle. 

It could be the lack of clarity from candidates. Georgia’s democratic candidates faced scrutiny for their lack of clarity in policy, economic, and community issues, and in dealing with Trump. It feels like the candidates are very distant from voters and, in turn, breeds distrust and uncertainty. Especially within youth voting turnout, despite Gen Z being a particularly active demographic, Georgia Democrats have failed to truly capture their interest.

Here lies the question: Will Georgia voters have a clear understanding and gubernatorial preference by May 19, or will we participate in a June runoff election?

Devil's in the house of the rising maps

Mix greed and fear into a bowl, sprinkle in a little desperation, and you get yourself a Georgia peach cobbler—anti-democratic and straight from the Gold Dome. 

As expected, Governor Kemp has called for an emergency legislative session ahead of the midterms to begin redistricting Georgia’s maps. He postponed this decision only to avoid delaying the May 19th election. Georgia has 14 US House seats; Democrats hold 5, but as we have discussed just last week, with the gutting of the VRA, Republican states are moving quickly to force the makeup of Congress in their favor despite their obvious incompetence at lawmaking. 

They are fearful, and they have every right to be. The economy is on the decline; the administration is asking for more money for a ballroom than for tending to its citizens' needs; and AI data centers are wasting perfectly fine drinking water for an economic bubble. The only wind in the Republican sail is delusional loyalty and corruption. 

Systems are fraying at the edges, and one is not so sure that our elected officials are as vigilant as they should be. And still, we will fight.

The Georgia Supreme Court can strike down congressional maps that are deemed unconstitutional, which places this Tuesday’s election front and center once again. All nine current justices were appointed by Republican governors. That is not a court inclined to check Republican legislative power. Electing Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan will not flip the Court overnight, but every seat matters. The abuse of redistricting power will continue unabated until the bench looks different.

This Tuesday is where that work begins.

The Real Kemp Legacy

For years, Brian Kemp cultivated a reputation as a moderate—a pragmatic conservative who could work across the aisle and govern responsibly. His actions this week tell a different story.

On May 11th, Kemp signed a tax cut worth $1.3 billion annually, with 74% of the benefits flowing to the top 20% of earners. On May 12th, he cut over $54 million in services—for homeless veterans, domestic violence shelters, sexual assault centers, children in foster care, Georgians with disabilities, and kids who need a bus to school—to pay for it. Some moderate.

He also vetoed SB 478, one of the rare moments this session when Georgia moved to protect its environment and natural resources for future generations. Kemp threw it out the moment it became politically inconvenient. We see who he’s governing for. It is not the future of Georgians. 

He then signed HB 369, making DA elections nonpartisan, but only in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Clayton, and Cobb. The five largest, most diverse metro Atlanta counties. The five counties where Democratic prosecutors have shown a willingness to hold power accountable. 

You are probably ahead of us in connecting the dots: the Supreme Court guts the VRA, Republican legislatures across the South sprint to redraw maps, and Georgia targets its Democratic prosecutors. 

This is a coordinated movement, executed step by step.

Which brings us to June 17th.

Kemp has called a special session to redraw Georgia's maps. Not just congressional maps, but state legislative maps, too. The party that controls the legislature in 2031 draws the maps that shape Georgia politics through 2040. The session opens the day after any runoff elections—including potentially the governor's race on both sides—and two days before Juneteenth. 

The timing is worth noting.

Also on the agenda for the special session: the QR code ballot crisis Republicans created and failed to solve. Georgia law requires QR codes to be removed from ballots by July 1, months before the November election. Democrats pushed for a fix during the regular session. Republicans blocked it and went home. Now they have to come back.

Proving once again, they do not know how to govern responsibly.

The chaos is real. The stakes are real. But our north star remains the same:

We have elections to win.

As we said up top, the response to Republican power grabs is replacing Republicans. 

Because Georgia—and the entire South – is worth fighting for.

Socialist Alternative

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Votes or Vibes?

If you spent the last few weeks watching Georgia Democratic politics on social media, the energy around this governor's race might surprise you. Multiple candidates have built real momentum online—passionate supporters, strong engagement, and a genuine sense that this primary is wide open and competitive.

Then you look at the polls.

A recent AJC survey of meager 1,000 likely Georgia Democratic primary voters tells a more complicated story. Keisha Lance Bottoms leads the field at 39%, with Michael Thurmond at 10%, Jason Esteves at 8%, and Geoff Duncan at 7%. Perhaps most striking: 35% of likely Democratic primary voters remain undecided with less than two weeks until May 19.

This disconnect matters—not just for this race, but for how we read every competitive primary. Social media rewards engagement, not representation. The voters who comment, share, and post skew younger, more online, and more ideologically activated than the broader electorate. They are not wrong to be enthusiastic. But enthusiasm on a screen does not automatically translate to votes cast on May 19.

The question for every Georgia candidate is the same one it has always been: can you convert impressions into turnout? Building an audience is not the same as building a coalition. And in a primary where early voting is already breaking records, the voters showing up right now are telling us something the algorithm cannot.

Watch the polls. Watch the early vote data. And watch what happens when the enthusiasm meets the ballot box.

VRA Fallout

Taking the focus off of virtual politics, it is time to look at what is happening in state legislators across the Deep South.

Last week we established that the fight over congressional maps is not procedural theater—it is a direct assault on democratic representation, and it has been ongoing for generations. This week, the assault went from methodical to frantic.

In Alabama, Governor Kay Ivey called an emergency legislative session—emergency—not for flood relief, not for a public health crisis, but to redraw a congressional map that the Supreme Court had struck down for diluting Black voting power. Tennessee's Governor Bill Lee followed suit, calling his own special session specifically to break apart the one Democratic-held congressional district in the state, centered on Memphis—a majority-Black city. These are not coincidences of timing. This is a coordinated sprint.

Florida offers its own flavor of cruelty. In 2010, Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment prohibiting maps that diminish the ability of racial and language minorities to elect representatives of their choice. Voters decided this—not legislators, not governors, not appointed judges. And still, here we are, watching that protection be tested like a door with a loose hinge. The will of the people, it turns out, has an asterisk attached when it inconveniences power.

Our home state here operates on a different clock, and Governor Brian Kemp knows it. With voting already underway, Kemp has declared it too late to change congressional maps for this cycle—not as a concession, but as a promise deferred. The Supreme Court's ruling, he says, "requires Georgia to adopt new electoral maps before the 2028 election cycle." Note the verb: requires.

The stakes of all this scrambling become clear in what election experts are now calling a dystopian but real possibility: a dispute over which party actually won control of the House. We said last week that conservatives cannot win by playing fair, and they know it. What we are watching now is not just the endgame of a single election but a reinstallation of a structure that makes future fair elections harder to achieve.

The question for Georgia voters is the same one it has always been. Not whether the system is broken. It is. Not whether bad-faith actors are at work. They are. The question is whether we show up in sufficient numbers and with sufficient organization to overwhelm what they are building, district by district, session by session, map by redrawn map.

Your vote is not the ceiling of democracy. But at this moment, it remains the floor.

Georgia Fighting Back

You just read what we are up against. Here is what we are doing about it.

Early voting numbers for Georgia's May 19 primary are breaking records. More than 230,000 Georgians had cast ballots as of the start of this week, a 28% increase over the same point in the 2022 primary. Of those voters, roughly 55% chose a Democratic ballot and 43.5% chose a Republican ballot. You can track those numbers yourself in real time, as the Secretary of State's office has launched a new party breakdown tool this cycle at sos.ga.gov/page/election-data-hub-unofficial-turnout. Whatever the number is when you read this, it is higher than it was yesterday.

Two of our candidates are in contested primaries on the May 19th ballot. Michelle Kang is running in HD-99, challenging Republican incumbent Matt Reeves, in one of the most competitive State House districts in Gwinnett County. Beth Fuller is running in HD-53, challenging Republican incumbent Deborah Silcox in a district that voted for Harris by four points in 2024.

This past weekend, our team spent Saturday walking neighborhoods and knocking on doors, sharing conversations about Beth and the May 19th primary. What stood out most wasn’t just the number of people who answered; it was how many of them already knew Beth by name.

Going door after door, people smiled in recognition. Some knew her through her professional work, others through years of seeing her as an active parent in her children’s schools, and many had already heard about her campaign. The sense of familiarity was unmistakable. Beth isn’t a distant figure in this community. Beth is someone people have worked with, learned from, or watched show up again and again.

Beth Fuller depicted second to the right on the second row.

One moment in particular stayed with our team. Behind one door stood a woman who told us she had never voted in a Democratic Primary before. She said she was a teacher, and after a recent incident involving a gun on campus, she was deeply worried about safety in schools. She was looking for leaders who understand what educators and students are facing every day.

Her concerns echo what Beth has outlined in her platform. Beth emphasizes safe, well-resourced schools, support for educators, and policies that protect students and strengthen communities. As a mom, Beth is deeply concerned about keeping our children safe through advocating for safe storage laws, with clear protections to prevent children’s access to unsecured firearms, requiring background checks on all gun purchases, and implementing red flag laws to temporarily restrict firearm access for individuals at high risk of harming themselves or others. Her focus on common sense, practical solutions and community‑driven leadership resonated strongly with the conversations we heard throughout the day.

As we continue meeting neighbors and listening to their stories, it’s clear people aren’t just looking for any candidate but for someone who understands their lives and concerns. Beth Fuller fills this void. Saturday reminded us how deeply Beth’s roots run in this district and how many people see her as a trusted voice at a moment when it matters.

The maps are being redrawn around us. The rules are being rewritten above us. The answer to all of it is the same one it has always been—more Georgians, in more districts, voting in greater numbers than the people trying to silence our voices.

Show up. Bring someone with you. And thank you for staying–or getting–in this fight.

The 2030 Project Team

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Michelle and Beth, Leading with Courage & Competence

While primary elections serve as a vital engine for democratic engagement, the 2030 Project recognizes that the high stakes of the 2026 cycle demand a proactive approach. In a year where Georgia stands at the epicenter of the national political landscape, we cannot afford to wait until the dust settles on the May 19 primary. We have made the strategic decision to consolidate our resources behind two specific candidates early to ensure they have the financial and organizational infrastructure needed to withstand a grueling campaign.

This year, the 2030 Project is investing in two truly top‑tier women who can flip critical seats and govern with courage and competence: Michelle Kang and Beth Fuller. 

Michelle is a longtime activist and organizer in District 99 who came within just a few hundred votes of winning her last race and never stopped campaigning—she rebuilt her team, relaunched early, and is now running a multilingual, neighborhood-by-neighborhood operation in one of the most diverse districts in the state. As Michelle told supporters, “That diversity is our strength. It is why our campaign is printing literature in six different languages,” so that volunteers can meet voters where they are and build real relationships at the door. 

Beth is a public health leader with degrees from Emory, UAB, and Columbia, and a decade‑long CDC contract who stepped up after watching science and due process be “dismantled, disrespected, and just unraveled” from the inside. She’s running in one of the most competitive districts in the state, as she puts it, “District 53 is the top-tier critical seat because the margins are small and the electorate is pragmatic.” 

Real human interaction is the gold standard of these campaigns. Join us on the next two weekends, May 2nd & May 9th, in creating neighborhood connections with candidates, Michelle Kang and Beth Fuller. Your support is vital and essential in winning these races.

The Fourth Estate is on its Last Leg

For those who don’t know, journalism & media is the fourth estate. The fourth estate has been compromised. This is not a drill.

The long-standing pillar of the United States is free speech; it's what our founders stood for. "No taxation without representation" wasn't just about money; it was about the right to have a voice in the system you're forced to fund. But what happens when the government keeps the taxes and silences the press? When the media becomes a megaphone for power instead of a check on it, we inch toward a world where we pay into a system we're no longer allowed to question. Propaganda doesn't announce itself; it simply crowds out everything else until the only news you see is the news someone powerful chose for you.

Citizens are consistently deprived of accurate, real-time news. We don’t have a clear understanding of what our country has been propelled into, specifically with the war in Iran. We aren’t sure of how many totalities have already occurred on both sides; we aren’t sure of how severe the military’s actions are. However, what we are sure of is that our media has been compromised. 

Larry Ellison, founder of the software company, Oracle, acquired Paramount for $8 billion dollars, and subsequently, all of the entertainment companies under it. Moreover, Ellison is moving with interest in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns major news outlets such as CNN and CBS News. If the acquisition proceeds, the Ellison family will be able to control and propagate the media in the likes of his best friend, Trump. 

David Ellison, Larry’s son, already owns CBS after merging Skydance with Paramount in 2025, and his first move was spending $150 million to install Bari Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief. Now he's pending the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which would hand him CNN too.

And the kicker that writes itself: On March 13, Pete Hegseth stood at a Pentagon podium and said out loud, "the sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better," referring to CNN. 

Whether you realize or not, the media and ability to accurately report news is heavily influential in the success and freedom of our country. When the fourth estate is threatened, so is our right to freedom and democratic society.

Redistricting Democracy

Legislative maps from both Democrats and Republicans have been crossing the Supreme Court’s desk as each party attempts to gain and hold power. This battle over Congressional maps determines the makeup of the U.S. House of Representatives. And without the House, you cannot impeach President Trump. Without the House, you cannot pass or block legislation. 

Hours after the Virginia Supreme Court announced that it would allow the temporary blockage of the voter-approved Democratic Congressional map, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s congressional map which would have created a second heavily Democratic Black majority district. This is also a week after the same Supreme Court approved Texas’ redistricting map which would dilute Democratic congressional districts. 

Of the many conservative judges on the Supreme Court, attention has been drawn to Justice Clarence Thomas, and rightfully so. Justice Thomas, who signed on to the majority opinion for Wednesday’s decision, is an example of cruel irony that twist the senses, has personally expressed his disdain for the Voting Rights Act of 1964, as if he would somehow be able to vote without it, as if he has claimed some access to whiteness in his conservatism that is anything more than a temporary, fragile membership card. 

There is this strange misconception that giving equal representation is giving a leg up for Black and Hispanic Americans. Frankly, it is headache-inducing for advocates to explain each time this conversation comes up—Black and Hispanic Americans have been intentionally and explicitly targeted for voter suppression. To even the playing field is equity, to empower suppressed communities to have representation in their government is equity. Those pockets of America where Black Americans populate more heavily is largely because of historical red-lining and housing-based Jim Crow laws, keeping POCs locked within these communities.

And still, we are so eager for racial justice to be colorblind—to be absent of historical reality—that we refused to see the writing on the wall. They weaponized the language of colorblind redistricting to ignore historical harms, to turn back the clock,  and many voters fell for it. 

The question of democracy has always been in question for Black and POC Americans, especially when it comes to voting. One can imagine a perfect world without redistricting of this sort as it is quite undemocratic, but one can also imagine a world where Black voters were never suppressed. The point being that we are here now with the tools we have. There is little hope in both parties dropping their armed weapons long enough to support a fully functional democracy. 

We lament that fascism is here, but it always has been. America, indeed, is returning to her original form as was advertised by Make America Great Again. We can still change course. We can continue fighting for a future worth defending, just as those six decades ago did for us today. Conservatives can never win by playing fair, and they know it. As we have said before—if your vote and your voice wasn’t important, they wouldn’t do everything they could to take it away from you. 

If the Federal government will not stop the spread of the disease, it is up to the states. Which means this midterm election, especially here in Georgia, will determine our federal representation as much as our statewide one.

Socialist Alternative

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With year-round organizing, we can support strong candidates, create new Democratic coalitions, and build a better future for all Georgians.

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Elections in Georgia

Election season is here! The May 19th primaries are just weeks away, with early voting beginning Monday, April 27th, and running through Friday, May 15th. Find your polling place and sample ballot here.

Below, we break down every statewide primary on the ballot, plus an in-depth look at the incredibly important Georgia Supreme Court general election races. A few things to keep in mind: we've focused on statewide races, so US House, State House, State Senate, and county positions aren't included here. And in any primary with more than two candidates, if nobody clears a majority on May 19th, the top two head to a runoff on June 16th.

Please make a plan to vote and tell everyone you know to do the same!

Georgia Supreme Court Race

As federal courts have increasingly shirked their democratic responsibilities, state courts have become the last line of defense. This May 19th, Georgians will get a direct vote on who shapes our State Supreme Court.

Though Georgia Supreme Court candidates are ostensibly “nonpartisan,” Justices still carry their values into their seats and thus impose them on all of Georgia. Two conservative incumbents, Justice Charlie Bethel and Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren, have progressive challengers in this general election. Miracle Rankins and Jen Jordan, who are both Democrat-backed candidates, are challenging these justices, respectively. 

Justice Bethel was a former Republican Georgia State Senator for District 54. In 2018, he was elected to the Georgia Court of Appeals unopposed and narrowly won a seat on the Georgia Supreme Court in 2020. However, Miracle Rankins has stepped up to the plate to run against Justice Bethel. Rankin believes in standing up against the overwhelming power corporations have over individual persons and voters, and she stands with women in their right to privacy to make their own decisions about abortion.

Incumbent Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren was registered as a Republican until she ran for Georgia Supreme Court in 2020, and is a proud member of the Federalist Society, which is a political group focused on originalism of the Constitution. They supposedly argue for individual rights to private property and limited government, except when it comes to abortion rights or LGBTQ+ civil rights. Her opponent this year, Jen Jordan (pronounced Jer-Dun), was a Georgia State Senator in the 6th District until 2023. She believes in the right to privacy for women’s healthcare as well as protecting citizens from overreaching corporations. In particular, she is concerned about data centers and the possible health concerns for the communities around these ecologically damaging centers. 

Both Jen Jordan and Miracle Rankins stand strong against their conservative counterparts to protect Georgia from further conservative control and to emphasize a way forward guided by liberty, justice, and equality.

Georgia Recorder

May 19th Ballot

• US Senate

  • Jon Ossoff: Current Georgia Senator

• Governor

  • Keisha Lance Bottoms: Former Mayor of Atlanta 

  • Geoff Duncan: Former Lieutenant Governor 

  • Jason Esteves: Former State Senator 

  • Olu Brown: Pastor & Community Leader 

  • Derrick Jackson: State Representative

  • Mike Thurmond: Former DeKalb County CEO 

• Lieutenant Governor

  • Josh Mclaurin: Current State Senator

  • Nabilah Parkes: Former State Senator

  • Richard Wright: Public Account & Small Business Owner

• Attorney General 

  • Tanya Miller: Current Georgia House of Representatives for District 62

  • Robert Trammell: Former Georgia House of Representatives for District 132

• Secretary of State

  • Cam Ashling: Small Business Owner

  • Dana Barrett: Fulton County Commissioner

  • Penny Brown Reynolds: Former Judge

  • Adrian Consonery: Voting Rights Advocate

  • Katherine Juhan-Arnold: Non-Profit Founder

  • Sedrick Rowe: Farmer & Small Business Owner

• Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner

  • Clarence Blalock: Small Business Owner

  • Ambuj Jain: Businessman & Philanthropist

  • Deandre Mathis: Veteran & Small Business Owner

  • Keisha Sean Waites: Former State House Representative of District 60

• Georgia Labor Commissioner

  • Brett Hulme: Union Advocate

  • Nikki Porcher: Public school teacher and Veteran

  • Christian Wise Smith: Former Private Practitioner

• State Superintendent of Schools

  • Anton Anthony: Superintendent

  • Lydia Powell: Assistant Principal

  • Otha Thornton: Education Advocate

• Public Service Commissioner District 5

  • Craig Cupid: Craig Cupid for Georgia Public Service Commission – District 5

  • Shelia Edwards: Shelia Edwards for Public Service Commissioner

  • Angelia Pressley: Angelia Pressley for GA Public Service Commission - The Future of Energy Belongs to You!

• Public Service Commission District 3

  • Peter Hubbard: Re-Elect Peter Hubbard to the GA PSC

    

The Eighty-Vote Bridge: Returning Farooq Mughal to the Gold Dome

In 1995, Farooq Mughal’s family settled in Lawrenceville with the belief that hard work could build a life in Gwinnett County. But as a young adult, Farooq lived the precarious reality many of his neighbors still face—facing eviction, navigating life without health insurance, and scraping by paycheck to paycheck. He didn't just observe Gwinnett's struggles from a distance; he was forged by them, and he never forgot how that felt.

That lived experience is exactly what he took to the Gold Dome in 2022, when he made history as the first Pakistani-American elected to the Georgia General Assembly. Farooq didn’t get there by giving speeches; he got there by being a mediator who actually knows how to deliver. In a single term, he passed 10 bipartisan bills—protecting hospital workers from workplace violence, funding mental health grants for veterans, and reforming minority contracting so small businesses could actually compete for state opportunities. Ten bills. One term. That is a public servant delivering for Georgians.

In 2024, a Republican gerrymander redrew the map beneath him, leading to a loss by exactly 80 votes. It was the closest loss for Georgia House Democrats in the entire state, and perhaps the most painful. This past Sunday, The 2030 Project—along with State Rep. and Attorney General candidate Tanya Miller, Gwinnett County Commissioner Kirkland Carden, State Rep. Billy Mitchell, and a diverse coalition of grassroots supporters—gathered in Duluth with one item on the agenda:

Send one of Gwinnett County's best champions back to the Gold Dome.

Farooq's story—immigrant family, living paycheck to paycheck, serving his community before ever being elected—is more than a biography: it is the argument for his leadership. The 2030 Project is proud to announce Farooq as one of our supported candidates for the 2026 cycle—because Gwinnett, like all of Georgia, deserves representatives who prioritize results over partisan politics.

Help us close the 80-vote gap – donate to Farooq’s campaign today!

Consider a donation to The 2030 Project!

With year-round organizing, we can support strong candidates, create new Democratic coalitions, and build a better future for all Georgians.

secure.actblue.com/donate/2030project

Until next time,

Fund year-round organizing. Flip the GA State Legislature.

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Bottoms, Duncan, and Thurmond Take the Debate Stage

11Alive, in collaboration with Nexstar Media Group, held a debate with top Georgia Democrats running for governor this past Wednesday, April 15, 2026. 

It is important to note that 11Alive held strict criteria for its candidates in order to be invited for the debate: they must be legally eligible, actively campaigning with an unmentioned fundraiser threshold, and at least a 5% in a nonpartisan poll. For this reason, Jason Esteeves, at only 4% in the March 1, 2026, Emerson College poll, was consequently disqualified from participating. 

The debate was thus between Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Atlanta mayor, Geoff Duncan, former Republican Lieutenant Governor, and Michael Thurmond, former DeKalb County CEO.. Off the bat, the candidates seemed to agree on most things. Rural and healthcare expansions, repealing Georgia’s six-week heartbeat ban, and affordability. 

All candidates are looking to expand Georgia’s role as the East Coast technology central with labor and apprenticeship programs. Thurmond focused more on tax breaks for working families and senior citizens. Bottoms, on the other hand, spoke to temporarily repealing the gas tax and joining the lawsuit with states such as California, New York, and Oregon in suing the Trump administration for the harm his tariffs have passed onto small businesses. Duncan was a bit less specific, naming Georgia’s rainy day policy and gesturing to a “jump start fund.” However, throughout the affordability conversation, there was little talk of immediate solutions for Georgians suffering today—expanded food assistance, emergency rental aid, utility cost protections, direct pressure on corporate price-gouging, etc. Gas is not the only commodity on the rise.

On the matter of immigration, Bottoms voiced her commitment to responsible collaboration between federal and local law enforcement but maintained that the current nature of ICE lacks intention and thought. Duncan held strong that he would not use state enforcement to assist ICE, naming the lives lost in Minnesota earlier this year. Thurmond, interestingly, argued that current illegal immigrants should be given the chance to access citizenship without deportation, even as he held strong that illegal immigrants with a criminal record should still be deported. 

Each candidate was given a chance to respond to one personalized question. 

Duncan, unsurprisingly, was asked about his time as a former Republican, in which he explained that the more time he spent in the streets with real people, the more he realized how Republican policies were hurting Georgians and thus decided to make the switch. Bottoms was confronted about the state of Atlanta during her time as mayor—the spike in crime, social justice issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic. She responds by naming the good she had done within the city, namely balancing budgets to avoid property tax increases and creating an affordable housing program. Though she decided not to run for mayor again in 2022, she was proud to serve the White House under Biden. Thurmond, on the other hand, was asked about his age, having been in politics since 1986. He held strong that his long time in politics means that he has a long, strong track record of success. 

The debate, being only an hour long, was quite interesting to watch. Something noticeable in this debate is the lack of specific action plans. There were many good statements, many good stances. But it was quite difficult to grasp the specific plans that differentiate the projected effectiveness of each candidate. And with the Emerson College poll for the Democratic primary showing that a whopping 39% of Georgians are still undecided, one cannot help but wonder what those undecided voters are waiting to hear from their candidates to inspire them one way or the other.

11Alive

A Turning Point… For the Democrats

On Tuesday, April 14th, JD Vance and Turning Point USA (TPUSA) traveled to Athens, GA to recruit young followers into their organization. Erika Kirk was not in attendance due to incredible “threats” made against her. Surprisingly there were only 1,000 attendees in an arena with a capacity of 8,500. This could be a sign of the times. A sign that Turning Point and Vance are becoming extremely unlikable among their voter base. However, it is important to note that there was little promotion and publicity surrounding this event. 

The Young Democrats of Georgia and other groups around Athens held rallies to protest the actions and sentiments of Turning Point and the Trump administration. Athens has been a place of Trump dissidents for the past year and has held multiple No Kings Rallies. However, these smaller protests alone are not enough to fully counteract the impact of TPUSA.

Democrats across the nation can create momentum if they organize national movements to combat the rise of authoritarianism, especially in younger people. But, as we’ve pointed out in the past, Democrats have thus far struggled to effectively do so. It is important to reach all ages of voters, however, many young voters are excited to vote but are often ignored and left clueless about what candidate to vote for and right-wing organizations like TPUSA take advantage of this. 

This problem has not gone unnoticed. The progressive organization, More Perfect Union, announced an initiative called More Perfect University in an effort to counteract TPUSA on college campuses. With big names like Senator Bernie Sanders and former FTC Chair Lina Khan backing them, we applaud this step by progressives towards meeting young voters where they are at, while pushing back on TPUSA’s lies.

Georgia democrats can use this opportunity to penetrate and reach new voter segments, especially younger voters. This is a special opportunity and advantage for Georgia Democrats to capitalize on. Hopefully, they will do so.

Flagpole

Two Battleground Districts. One Month to Go.

With early voting starting April 27th and the primary on May 19th, two of our top battleground candidates are hitting the doors hard and The 2030 Project was right there with them this past weekend. In HD-99, one of the most diverse Georgia districts, Michelle Kang is running her rematch campaign and canvassing neighborhoods in Suwanee, Duluth, and Sugar Hill to build the kind of multilingual, neighbor-to-neighbor relationship that closes 621-vote gaps. In HD-53, Beth Fuller, a public health expert and lifelong Georgian whose CDC contract was cut by the Trump administration, is taking that story directly to voters in Sandy Springs and Roswell, making the case that this district deserves a representative who actually shows up. Both campaigns have volunteer events running every weekend between now and May 19th. Here's how you can help:

→ Canvass or phone bank with Michelle in HD-99 here.

→ Canvass or phone bank with Beth in HD-53 here.

Every door knocked between now and May 19th matters. These races are won in the margins  and we've seen exactly what those margins look like. And stay tuned because next week we'll be announcing our third endorsed candidate for 2026.

Consider a donation to The 2030 Project!

With year-round organizing, we can support strong candidates, create new Democratic coalitions, and build a better future for all Georgians.

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Until next time,

Fund year-round organizing. Flip the GA State Legislature.

Session Is Out and The Election Crisis No One Solved

Georgia law requires QR codes to be removed from ballots by July 1, months before the November midterms. Republicans spent the final week of session debating a fix, failed to pass one, and went home. 

The price tag for overhauling Georgia's 40,000+ voting machines runs anywhere from $25 million to $300 million. The 2024 law that created this deadline doesn't specify what a legal replacement even looks like, leaving county election directors in legal limbo. Cherokee County's election director, an 18-year veteran, said she is "worried about the midterms like never before." Poll workers could face prosecution for using machines that may technically be illegal, while no alternatives exist.

The consequences in November are real: voter confusion at the polls, inconsistent systems across counties, potential ballot invalidation, and a State Election Board empowered to prosecute officials for noncompliance with a standard that doesn't yet exist. Republicans created this deadline, failed to fund a solution, and are now leaving Georgia's election infrastructure in chaos heading into the most consequential midterm in a decade.

We call upon Governor Kemp to call a special legislative session to solve the problem that Republicans created. Georgia voters are watching.

The Way Forward: Ten Seats Away

 If Democrats plan on flipping at least 10 Republican-held House seats, they need to prioritize authenticity and building momentum, rather than capitulating to the current political environment.  

Republicans have gerrymandered the State to strengthen their incumbents’ which makes it difficult to flip seats. However, the backlash to their disastrous rule creates an avenue for Democrats to win a House majority. The people want to be energized to vote for a candidate with tangible, workable policy agendas. 

Social media is an incredible tool, but insincerity and a lack of charisma are easily sniffed out through social media. If we learned anything from the Mamdami campaign, it is that you cannot fake authenticity. The people want to hear from their politicians—they want to speak with them about their problems and hear their politician’s solutions. Campaigning on affordability concerns works; campaigning on how you will deal with ICE works; door-to-door conversations work! 

Politicians have forgotten young voters as well. Georgia was ranked second by The Civic Center in 18-year-old voter registration, with only 43% of 18 year olds in 2024 registered to vote and almost 85,000 young adults unaccounted for. Young adults are faced with issues about student loans, the cost of living, community safety and how they will survive in their future. The goal should not solely be to re-engage older voters or convert Republicans, but energizing and activating an extremely politically aware, yet forgotten population. If politicians are not able to validate and advocate for young voter concerns, they are neglecting tens of thousands of potential voters.

What comes next for Democrats in all Georgia legislative districts, is how to both capture anger against the current administration, while offering a strong policy alternative to make the lives of Georgians better. Georgians are ready for change.

We are too.

With 231 candidates on the ballot, five endorsed candidates in races we can win, and a movement that showed up in the streets and at the polls.

Sine Die is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of the argument we make between now and November 3rd, district by district, door by door, vote by vote.

The majority is coming. The work starts now.

NBC

U.S. War With Iran: The Trade-Off

Forty days into Operation Epic Fury, the United States has spent $44 billion waging Trump’s unauthorized war in Iran that was launched without congressional approval without a clear endgame. Fifteen American lives have already been lost, and the human cost in Iran is staggering. As Congress weighs an $80–100 billion supplemental request, Georgians are left asking: what could that money have done at home? The infographic below breaks down the trade-off.

Consider a donation to The 2030 Project!

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Until next time,

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The Final Day: What Passed, What's Next

The final, 40th day of the 2026 Georgia Legislature session is coming to a close. Known as Sine Die, today signifies the final day in the annual session for both the House and Senate, which is the last chance for Georgia lawmakers to pass bills, often with sessions going past midnight. Bills that do not pass the House and Senate by the end of Sine Die are marked dead and will need to start over in next year’s session.

A note to our readers: Sine Die happens to be on the same day we publish. Lawmakers routinely work past midnight on Sine Die, which means some of what we've outlined here may still be in motion when this newsletter hits your inbox. We'll have a full recap of what passed, what failed, and what it means for Georgia in next week's issue.

As the Georgia General Assembly gavels out on Sine Die today, here is where the major bills stand:

• HB 154 — Georgia Sunshine Protection Act (Daylight Saving Time): Would end twice-annual clock changes by moving Georgia to the Atlantic Standard Time zone, effectively keeping the state on permanent daylight saving time year-round. Passed the Senate and returned to the House for final approval. If passed, Governor Kemp would petition the U.S. Transportation Secretary to make the change official.

• HB 369 — Non-Partisan DA Elections: Would require district attorney races in Fulton, Gwinnett, DeKalb, Clayton, and Cobb counties to run as non-partisan elections beginning in 2028. Critics — including Fulton County DA Fani Willis — argue the bill is designed specifically to target Democratic-held DA offices in metro Atlanta. These five offices are currently all held by Black women. Supporters claim it removes politics from local elections. Draw your own conclusions.

• SB 442 — CDL Revocation for Noncitizens: Passed the House 98-59. Would automatically revoke commercial driver's licenses for noncitizens once their visas expire or after five years, and require retesting for renewal. Awaiting signature from Governor Kemp.

• HB 54 — Gender-Affirming Care Ban: Passed the Senate on a party-line vote. Bans doctors from prescribing puberty blockers to minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Amendments added at the last minute also bar state health insurance plans from covering gender-affirming care, even for adults, and prohibit Georgia hospitals from performing it. Georgia now joins over 20 states that have passed similar restrictions. Medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, have opposed these bans, citing evidence that gender-affirming care reduces depression, anxiety, and suicide risk in transgender youth. Georgia Democrats fought the bill on the floor, arguing that medical decisions for children should be made by families and doctors — not legislators.

• HB 1009 — High School Cell Phone Ban: Passed the Senate unanimously on March 23. Bans personal electronic devices, including phones, smartwatches, and headphones, for all public high school students, bell-to-bell. Takes effect July 1, 2027. Exceptions exist for students with IEPs and documented medical or safety needs. Awaiting signature from Governor Kemp.

• HB 1001 — Income Tax Rate Reduction: Reduces Georgia's flat income tax rate from 5.19% to 4.99% on all income earned from January 1, 2026, forward. Also raises the standard deduction from $12,000 to $15,000 for single filers and $24,000 to $32,000 for joint filers. Reported favorably by the Senate committee and supported by Governor Kemp.

HB 960 — Paper Ballots: The Senate passed a party-line bill to replace Georgia's touchscreen voting with hand-marked paper ballots before November — the House has a competing version, and the two chambers have not agreed. Chaos in an election year is not an accident.

SB 29 / SB 116 — DNA Collection: Would allow law enforcement to collect your DNA without a warrant if you're charged with a felony — and a companion bill extends that to anyone detained by immigration officials.

SB 410 – Data Center Tax Break Repeal: A bill to end tax exemptions for data centers — which have driven up Georgia Power bills for everyone else — passed the Senate, but is still waiting on the House as of today.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Meet Beth Fuller: The Right Candidate At The Right Time

This past Saturday, the 2030 Project team spent the afternoon in Decatur with Beth Fuller, our endorsed candidate for Georgia House District 53, and left more convinced than ever that we are backing the right person.

She brings a master's in Public Health from UAB and a doctorate in public health from Columbia. She grew up in Atlanta, and she graduated from Emory with her undergraduate degree. She's raising two boys in Sandy Springs who attend neighborhood public schools. She is, in every sense of the word, a neighbor, someone who wants the government to work for the people.

Beth's path to this race is not a typical one. For years, she contracted with the CDC on some of its most important public health work, including its Policy Academy, where she taught CDC staff the fundamentals of how policy actually gets made. Then the Trump administration suddenly terminated her contract, along with thousands of other Georgia jobs. Her response was not to move on quietly. It was to run for office.

She's challenging incumbent Republican Deborah Silcox, a three-term Sandy Springs legislator who has voted in lockstep with House Republican leadership. HD-53 is winnable; it covers Buckhead to Roswell, and our Democratic candidate only lost it by 1,400 votes in 2024, while Kamala Harris carried it by over 4%. It is one of ten State House seats that must flip for Georgia Democrats to claim a majority by the end of 2030. With a primary on the calendar for May 19, we are proud to enthusiastically support Beth. 

In addition, Beth was also named to the Georgia WIN List's 2026 endorsed candidates this week, joining fellow 2030 Project candidate Michelle Kang of HD-99, who received her endorsement at the Capitol today. Two spectacular candidates in one week. The momentum is real. With candidates like Beth and Michelle, we WILL flip the Georgia State House by 2030.

Georgia’s Voice on No Kings Day

This past Saturday, in over 3,000 protests in the country, and many more from our Canadian, Latin American, and European brothers and sisters, over 8 million protestors gathered for the third time in an outcry against ICE and the Trump administration's abuse of power. Here in Georgia, we had over 50 locations using their right to free speech and protest. 

The faces of Saturday's protests told the real story of America. Retirees and college students standing side by side. Parents with strollers. Veterans in their caps. Teachers. Small business owners. These were not professional protesters. These were neighbors. And that is exactly what makes this moment different. When people who have never marched before start marching, something has shifted. 

At the Atlanta No Kings Rally, Senator Raphael Warnock spoke to demonstrators about ICE, the SAVE Act, and more. He told the crowd of thousands, “When they said, ‘We the people,’ They didn’t include me. In that sense, they didn’t include women. Members of the LGBTQ community had to stand up and say, us too, me too. We’ve always had to work to make America become who it says it is.”

If you were not present at the Atlanta rally this Saturday, his speech, immortalized on his website and by 11 Alive, was exactly what we want to hear from our lawmakers. We commend Senator Warnock for both his strong words and his important actions in blocking the SAVE Act from passing the Senate, which would curb the right to vote around the country.

It cannot be overstated that fascism has always lingered beneath the American flag—for women, Native Americans, African Americans, and many other groups. Oppression is neither new nor unique in our history, but at this moment in American history, we the people still have a chance to decide a new way forward.

Additionally, the No Kings organization has a website with training materials on knowing your rights under the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments. Should you wish to learn more about your rights recording ICE agents or are looking for any educational material around No Kings, they are also hosting an important training on April 20th.

The enthusiastic turnout at the No Kings protests have demonstrated that Americans are willing to fight for our democracy and reject the increasing authoritarianism pushed by the Trump administration. We hope this same energy is transmitted to the polls in this pivotal midterm election where federal and state power are up for grabs.

Young Democrats of Emory

Consider a donation to The 2030 Project!

With year-round organizing, we can support strong candidates, create new Democratic coalitions, and build a better future for all Georgians.

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Until next time,

Fund year-round organizing. Flip the GA State Legislature.

Checkpoint Intimidation: ICE Deployed to Airports While TSA Goes Unpaid

President Trump has announced that ICE will be stationed in major airports around the country to help with line control, refusing to sign a bipartisan bill that would fund TSA agents through the partial shutdown. This comes as an attempt to push Democrats into signing the SAVE America Act, which we wrote about in last week’s newsletter, that would require passports and birth certificates to vote. 

It cannot be understated that ICE agents are not trained TSA agents, as they are not certified in aviation security. However, as of Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the AJC has observed ICE agents vetting boarding passes and IDs. 

With people across the country on edge with ICE as they roam the streets of our communities, concerns are growing about whether ICE's presence at the airport is the testing ground for ICE stationing themselves at polling stations come November. 

Regardless, it is quite typical of the current administration to create a problem and then produce a tyrannical solution—a pattern we should all be paying close attention to as we near midterms. In a year where President Trump and his boot-licking Republicans are at risk of losing seats in the House and Senate, the best thing they can think of to save their skins is to use force. However, as ICE’s popularity continues to decline, with most Americans disapproving of ICE, these moves by Trump will likely backfire, and our voices will grow ever stronger.

Georgia Recorder

Closing Days of the Legislative Session

• HB 880 — Income Tax Cut to 3.99% 

The biggest fight is still alive. The Republican majority's centerpiece proposal cuts Georgia's income tax rate from 5.19% to 3.99% over time. U.S. News & World Report Last year, Georgia raised more than half of its general fund revenues — $19.5 billion — from income taxes.

• HB 1009, School Cellphone Ban 

HB 1009 - A unanimously passed bill banning the use of personal devices (smartphones, headphones, and smart watches) in Georgia public high schools. This new measure extends upon HB 340, which currently restricts cellphone use in elementary and middle school. Local school boards must provide exceptions for students with documented needs. This ban will go into effect on July 1, 2027. 

• HB 154, Georgia Sunshine Protection Act

HB 154, known as the “Georgia Sunshine Protection Act,” holds the goal of ending twice-annual time changes within the state of Georgia. If passed, the sitting Governor would request that Georgia move to the Atlantic Standard Time zone rather than the current Eastern Time zone. There is no official date when this would take effect. 

• HB 1193 – Literacy Coaches for K-3 

HB 1193 would require literacy coaches for every Georgia school serving kindergartners through third graders. The budget has already been passed with nearly $61 million for literacy coaches. One of the more genuinely positive education items this session.

• HB 1000 - State Surplus Refunds

Good news for Georgia taxpayers: Governor Kemp signed HB 1000 into law on March 20, authorizing nearly $1.2 billion in state income tax refunds. Single filers will receive $250, heads of household $375, and married couples filing jointly $500 — with the Department of Revenue beginning to issue refunds within six to eight weeks. 

• SB 625 – Decatur School Funding 

Decatur parents and residents may soon get a say in how their schools are funded. State Sen. Elena Parent's SB 625, now heading to the House, would require a voter referendum before approving a $23 million, 40-year bond for a new Early Childhood Learning Center and nearly $30 million in modifications to Decatur High School. Parent, along with Decatur Reps. Mary Margaret Oliver and Omari Crawford sent a letter to the Decatur City Commission on March 15, urging a voluntary referendum — putting the decision where it belongs: with voters.

Credit to GPB

Dunwoody's Surveillance Deal and the Right to Privacy

The Georgia legislature isn't the only place where decisions about your rights are being made right now. In Dunwoody, a quieter but equally consequential debate is playing out — one that asks a question every Georgian should be asking: who is watching, and who are they sharing that information with?

Amid growing fears of authoritarianism within the country, our government continues to give us reasons to be skeptical of how much privacy citizens really have. In Georgia, the city of Dunwoody has fueled skepticism amongst residents and council members due to their renewed partnership with Flock Safety, a surveillance company. 

Flock Safety is an Atlanta-based “safety recognition” system that over 300 Georgia law enforcement agencies use. Despite current concerns, Dunwoody was actually one of the early adopters of the program. Its partnership with Dunwoody law enforcement agencies is being questioned due to the fears that ICE will have access to the program and will use it to continue its inhumane crusades. Dunwoody police chief, Patrick Krieg, has stated that ICE will not have access to these records, but they are willing to cooperate with “any law enforcement agency that’s reaching out to us in a law enforcement capacity for their investigations.” 

Although this is a Georgia-specific issue, it’s rooted in a national fear. How far is this administration willing to go to achieve its extremist agenda? People shouldn’t have to fear knowing that they can be targeted for the simplest crime because they fit the “profile.” Whether that be race, gender, sexuality, or political belief, every person has a right to exist as a private citizen in this country and state. The people have a right to be upset with this program, and law enforcement should recognize that problem as well.

Credit to Bolts Mag

Michelle Kang's Vision for Working Moms in Georgia

This month, we are celebrating our endorsed candidate for House District 99, Michelle Kang. As we observe Women’s History Month, it’s important to recognize leaders whose policies continue that legacy today. Michelle’s platform reflects the kind of representation women deserve in the Georgia State House, especially concerning economic opportunities and support for working families.

Electing Michelle would be a meaningful step toward narrowing the gender wage gap. Many people have heard that women earn about 85% of what men earn, but far fewer realize that mothers experience the steepest pay penalties of all. Michelle’s commitment to universal child care directly addresses this issue, offering support that can reduce the “motherhood penalty” and strengthen economic opportunities for working moms across Georgia. When we elect Michelle to the Georgia State House, she intends to:

• Expand Childcare Tax Credits to ease the financial burden on working families

• Increase state investment in affordable, high-quality early childhood care

• Incentivize employers to provide childcare support and benefits

• Ensure fair wages for childcare providers while upholding high standards

• Support single parents and low-income families so no one is left behind

Women’s History Month reminds us that real change happens when we choose leaders and policies that reflect our values. Voting for Michelle supports working moms and Georgia’s economy. Visit her website here for more information.

Consider a donation to The 2030 Project!

With year-round organizing, we can support strong candidates, create new Democratic coalitions, and build a better future for all Georgians.

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Until next time,

Fund year-round organizing. Flip the GA State Legislature.

Republicans’ "Tax Cut" Comes With a Hidden Price Tag

Within the Georgia State House, Republicans are promising tax relief. Yet, the most important question for Georgia residents has remained unanswered. When Georgia Republicans blow a multi-billion dollar hole in the state budget, who pays? Nobody has explained to Georgians what gets cut from schools, infrastructure, etc. to pay for this so-called “tax cut”. 

Right now, HB 1001 which would lower the state income tax from 5.19% to 4.99%, has made it past the State House to the State Senate. This cut alone costs the state $778 million per year, with 73% of the savings going to the top 20% of earners making over $159,000 annually. Most Georgians get less than $80 back per year. As a policy analyst from GBPI explained, "The working class and middle-class folks might get hit twice — they might see their taxes going up and they might lose services. There are a lot of losers, and ..very few winners."

Yet, this break is not the most aggressive version alive within the legislature. HB 880, which has also passed the State House, proposes a slash to the income tax rate from 5.19% to 3.99% by 2028, subtracting another $3 billion in state funding. Most of Georgia's spending budget is allotted to schools and healthcare — which means when this money vanishes, those are the programs that will pay the price.

The final day of the Georgia General Assembly’s legislative session (Sine Die) is swiftly approaching on April 2nd. Georgian Republicans, however, have yet to name specific services this bill would plan to cut. Supposedly, these proposals would be funded partially by eliminating tax breaks for data centers and insurance companies. But, as State Sen. Parent said, “It is complete magical thinking. It's about delivering a headline without telling you what happens next when politicians promise you something for nothing.”

Without transparency and a clear plan, Georgians aren't getting a tax break. They're getting a bill — one that will be paid in closed rural hospitals, underfunded schools, and roads that don't get fixed. And when the state can't cover the difference, don't be surprised when the assessments show up at your door.

SAVE Act: The Fine Print on Your Right to Vote

In past newsletters, we wrote and explained the Republican-proposed SAVE Act that would disenfranchise millions of voters across the country. As time has gone on, the bill has passed the House, but not the Senate. However, this week, Republicans are fighting tooth and nail to pass this bill in the Senate. 

To recap, the SAVE Act requires voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship at the time of registration and a photo ID at the time of voting. The “documentary proof” of citizenship can either be a Real ID, valid passports, military identification cards, and/or a valid government issued photo ID along with selected documents. What does this mean for Georgia citizens?

According to a study done by the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland, around 760,000 Georgia would have difficulty providing documentary proof of citizenship and 98% of Georgians do not know all of the core voting requirements in the state. Many voters across Georgia are not aware of the strict voting laws in the state and that Republicans are attempting to pass. However, both Representatives Warnock (D) and Ossoff (D) have firmly stated that they are against the SAVE Act and how it will affect Georgia voters. 

With the uncertainty surrounding if the SAVE Act will pass in the Senate, Republican states have resorted to implementing their own state-wide voter bills that essentially enact the SAVE Act on a smaller scale. Florida, Utah, and South Dakota have passed similar bills, however, they haven’t been enacted yet. Wyoming, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Arizona have enacted similar bills into their legislature.

The changing landscape of voting in our country and state are frightening to experience. However, this is an opportunity for change. Georgia Democrats are against the SAVE Act and its disenfranchising nature. Georgia Republicans are in favor of the SAVE Act. To ensure that the integrity of voting in the state of Georgia is protected, support Georgia Democrats in their bid for state legislature. Whether your support is voting, phone banking, canvassing, or more, your support can and will protect the integrity of voting in the state of Georgia.

Twitter tweet

U.S. War With Iran Week 3: The Cost to Georgia

Three weeks into the U.S. war with Iran, the costs are climbing and the endgame is nowhere in sight. Here's what it's adding up to — and what it's costing Georgia specifically.

Consider a donation to The 2030 Project!

With year-round organizing, we can support strong candidates, create new Democratic coalitions, and build a better future for all Georgians.

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Until next time,

Fund year-round organizing. Flip the GA State Legislature.

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Crossover Week Scorecard

Georgia Democrats showed up last week. On the House and Senate floors, they fought for your Saturday vote, stripped bad language out of worse bills, and held the line on some of the most extreme legislation this session has produced. That matters — and it deserves to be said out loud. But the contrast couldn't be clearer: while Georgians are stretched thin by rising rents, gas, groceries, and healthcare, Republican leadership chose culture war. They chose to go after librarians, local governments, and public schools. They chose a tax cut that sends two-thirds of its benefits to the top 20% of earners. That's exactly the contrast we're going to be making up and down the ballot – and especially in our Battleground State House districts – between now and November. Here's the Crossover Day scorecard.

GA 14 Special Election

In GA-14's special election held Tuesday, Democrat Shawn Harris finished first in a crowded field, earning roughly 37% of the vote. Trump-backed Republican Clayton Fuller came in second with around 35%. Because neither candidate cleared the 50% threshold required to win outright, Harris and Fuller will advance to a runoff election on April 7th.

Harris's first-place finish is notable given that 12 Republican candidates split the conservative vote — a dynamic that boosted his totals in round one but won't carry into the runoff. District 14 is one of the most conservative in the state; Donald Trump won it with about 68% of the vote in 2024, and Greene held the seat for years as a national face of the MAGA movement.

Winning the runoff will be a steeper climb. Fuller enters with a structural advantage: he simply needs to consolidate the conservative voters who were spread across a dozen candidates in round one. Still, Harris's focus on affordability and healthcare could resonate with more persuadable voters who crossed party lines or stayed home in recent cycles.

A Harris win would be seismic – and chip away at Republicans' narrow House majority. But even a close loss carries meaning — special elections have long served as early indicators of voter enthusiasm ahead of midterms. If Harris overperforms in a district this red, it signals real momentum heading into November 2026, exactly the kind of shift that makes cycles, like this one, a game changer for Georgia Democrats.

 238 Days Out.

The Trump administration launched surprise airstrikes on Iran without congressional authorization, triggering a widening regional war that has killed thousands — including American service members and children. A strike on an Iranian school killed at least 165 people, most of them children. A military investigation is underway, but public outrage has been muted. What does seem to be moving people: gas prices, which have jumped sharply since the conflict began — a gut punch on top of an affordability crisis already defining this cycle. 

Most of the oil used at gas stations is imported oil. When there are disruptions in the transportation and supply of oil, it costs more to receive the oil. Since last week, the national price of gas has increased by 35 cents, making the average gas price $3.54. Just one month ago, the average gas prices were $2.944. It’s an inconvenience for American citizens to pay almost four dollars to fill up their tank. Most cities in America are not developed for alternate transportation such as bus routes, biking, train stations, etc. 

The American people don't support this war — but whether that's driven by moral outrage over the casualties or frustration at the pump is an open question worth sitting with. Either way, opposition is real, and it's growing. This war in Iran, unfortunately, will not end soon. Midterms are 238 days away. Take this time to evaluate what your representatives are condoning and vote accordingly. 

Consider a donation to The 2030 Project!

With year-round organizing, we can support strong candidates, create new Democratic coalitions, and build a better future for all Georgians.

secure.actblue.com/donate/2030project

Until next time,

Fund year-round organizing. Flip the GA State Legislature.

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Georgia Senators Sound the Alarm on Trump's Iran War

The U.S. and Israel conducted joint strikes on Iran on Saturday, February 28. Trump and his administration carried out these illegal attacks to neutralize "potential threats from Iran and its regime". These strikes are reminiscent of the U.S. attacks on Iran earlier this summer to neutralize the potential "nuclear threats" that Iran possessed. But where does the U.S. go from here?

Ideally, Congress would reassert its power with the War Powers Resolution Act to terminate the conflict. The War Powers Resolution Act of 1973 is a federal law created to limit the U.S. president's power to enter the country into armed conflict without congressional approval. However, Republicans and one Democrat in the Senate voted against stopping this costly presidential war on Tuesday. With Trump's unpredictable actions and what seems to be an unlimited amount of presidential power, many U.S. citizens are concerned about whether his war actions endanger our military and country itself.

Amidst the conflict in Congress and Iran, Georgia Democratic senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff condemned the president's actions.

"...Let's be clear: the Iranian regime is brutal and destabilizing. It cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. But the President has not explained why diplomatic talks that were underway this week are no longer viable and diplomacy no longer available. Instead, he has said in word and deed that this is war, a power that the constitution reserves for Congress alone…" - Raphael Warnock

"...The President has presented no evidence that Iran or its nuclear program — which he falsely claimed to have 'obliterated' — pose an imminent threat to the United States, or that diplomacy was exhausted. Iran's support for terrorism and uranium enrichment have long destabilized the region. But sending American forces into harm's way should only ever be a last resort…" - Jon Ossoff

Ruwa Romman Left. Her Message Didn't.

As the 2026 midterms approach, Democrats across the country are hoping to ride a big blue wave. In Georgia, that hope is harder to feel. The Governor's race has been quiet as no candidate on either side has emerged as a true contender. The question is whether this is a message problem or a personality problem? The answer is probably both.

In New York City, Zohran Mamdani ran a campaign that was specific, direct, and impossible to ignore. He didn't just talk about affordability, he was open about how he planned to enact his plans: a 9.5% property tax on commercial properties and a 2% tax increase on incomes over one million dollars. He showed up on social media, spoke plainly, and connected with working people. He was deeply informed, charismatic, and genuine. 

James Talarico ran a similar playbook in Texas. Both candidates proved that clarity wins. Senator Jon Ossoff remains incredibly popular in our own state with his founding message on the economy, healthcare, and infrastructure. While every Democratic candidate running has mentioned tabletop issues like healthcare and affordability, they lack the energy to convey this in an enthusiastic way. 

We have had a candidate in the governor’s race capable of that same energy. State Rep. Ruwa Romman, the first Muslim woman elected to the Georgia State House, built her campaign around abortion access, voting rights, and civil rights protections. She felt she had no path to the governorship and shifted her focus to the State Senate. However her exit message is worth sitting with: "This campaign was never about me or any one person. This campaign was about showing the promise of our state and fighting for a Georgia we can afford and where we belong."

Mamdani also understood something crucial: economic rights and civil rights are inseparable. The Freedom Budget, championed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1966, made this case through full employment, guaranteed wages, and public housing investment. Working-class politics cannot exist without commitment to LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and immigrant communities. These are not competing priorities.

The Democratic candidates running for governor have an opportunity in the months ahead to sharpen that message and generate the kind of energy that can carry down the ballot into competitive legislative races. With Ruwa Romman no longer in the race, it is imperative that one of the remaining candidates steps up into this lane of prioritizing working class politics.

If Democrats want to win in 2026, the path forward is straightforward: meet voters where they are, speak plainly about the economic pressures families face, and offer a vision for a Georgia where working people can finally get ahead. This is the kind of message that can unite the coalition needed to win statewide races while also breaking through in the handful of battleground State House districts that will decide who actually governs Georgia.

The Georgia Recorder

The Epstein Files: Justice Abroad, Impunity at Home

As the Department of Justice continues releasing millions of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein, one pattern has become impossible to ignore: the rest of the world is holding people accountable. The United States is not.

Since the Epstein Files Transparency Act set this process in motion in November 2025, investigations have launched in nearly a dozen countries. In the United Kingdom, former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on February 19th for his ties to Epstein. Abroad, exposure means consequences. Here, it means deflection.

That deflection has a face: Attorney General Pam Bondi. When pressed on the DOJ's handling of Epstein documents, particularly files pertaining to President Trump, Bondi responded to investigators with, "But the Dow is over 50,000 right now. That's what we should be talking about." The House Oversight Committee, in a 24-19 vote, subpoenaed Bondi this week amid accusations of document mishandling. Days later, more than 47,000 files were quietly taken offline, with the DOJ citing "further review." The pattern is clear: slow-walk, censor, distract.

Democrat Ro Khanna of California and Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky have both publicly criticized the DOJ's withholding of Trump-related files. But meaningful accountability remains blocked because the GOP, as a party, is protecting its own.

This week's testimony from Bill and Hillary Clinton underscored just how differently accountability lands depending on who's asking. Clinton stated he had "no knowledge" of Epstein's crimes, describing their relationship as "transactional" and centered on economics and global affairs. Hillary Clinton, growing visibly frustrated, was met with questions by Lauren Boebert (R-CO) referencing the long-debunked Pizzagate conspiracy. Clinton responded, “I can’t believe you’re even referencing it,” and reminded her the conspiracy had driven a man to bring a gun into the Washington, D.C. restaurant falsely implicated. 

That is the strategy. Keep the focus anywhere but the President. Take files offline. Ridicule the investigation. Run out the clock.

At its core, this moment is a test of whether the United States still believes in equal justice under the law. Other nations have shown a willingness to pursue the truth wherever it leads. In Washington, the response has been to delay, distract, and protect those at the top. That reality leaves one unavoidable conclusion: if Americans want a government willing to follow the evidence and hold the powerful accountable, it will require voters to change who holds power. In 2026, that means Democrats must flip the House and, if possible, the Senate because without new leadership, the truth buried in the Epstein files may never fully come to light.

Financial Times

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A Manufactured Budget Crisis, A Real Health Care Crisis

Last week, Georgia Democrats introduced Senate Bill 440 to expand Medicaid across the state of Georgia. According to the Georgia Recorder, we are one of only ten states in the country not to expand Medicaid. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans voted against providing health insurance for up to 700,000 low-income people. They cited budget constraints, however the federal government would pay 90% of the costs for Medicaid expansion, with the state only paying 10%. 

Given we have a $14 billion budget surplus, the cost to the state of Georgia would be negligible. The only budget problem is the manufactured one that legislative Republicans have proposed. Their income tax legislation would wipe out half the tax revenue of the state, all so the wealthy get to be even more wealthy at the expense of Georgia families who just need health insurance. 

This issue is far beyond a political forum, this comes down to morality and compassion. It is unfair to place a financial burden on families who need help but cannot pay for it. It’s a shame that the Georgia Republicans continue to eliminate legislation that would protect and uplift all citizens. 

If Georgia Republicans won’t act on behalf of the people, Georgia Democrats will. Georgia Democrats are continuing to fight for us, we must fight for them in November’s election season to flip the legislature and pass Medicaid expansion.

Trump’s Tariff Power Grab Comes Due 

Last Friday, in a 6–3 decision, the Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s illegal tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The IEEPA is a 1977 law that grants the executive branch authority to regulate certain economic transactions during a declared national emergency tied to an unusual and extraordinary foreign threat. The Court ruled that the administration’s use of that statute to impose broad tariffs exceeded the law’s intended scope, reaffirming that emergency powers cannot be stretched to bypass Congress’s constitutional authority over trade. 

In a majority opinion written by Chief Justice Roberts, he writes, "The Government points to no statute in which Congress used the word 'regulate' to authorize taxation." And until now, no President has read IEEPA to confer such power.” In other words, to maintain separation of powers as inscribed in the Constitution, that power remains with Congress’ “Powers of the Purse.” 

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Kavanaugh laments that the courts have not addressed the refund issue, writing, "The Court says nothing today about whether, and if so how, the Government should go about returning the billions of dollars that it has collected from importers." This fact, however, does not change the legality of Trump using the IEEPA to extend his powers, nor does the challenge of the refund change the fact that it must be done. It will be an arduous process and a costly one, but the blame lies solely on Trump. 

After the decision was announced, companies and states alike are lining up for their refunds. The focus of the refunds seems to be on companies, but there has been little talk about refunds to consumers. Consumers are paying the cost of rising prices from companies, and for the health of our economy as a whole, we should be focusing on restoring the buying power of our consumers. 

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker led the charge by sending the White House an invoice for over $8 billion in refunds for his citizens, or around $1700 per family. In his letter to President Trump, he wrote plainly, "Your tariff taxes wreaked havoc on farmers, enraged our allies, and sent grocery prices through the roof. This morning, your hand-picked Supreme Court Justices notified you that they are also unconstitutional.” We applaud Governor Pritzker’s actions and implore Governor Kemp to do the same and stand up for Georgian families against Trump’s disastrous tariff policy.

Reason Magazine

Two Gubernatorial Forums: Affordability on the Ballot

Two gubernatorial forums last week gave Georgia voters their clearest look yet at the emerging lines in the 2026 governor’s race.

At a bipartisan roundtable in southeast Atlanta, six Democrats and two Republicans discussed small business policy, affordability, and property taxes in a less combative, “dinner-table” format. Absent from the forum, however, were former Atlanta Mayor and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, as well as Republicans Burt Jones, Rick Jackson, and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. The tone was notably civil, but beneath that were genuine philosophical divides. Republican participants emphasized tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulation as the primary path to affordability, defending the legislature’s push to further reduce income taxes and reshape property tax policy. Democratic candidates, by contrast, pointed out that those tax plans disproportionately benefit higher earners while risking long-term strain on public services like education and healthcare.

Two days earlier, all Democratic candidates gathered in DeKalb County for a party-hosted forum that offered sharper contrasts within the Democratic field itself. Medicaid expansion drew unanimous support, but candidates differed in tone and approach. State Senator Jason Esteves and others leaned heavily into confronting the Trump administration directly, framing the governor’s race as a frontline defense against federal overreach, including ICE expansion in Georgia. While Olu Brown focused more squarely on state-level governance, such as reforming the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula, addressing the school-to-prison pipeline, and investing in rural healthcare infrastructure.

Former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, who switched from the Republican Party last year, faced pointed questions from Jason Esteves about his past conservative positions, forcing him to argue that his break with the GOP reflects a broader rejection of extremism. Meanwhile, candidates like Derrick Jackson emphasized economic mobility and public education as central to long-term growth.

Notably, State Representative Ruwa Romman, who participated in the Democratic forum, has since suspended her campaign which could consolidate support among progressive voters.

With the primary fast approaching, the forums revealed two clear realities: Republicans are betting heavily on tax-cuts and the status quo to get votes, while Democrats are uniting around healthcare expansion and education funding to improve affordability.

ZOE SEILER/APPEN MEDIA

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A Poll Tax By Another Name: The SAVE Act

Though its name is alluring, the SAVE America Act would fundamentally damage American democracy and our voting system as it stands today, and it has just passed the House and is now in the Senate. 

The SAVE Act would require a U.S. passport or a birth certificate to vote, undermining the REAL ID as sufficient to vote nationally. Passports and birth certificates are less common forms of identification, and the price to obtain a passport, not including the time needed for the application form itself, is $165 with a recurring renewal fee of $130 every ten years. That is a stark difference to the $32 for a REAL ID here in Georgia. 

On top of these more strict voting document requirements, the SAVE act would eliminate mail-in and online registration for voting, a necessity for many who are incapable of visiting their local offices themselves. This will largely affect the voting rights of working class Americans who cannot take time off work, disabled Americans, the elderly, and anyone else who once benefited from the convenience to vote. 

Another section of this bill would force states into sharing sensitive voter data. This comes after President Trump has sent the FBI voting districts like Fulton County. It is a transparent attempt to control elections to maintain our downward slide into fascism. 

We would love to tell you that this proposed law violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but the current Supreme Court has gutted so much of the Act that it is hardly recognizable. The SAVE Act is scarily similar to the literacy tests and poll taxes of the not-so-distant past. 

However, we are confident in Georgia’s Senators Warnock and Ossoff to vote against the bill, but with 53 of the votes, Republicans could make this legislation reach the President’s desk if they gut the filibuster. So, it is up to us to put the pressure on the Senate, especially Republicans, to prevent this bill from becoming a law. 

Twitter tweet

Conservative Town Says No To ICE

Social Circle, Georgia is a quiet town of about 5,000, located 45 miles east of Atlanta in Walton County. On February 8th, 2026, the city’s official website posted an update about the sale of a 1-million square foot warehouse located at 1365 E. Hightower Trail, to the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for a price of $2.94 million. ICE has announced its plans to convert the complex into a detention facility for between 8,500 and 10,000 people.

Authorities in Social Circle expressed concerns about having been left out by the ICEs plans, claiming that no warning of the agency’s plans to open a detention center within city limits was given until the sale of the property. Despite the town’s electoral history as a Republican stronghold, both residents and city officials spoke out in opposition of the facility, expressing deep humanitarian concerns, as well as potential infrastructure issues relating to energy use and a lack of communication from the Department of Homeland Security over the matter.

Social Circle is just one example of ICE’s continued efforts to bolster their presence in Georgia. On February 13th, US Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) proposed an amendment to block the construction of this facility, alongside a second facility that ICE plans to develop in Oakwood, a town in Hall County about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. Warnock released an official statement following the proposal of his legislation:

“If the Trump Administration focused on getting violent criminals out of the country we would not need new detention centers straining Georgia’s rural communities. That’s why I’m standing with the residents of Social Circle and Oakwood and fighting to BLOCK these detention facilities from towns that don’t want them.”

Although this scene differs from ICE’s violent assaults on civilians in Minnesota, the implications remain the same: the Trump administration is committing vast overreaches of federal power to spread fear in communities. But, by standing up against Trump and ICE, we the people demonstrate our power to resist.

Credit to WJCL

Tax Cuts For Them But Not For Working Georgians

@ericgisler

Half way point! Legislative Day 20 done. What do you think about the plan to eliminate homestead property taxes in GA?

Democrats across Georgia are facing a major turning point that will determine their success in the upcoming election season: Affordability. Georgia Republicans have been the major champions of income tax legislation that would result in a major economic downturn for Georgia’s residents. However, the Georgia GOP has advertised this legislation as the only way to reach affordability for our residents. 

In our earlier newsletter editions, we discovered that dissolving the income tax legislation would increase the taxes on the middle and lower classes. The wealthiest Georgians and corporations would be the only ones to receive a tax break, placing a heavy financial burden on the rest of Georgia’s families. 

At the same time, Georgia Republicans are advancing property tax legislation marketed as “relief” for homeowners frustrated by rising assessments. While the proposal may slow growth in property tax bills in the short term, it could constrain local governments’ ability to fund schools, emergency services, and infrastructure — potentially shifting costs elsewhere or reducing essential services. As with the income tax debate, the messaging is simple and popular; the long-term fiscal consequences are far more complex and dangerous.

Democrats across Georgia need to mobilize quickly and efficiently to combat this misinformation and increase their share of influence amongst voters. Once a message is sustainable and sticks with the crowd, it is extremely difficult to persuade the audience of other information.

These are two major issues that could make or break the Democrats in this election cycle. The video above by Georgia State Representative Eric Gisler is a great example of how Democrats should message their constituents. Democrats must win the messaging on affordabilty. Letting the Republicans win this issue will have a devastating financial impact on Georgians all across the state.

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Legislative Democrats Fight For Georgians

One month into the 2026 legislative session, Georgia Democrats have made clear they are fighting on two fronts: blocking harmful legislation and advancing proposals that reflect a different vision for the state.

Democrats have worked to resist HB 54, which would ban certain medical care for transgender Georgians covered by the State Employee Health Benefit Plan. While Republicans hold the majority, Democrats have used floor speeches, committee debate, and public pressure to slow and challenge the bill’s progress.

But this session hasn’t only been defensive. Democratic lawmakers have introduced a slate of bills focused on accountability and consumer protection. SB 414, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Kim Jackson alongside Republican Sen. Russ Goodman, would require landlords to disclose the full cost of renting a residential property, a meaningful step toward housing transparency. 

In response to federal immigration enforcement overreach, Democrats introduced a coordinated package of bills: SB 389, requiring federal agents to be clearly identifiable; SB 391, requiring warrants to enter schools, hospitals, libraries, and houses of worship; SB 397, creating a civil cause of action for constitutional violations committed within Georgia; and SB 390, requiring gubernatorial approval before armed forces from other states may operate in Georgia.

We have also seen many Democratic legislative leaders meet at the moment. State Rep. Saira Draper criticized the FBI raid on the Fulton County Board of Elections, noting that the claims used to justify the raid have already been litigated and rejected in court. State Sen. Josh McLaurin called the move “extremely alarming,” warning against reopening settled elections and undermining public trust. Meanwhile, Rep. Shea Roberts has led opposition to legislation targeting librarians and school media programs, defending educators and emphasizing the importance of protecting intellectual freedom in public schools.

Taken together, the first month of session shows a Democratic caucus fighting to turn public concern into legislative action by defending civil rights, protecting election integrity, and proposing practical reforms on affordability and transparency. The path forward remains difficult in a Republican-controlled legislature, but Democrats have made clear they will not give an inch on either policy or principle.

Instagram post

Intimidation and Repression: The Republican Majority

Fulton County Raid

Last month, the FBI raided the Fulton County elections office in a not-so-surprising overreach of executive power justified by a 22-page affidavit released by the Department of Justice earlier this week. The affidavit regurgitates the false MAGA election narrative of “election fraud” in Fulton County. Under this conspiracy theory, 700 ballot boxes and other election materials from the office were taken by the FBI.

The Fulton county’s Board of Commissioners sued the federal government for the return of these materials last week. Authoritarian displays of brute force have become an increasingly defining characteristic of the Trump administration in the past months, with top Trump officials across cabinet positions all performing for an audience of one.

The “SAVE America” Act

Republicans’ questionable dealings in the realm of voter rights doesn’t end here. On January 30th, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) introduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE America Act), which aims to impose stricter voting and documentation requirements of US citizens. These measures include requirement for documentary proof of US citizenship, a federal photo ID requirement, periodic voter registration purges, and mandates for individual states to share voter data with the Department of Homeland Security. The House passed the act on February 11th, sparking a heated debate in the Senate over concerns that some lawmakers view as burdensome and unnecessarily harsh. Make no mistake, this bill would make it extremely difficult for millions of American Citizens to vote. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) declared the bill “dead on arrival” after it passed through the house, yielding some supporters across the aisle, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). The SAVE America Act currently needs 60 votes to overcome the Senate filibuster.

Threatening Librarians

Senate Bill 74, sponsored by Republican Sen. Max Burns, was first introduced in the 2025 legislative session and has made its way to the House just last week. In line with Georgia’s obscenity laws, this bill would charge librarians who knowingly distribute "materials harmful to minors” with a “misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.” This comes after Marietta, Georgia banned 25 books in public schools, 11 of which were written by LGBTQ+ authors, and after an even longer history of book banning in the United States. Under the language of “protecting the children,” we are allowing our government to fine our librarians up to $5,000 and possibly up to 12 months of jail for doing their job.

From the Hayes Code, which discourages queer representation in films beyond villain roles to the McCarthy era, obscenity laws have reflected both puritan interest and social conformity. Too often, banned books are a threat to the current social order. Book banning by conservative movements reflect their true fear of free thought and expression. 

It cannot be understated the importance of free access to information in a healthy environment. Suppression of identity and education only harms young queer youth as well as possible allies to their movement. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, the very nature of allowing our librarians to be fined and jailed for providing free information from their libraries is, to put it lightly, frightening. 

There is still time for the House to reject the bill, but as the vote will likely come down to party lines, it will be up to you, the voter, to call your Republican representatives to demand that they stand up for librarians. 

Georgia Recorder

From Outrage to Action: Building the Majority Georgia Deserves

The abuses of power by Georgia Republicans and their continued disregard for working families are not accidents, they are the result of unchecked control. When lawmakers silence communities, undermine public education, restrict healthcare access, and prioritize political theater over real solutions, it becomes clear: change won’t happen on its own.

That’s exactly why the 2030 Project exists.

Our mission is straightforward but urgent: flip the Georgia State House by 2030. We are building toward a future where every Georgian has fair representation and where the state government works for the people, not those in power. By targeting key districts and supporting strong Democratic candidates, we can create a majority that lowers costs, protects rights, and delivers meaningful results for families across the state.

One of the most critical races in this effort is House District 99, where we are proud to support Michelle Kang in both her primary and general election campaigns.

Michelle’s platform centers on what everyday Georgians actually need: lowering costs while improving essential services. She is fighting to expand affordable housing access, establish universal childcare, broaden healthcare coverage, invest in public education, support small businesses, and protect Georgia families from harmful federal overreach, especially ICE intimidation.

Two years ago, Michelle came within just 2% of flipping this seat in an incredibly difficult year for Democrats nationwide. That margin proves this district is competitive and winnable. With the right resources and grassroots energy, we can finish the job.

Sign up to volunteer or contribute to Michelle’s campaign here:
https://michellekangforga.com/

Change doesn’t start in Washington. It starts here district by district, seat by seat.

More Powerful Than Hate: Bad Bunny Halftime Show

Surrounded by Puerto Rico’s sugar cane fields, Bad Bunny emerged ready to perform in the highly anticipated 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. The lead up to this performance was nothing short of politically charged with Donald Trump claiming the NFL made a “terrible choice," along with Turning Point USA promoting an alternative “All-American Halftime Show.” Yet, within this 13 minute performance, Bad Bunny sent a clear message that cultural pride and authenticity are in itself forms of resistance in a time when minority communities are under attack. 

From costume to setting, Bad Bunny was intentional with the symbols and messaging that this performance would have. Clad in a cream monochromatic outfit (similar to that of a Jíbaro), Bad Bunny began his show with “Titi Me Pregunto” walking alongside vendors selling tacos, coco frio, along with the iconic Puerto Rican treat, Piraguas. A pair of sparring boxers, tables of dominoes, along with women at a nail salon were a nod to the cultural joy of Puerto Rico. 

He continued with songs such as “Yo Perro Sola” and “Safera” until he ended up at a wedding fiesta on the rooftop of La Casita, reminiscent of a traditional Puerto Rican home. As the dancing and singing continued, one would find it difficult to resist an invitation to this party. Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Karol G, and Pedro Pascal were some of the few familiar guests at this party along with Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin making an appearance. 

As joy radiated from the countless dancers and the performance from Bad Bunny himself, the stark political symbolism towards the end spoke numbers. Bad Bunny’s climbing atop power lines while singing “El Apagón” (the Blackout) was a recognition of Puerto Rico’s extremely fragile power grid. It’s been 5 years since the federal government has promised to fund these upgrades, however this has yet to happen. 

Just before closing out the performance, people bearing flags from all the nations of North and South America were named and led out of the stadium with the jumbotron of the stadium displaying the words “The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate is Love.” This was a reminder to all that together we are one America. Singing his final song, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” Bad Bunny left the stadium continuing to celebrate with those around him.  

Yahoo News

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When a Nation Forgets Its Past: Black History Month

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr, Letter from a Birmingham Jail (1963).

As we enter the month of celebration and commemoration, it is important to stress that what we are experiencing as a nation is not unique or new. 

We, as a country, have a strange relationship with history. This goes as far back as the Transcendentalist movement and the American Revolution which gave us our own foundational theory–The city upon a hill, manifest destiny, “American Exceptionalism.” We believe that the rules of history do not apply to us simply because we are, as Lincoln once put it, “an almost chosen nation.” Post-Cold War, these ideals were only strengthened as the U.S. helped rebuild Europe and establish a new order of international collaboration. 

But, this ahistorical approach to our own nation has left us vulnerable to threats that many saw coming. From the Trail of Tears of the Jacksonian era, to the Japanese entertainment camps of the Roosevelt presidency, to Jim Crow of every president between Hayes and Lyndon B. Johnson, to even the George Floyd protests of President Trump’s previous term–we have always struggled with what it means to be a citizen of a country that mythologizes freedom while under-serving on its promise. We are not exempt from history.

Larger than the American eye, we as a people–no matter creed nor nationality nor race nor gender–have always fought and revolted and sang and danced and survived together. We tell stories of the hubris of man to warn of overconfident ambitions. No matter your religion, you may have a story of your own. Trump, and his officials, are perhaps no better than Macbeth–an arrogant, cowardly leader who will fall as they all often do. Remember your history, remember our history, or be doomed to repeat it.

There is much to be learned from the lives that have already survived, from the lives that have already been lost. History hums the same tune, but it is for us to learn the rhythm. So, let this month be a time, not only for reflection, but a time to strategize. Black History Month is about celebrating strength, resilience, and liberation. That will always be true in the face of ICE, in the face of transphobic legislation, in the face of Civil Rights repeals, in the face of authoritarian administration. Fight, until we “will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” 

Happy Black History Month from us to you.

The Faces and Images of Resistance

On January 30th, Clarke Central High School students in Athens, along with many high schools across the country, protested against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Taking place within Billy Henderson Stadium, students walked out of class to voice their concerns about the recent unlawful actions of ICE. Photos are courtesy of the Odyssey Media Group.

Odyssey Media Group

Odyssey Media Group

Monica Travis shares an embrace while visiting a makeshift memorial for Renee Good, in Minneapolis. (Associated Press)

Liam Ramos & his father are safely home. This is why we resist. This is why we speak out. This is why we can’t stop. This little boy is free because his community made noise for him and did not stop until the injustice was corrected. We must do the same for all the children. (@broadwaybabyto)

(JOHN LOCHER/AP)

Six Years Later: Trump, the FBI, and the Fight Over Georgia’s Elections

Six years later, Trump is still insisting that the 2020 election was stolen and fraudulent on the behalf of the Democratic party. Last Wednesday, the FBI led a raid on Fulton County’s main election facility to seize 2020 Presidential election voting records. This comes just a few days after a federal judge in Macon dismisses Trump’s Justice Department case to obtain sensitive Georgia voter information. Along with Georgia Republican, Brad Raffensperger, choosing to uphold the dignity of his position and not cave to Trump’s demands. However, the raid isn’t the most surprising event in the last week.

On The Dan Bongino Show, led by Trump’s former FBI director, President Trump made alarming comments suggesting that Republicans “take control” of majority Democratic-voting areas, along with nationalizing elections. According to the Hoover Institution, “nationalizing elections” would require voters to vote for the party, instead of the person. Moreover, the Republican party is pushing for a vote on the SAVE Act, which tightens citizenship requirements. The MAGA loyalists are fervent on undermining the 2020 elections and upcoming elections, deeming them “untrustworthy.”

Trump’s efforts and comments to undermine the very foundation of American politics continue on with no consequences. He will continue to push the limit until it can’t be pushed anymore. When will the federal government step in and check his powers? Our country was designed to fight tyranny, fascism, and monarchical behavior. Our government was designed to check each other. When will the loyalists realize his wrongdoing and work for the people, not the president? When will our own state legislature here in Georgia stand up and protect voting rights and the integrity of our elections? Democrats, led by Representative Saira Draper, powefully met this moment with a strong condemantion of the Trump Administrations actions. When will Republicans do the same?

Instagram post

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Fighting Back Is Our Right

Now more than ever, there’s a lot of fear and apprehension about what words we can use to call out abuses by our government. However, we should not fear. Free speech is what the Founding Fathers stood for, not oppression. We should and will exercise our right to free speech and use our voice to stand up for our rights. What this administration is attempting to do is scare us into following their rules, better known as fascism. 

Trump’s usage of ICE in Minnesota is unconstitutional and inhumane, eerily similar to the Gestapo of Nazi Germany. Targeting individuals based on their backgrounds, going door to door, and murdering those who oppose you are all characteristics that ICE and the Gestapo have in common. 

Lastly, in Georgia, Representative Bryce Berry of Georgia’s 56th district, much of Atlanta’s west side, introduced HB 470 last year to “protect schools, hospitals, and churches as a place of refuge.” Our representatives are not backing down and are continuously fighting to protect and serve all individuals. We should take inspiration from them and be courageous in doing the right thing to protect our neighbors.

The point of this section isn’t to continue to harp on ICE; it’s to provide support and knowledge of how to fight back against the tyranny occurring in our country. 

Here are some ways to help:

1. Stand With Minnesota has access to multiple nonprofits, mutual aid networks, and funding links for schools, neighborhoods, and families in need. 

2. Immigrant Rapid Response Fund, a pooled fund from the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota

3. Dash cams, these can help individuals safely document ICE and their actions. 

4. Neighborhood House, a service hub in Minnesota dedicated to helping refugees and immigrants in transition or need. You can donate in a multitude of ways. 

Georgia Senate Democrats Oppose ICE Funding

In light of the horrendous murders and abuses and subsequent citizen activism, Senate Democrats are coming out against an appropriations bill that would allocate over $64 billion towards ICE. Senators Ossoff and Warnock are leading voices in the caucus against ICE, with Senator Warnock writing, “They are killing Americans. Detaining children. Trampling our freedoms. We are losing our humanity. This is a defining moment for our nation. A moment for moral courage. We must stand together and say no.” Senator Ossoff challenged his potential Republican opponents to condemn ICE’s blatant destruction of Constitutional rights, to which Buddy Carter and Mike Collins responded by doubling down on their support for the tyrannical regime of MAGA. 

 After seeing what is happening in Minneapolis, Georgia Democrats at all levels are fighting for legislation to restrict ICE and taking a stand against tyranny because if we don’t fight, Georgia will be next. 

@Warnock.senate.gov

Trump Continues Media Shakeup: TikTok’s MAGA Ties

After years of pressure surrounding the video-sharing platform TikTok’s handling of US data, a spin-off joint venture between the app’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, private equity firm Silver Lake, Emirati investor MGX, and technology giant Oracle was finalized on January 22^nd . In late 2025, TikTok announced the venture in compliance with an Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump on September 25^th , with the supposed goal of regulating the platform’s algorithm in the United States within strict national security parameters under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary-Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA). While ByteDance technically retains ownership of the TikTok algorithm, the spin-off, under the name TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, reserves separate rights to operational control specifically for US users. 

The Trump administration has ultimately taken credit for this deal, with President Trump taking to the right-wing social media platform TruthSocial to thank Chinese President Xi Jinping for “working with us and, ultimately, approving the Deal.” It is important to note, however, that the lead-up to this spin-off was set into motion with then-President Biden’s 2024 signing of a law requiring the US version of the app to be spun off from ByteDance, and delayed several times by the Trump administration until a deal securing American ownership of US operations was reached.

Oracle Corporation, the “trusted security partner” responsible for data storage and algorithmic security protocols, was founded in 1977 by longtime Trump ally Larry Ellison, who now serves as CTO and Executive Chair of the company. Some Democratic politicians, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, have called into question the circumstances of this deal, expressing concerns that Ellison’s loyalty to the President will result in the censorship of “Trump-critical content.” Already, reports of censorship of videos criticizing Trump’s immigration control efforts, specifically those regarding ICE’s murder of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last week, have started to trickle in. With an array of Trump supporters serving as key investors in this company, it is only a matter of time before we see if this deal truly serves our national interests or becomes just another effort by the administration to suppress criticism and free speech.

TechCrunch

From Courts To Ballots: Georgia Voters Under Fire

In a win for democracy in Georgia, a federal judge in Macon dismissed the case filed by Trump’s Department of Justice seeking to obtain sensitive information about Georgia voters. Although this case was dismissed on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction, it’s unclear if the DOJ will refile a lawsuit amid ongoing lawsuits in other states. Unfortunately, almost all of our elected Republican leaders have supported the illegal sharing of voter data, with the GOP state elections board and State Senate releasing statements condemning Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for standing up for democracy. 

Raffensperger has taken a strong stance on upholding his oath of office, ignoring the illegal demands of both the Trump administration and the State Senate Republican caucus. However, the fact that the very rights of Georgia voters depend on one man standing up is worrying to say the least. Especially because this November, the post for Secretary of State will be open, and it is paramount that we elect a Democratic candidate to protect the rights of Georgians from the authoritarian MAGA agenda. 

Unfortunately, this saga escalated on Wednesday, when the FBI raided the Fulton County elections office under the pretense of “voter fraud” in the 2020 election, which Trump lost. Hundreds of boxes containing voter information were taken by the FBI in a terrifying attack on free and fair elections. 

From courtrooms to ballot boxes, Georgia’s democracy is under attack by Trump and his MAGA agenda, but we have the power to show up and vote this November and prove we won’t back down.

ABC

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Injustice Revisited: MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail Still Demands Action

On Monday, as the nation marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we were reminded that though we are sixty years removed from Jim Crow laws, we have not escaped the lessons history has attempted to teach us. In revisiting King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, his warnings remain as timely and urgent as ever.

King was in Birmingham for a non-violent sit-in after a Commissioner of Public Safety Theophilus Eugene “Bull” lost the mayoral election to a fellow segregationist. In a one-sided standoff between citizens and police, King and many other protesters were arrested. But beyond his message of nonviolence, we must look deeper to his philosophy.

In his open letter, he reveres that we are all interrelated–that all communities, states, and countries, not just his home of Atlanta, Georgia, must be free of oppression. This is where he tells us that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” It is unfortunate, he writes, that these demonstrations must happen, but it is more unfortunate that the power structure leaves the “Negro” with no other alternative. 

But in the face of injustice, King reminds us that we have a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws and notions presented to us. He is not arguing for anarchy. No, he is very specific that one must follow just laws, a law that degrades human personality, that distorts the soul from itself–that is an unjust law. 

We are standing at yet another precipice in history where we are tasked to fight for a better, freer world. We are living in a country with a schoolyard bully as president who wields the military against his own people, against the international community. It is important to consider how history remembers you–citizen or politician. 

People across the country are already standing up: protesting, organizing, and demanding accountability when federal power is abused. What remains missing are clear, forceful voices from Republican elected officials who know this is wrong but stay silent. In Georgia, that silence starts at the top, where Governor Kemp has yet to explain why protecting Georgians comes second to avoiding a confrontation with Washington.

Kemp’s State of the State: All Style, Little Substance

Last week, Governor Kemp delivered his State of State address, with several key promises and omissions. He focused heavily on tax relief and fiscal restraint, proposing a $1 billion tax rebate, roughly a one-time $250 rebate for each individual. He also called for accelerating income-tax cuts to 4.99 percent, three years ahead of schedule, and highlighted Georgia’s growing reserves.

For state workers, Kemp proposed a $2,000 one-time pay supplement for educators and public safety employees, a plan costing about $611 million, alongside a $325 million investment to create the new need-based DREAMS Scholarship, which would complement the long-running HOPE program. He emphasized paying for infrastructure projects in cash rather than through borrowing, reinforcing his administration’s preference for minimizing spending.

Yet several major issues facing Georgians received little or no attention. Kemp did not outline new proposals on healthcare or Medicaid expansion, even as Georgia continues to rank among the states with the highest uninsured rates and analysts warn of billions in potential future funding losses for hospitals. His remarks also sidestepped income inequality and housing insecurity, despite persistent racial wage gaps and rising homelessness across the state. Climate change and election administration, unpopular issues for State Republicans, were likewise absent from the speech.

Taken together, the Governor’s address offered a clear picture of how Republican leadership defines progress and what it is willing to leave unresolved. Kemp highlighted selective investments and short-term relief while sidestepping systemic challenges that shape daily life for millions of Georgians. What was promised, and what was left unsaid, underscores a broader reality: this session will not be defined only by the bills that move forward, but by the problems state leaders continue to avoid. As the legislature convenes, Georgians are left to consider whether these priorities reflect the state they live in or the one they are being told exists.

Georgia Public Broadcasting

Kemp’s Georgia: Prosperity for Some, Survival for Most — and an Opening for Democrats

Governor Kemp’s State of the State rests on a central assumption: that Georgians are better off than they were seven years ago. While Kemp celebrates Georgia as “#1 for business,” millions of Georgians are living paycheck to paycheck in a state with the lowest minimum wage in the country. Utilities operate with near-total freedom to raise rates, healthcare outcomes rank near the bottom nationally, and rural hospitals continue to close as Kemp refuses to expand Medicaid. These are not natural failures. These are Republican choices. And they shape whether families can afford rent, see a doctor, or stay in the communities they call home.

Kemp’s emphasis on one-time tax rebates and fiscal restraint further exposes where Republicans are politically vulnerable. A few hundred dollars may cover a week of groceries or part of a medical bill, but it does nothing to address structural costs that keep rising year after year. Nor does it explain why, after 22 years of unified Republican control, Georgia ranks near the bottom for children’s wellbeing and public health. When a governor touts a $14 billion surplus while declining to invest meaningfully in housing, healthcare, or wages, it raises an unavoidable question: surplus for whom, and prosperity for whom?

Most striking is what Kemp avoids entirely. His speech offers no reckoning with the human toll of unchecked ICE enforcement in Georgia, even as the immigrant communities who power the state’s economic growth face growing harassment. That silence underscores the broader gap between Kemp’s Georgia and the reality of working class Georgians. Politically, this matters. Republicans are no longer campaigning as insurgents or reformers; they are the establishment, fully responsible for the outcomes voters see around them. 

All of this makes 2026 a true inflection point. Georgians will decide whether to re-elect Senator Ossoff, flip State House seats that have kept Republican control intact for more than two decades, and potentially even take back the Governor’s Mansion. Democrats have an opening if they are willing to meet this moment with courage by nominating candidates who speak honestly about affordability, healthcare, dignity, and accountability. Another four years of Republican governance would leave most Georgians exactly where they are now — scraping by, falling behind, and being told to accept it. 

But if there is one truth that should guide voters this election cycle, it is this: “We are not here to survive life. We are here to live it.” Georgia deserves leaders who believe that and are willing to fight for it.

WABE

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Editor’s Note:

This Session Can’t be “Business as Usual.”

What is happening right now is not routine politics — and it is not a “normal” legislative session. Across the country, federal law enforcement has become increasingly aggressive, unaccountable, and disconnected from the communities it claims to serve. The recent violence surrounding ICE activity in Minnesota has forced a question that every state leader must now confront: when federal power crosses the line, who will speak up for the people?

For Georgia, this question carries particular weight. 2026 is an election year. Every decision, every silence, and every failure of leadership will shape not only policy outcomes but the political terrain heading into November. This session will reveal who is willing to defend Georgians — and who is willing to look away.

This Week in Georgia

There is a State Senate District 18 Special Election on January 20th. One Democrat, Lemario Brown, is running against five Republicans.

Early voting is underway for Georgia’s 18th State Senate District after Republican John Kennedy resigned to run for Lieutenant Governor. With election day next Tuesday, January 20th, farmer and small business owner LeMario Brown is running on a platform of affordability as he campaigns to flip this seat. The 18th district, which includes parts of Macon and Forsyth, went for Trump in 2024, 61-38, but Democrats also left the seat uncontested, so having an enthusiastic candidate show up is incredibly meaningful. You can read more about the special election here. Senator Mark Kelly is joining Lemario for a canvass this Saturday, if you are in the area. If not, the DPG has set up phone banking; you can click here.

Lives Lost, Accountability Denied: Remembering Renee Nicole Good and Keith Porter

Fifteen days into 2026, the deadly Minnesota shooting of Renee Nicole Good by ICE enforcement has forced the nation to confront the real human cost of unaccountable immigration enforcement - a crisis unfolding with alarming speed and consequences. Just over two weeks earlier, on New Year’s Eve, Keith Porter, 43, was killed by an off-duty ICE agent while celebrating with his family. In both cases, civilians lost their lives in encounters involving federal law enforcement.

Good’s death has further intensified tensions between the Trump Administration and the state of Minnesota, one of several Democratic-led states experiencing increased ICE activity. In response to recent confrontations, President Trump has publicly threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota—an extraordinary measure last used in 1992 during the Rodney King protests in Los Angeles. While no troops have been deployed as of this writing, the threat itself has raised alarm among civil rights advocates and state leaders.

Across the country, Americans have responded with protests and public demonstrations, calling attention to ICE practices and demanding accountability. At the same time, activists argue that the Administration has attempted to minimize or obscure the circumstances surrounding these deaths. It is crucial that, as American citizens, we use our right to free speech and protests, regardless of efforts to silence the people and their power.

The 2030 Project extends its condolences to the families of Renee Nicole Good and Keith Porter. We remain committed to advocating for accountability and justice.

Memorial for Renee Nicole Good, credit to NPR

Minnesota Is Not an Outlier — It’s a Warning

While what has happened in Minnesota has been well documented, ICE has been terrorizing communities around the country, including here in Georgia. Governor Kemp, Burt Jones, and fellow Republican gubernatorial candidates have avoided speaking on the inhumane actions of ICE. Are they going to wait until a Georgian is unfortunately murdered at the hands of ICE before they speak out?

Burt Jones, who has emerged as the Republican frontrunner for Georgia Governor, has not shown any leadership when it comes to speaking up on behalf of Georgians regarding ICE enforcement. His platform already includes the controversial issues of cutting income taxes and limiting what is taught in schools. At face value, these issues seem harmless; however, they contribute to a growing economic gap and the erasure of true history regarding the state of Georgia and the United States. Jones, as a candidate, does not faithfully represent Georgians with his inaction to speak up about ICE, his contribution to increasing economic disparity, and the erasure of critical portions of Georgia's history.

As the federal government continues to escalate ICE enforcement, do we really want a governor who does not have the backs of Georgians or understand the history of the state? Is it acceptable to have a candidate who does not honor their position faithfully by serving Georgians of all walks of life?

Georgia Democratic Lawmakers Introducing ICE Legislation, credit to WABE

Georgia’s Silence on ICE Is a Choice — And a Dangerous One

Last week, we wrote about how Georgia Democrats could begin to find their footing against a GOP drifting toward authoritarianism. Until recently, that footing had been uncertain — particularly on ICE, where Democratic leaders were slow to respond as abuses mounted nationally and here at home. In moments like these, hesitation matters.

Georgia Democrats cannot afford to delay or mince words. In September, ICE raided a Hyundai-linked facility in Savannah and detained 475 South Korean workers. A Department of Homeland Security official justified the action as protecting “jobs for Georgians and Americans.” This kind of rhetoric — framing immigrants as threats to livelihoods — has long been used to legitimize harsh enforcement and dehumanizing policy. History shows that democracies are not immune to fear-driven politics; when detention is normalized and due process eroded, the consequences rarely stay contained.

On Tuesday, the second day of the legislative session, Georgia Democrats began to draw a clearer line. Led by Senator Kim Jackson, lawmakers spoke out at the Capitol and introduced several bills: SB 389, requiring ICE agents to identify themselves; SB 390, limiting presidential deployment of the Georgia National Guard without state consent; and SB 397, allowing individuals harmed by ICE actions to pursue legal claims in state courts. Whether these measures advance remains uncertain given federal authority questions and Republican opposition — but the shift from hesitation to action now places the responsibility squarely on those who choose to block accountability.

But for many advocates, this response does not go far enough.

The issue is not simply whether ICE identifies itself—it is whether its tactics belong on our streets at all. Footage from raids across the country shows aggressive, militarized enforcement that has affected not only undocumented immigrants, but also legal residents and refugees. Even those without legal status are entitled to humane treatment—not only under the law, but under the basic responsibility we owe one another as neighbors.

Still, there is reason for hope.

People are protesting. Communities are organizing. Citizens are asserting their rights and demanding accountability. If Georgia—and the nation—cannot find democratic solutions to de-escalate what increasingly feels like a military-style occupation, the risks to civil society will only grow.

As always, know your rights when interacting with ICE.

New Faces in the Georgia General Assembly

Amidst all of the above, the Georgia General Assembly welcomes five new lawmakers this session—two Republicans and three Democrats—who will play an important role in shaping policy during a pivotal year for the state.

The new Republican members are Bill Fincher, representing House District 23, and Jason Dickerson, representing Senate District 21. The new Democratic members include Akbar Ali (House District 106), Eric Gisler (House District 121), and Jaha Howard (Senate District 35).

As debates intensify around immigration enforcement and state cooperation with ICE, public accountability matters—especially for lawmakers entering office for the first time. Republicans in the General Assembly have consistently provided funding and political cover for ICE despite growing evidence of unaccountable and inhumane practices. For that reason, constituents are encouraged to directly contact the new Republican legislators and make their expectations clear.

Contact information for the new Republican lawmakers:

Rep. Bill Fincher (HD-23)
📧 bill.fincher@house.ga.gov
📞 (404) 656-0254

Sen. Jason Dickerson (SD-21)
📧 jason.dickerson@senate.ga.gov
📞 (404) 463-1378

Engagement matters. Reaching out—respectfully but firmly—is one of the most direct ways constituents can influence how new lawmakers choose to govern.

In Closing, This Is the Line.

This moment demands clarity. Governors are not meant to be passive observers when federal overreach threatens the safety and dignity of the people they serve. Legislators are not meant to fund agencies they refuse to restrain. And candidates for higher office do not earn trust by staying silent when leadership is required.

The 2030 Project believes that accountability, humanity, and democratic governance are not partisan values — they are foundational ones. What is happening in Minnesota cannot be dismissed as distant or isolated. If leaders do not speak up now, the harm will spread. Georgia deserves leaders who will stand for its people, not hide behind politics when it matters most.

— The 2030 Project

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Until next time,

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Editor’s Note:

Why This Session Matters More Than Most

The 2026 Georgia legislative session begins under unusually high stakes. It unfolds in the shadow of a second Trump term, amid growing national resistance, and against the backdrop of increasingly severe consequences of federal policy—including the recent murder of a woman in Minnesota during an ICE operation, a tragedy that has sharpened public scrutiny of immigration enforcement and government accountability. Just months before elections that could reshape power in both Washington and Atlanta, lawmakers are legislating with November clearly in mind. Unlike a typical even-year session, this one will test whether leaders choose to govern for affordability, safety, and stability—or double down on ideological fights and political positioning. With Democratic momentum building after 2025’s elections and Republican control growing more defensive, this session may offer the clearest preview yet of how each party plans to face a volatile and potentially wave-driven 2026 electorate.

1. Will Republicans Do Anything to Address the Affordability Crisis?

Affordability remains the defining issue for most Georgians—from housing and utilities to healthcare and education costs. Republicans enter the 2026 session facing rising voter frustration, yet with a mixed record of proposing solutions that materially lower household expenses.

Republicans, through consistent policy choices, have continued to cut or restrict access to social support programs such as SNAP and Medicaid, raising questions about whether lowering costs for working families is truly a priority. The central question is whether GOP leadership will pursue substantive relief through consumer protections or tax policies aimed at working people—or continue prioritizing the interests of wealthy donors and corporate allies.

What passes (or doesn’t) this session will reveal how seriously Republicans take the economic pressures shaping today’s electorate.

At the same time, Democrats—Georgia Democrats in particular—have a real opportunity to stand out. As seen in the recent campaign of New York’s Zohran Mamdani, voters respond to affordability-focused messaging delivered with sincerity. Mamdani’s campaign emphasized listening: rising housing, childcare, and grocery costs, concerns about ICE raids, aging school buses, and access to fresh food. The difference was tangible—not just what he said, but how he engaged.

Georgians raise many of these same concerns, including in caucus meetings and community forums. Too often, however, those concerns are acknowledged without being fully translated into sustained platforms and legislative priorities.

This is not just about social media presence.
It is about having a message worth listening to—and standing by it.

For too long, Democrats have tried to navigate respectability politics in ways that leave their own voters uncertain about where they stand. What felt different about Mamdani—even to those watching from the South—was that he wasn’t trying to appear relatable; he was relatable.

The question now is whether Georgia Democrats will take that lesson seriously: articulate a clear affordability message, commit to it, and show voters—through action—that they mean what they say.

2. New Wave, Last Stand: Will Georgia Democrats’ Momentum Overcome Kemp’s Final Push? 

Eight days into the new year, Democrats have a huge opportunity to continue momentum in 2026. Georgia’s legislative session begins Monday, January 12, 2026, and ends on Monday, April 6, 2026. Prior to the new year, Democrats experienced several victories during statewide elections, such as the Public Service Commission election, flipped a State House seat, and consistently overperformed in special elections. However, Democrats shouldn’t be overconfident heading into this legislative session, given that Republicans control both chambers.

Governor Brian Kemp is serving his last term as Georgia’s governor and is attempting to resolve his “unfinished business.” One of his biggest areas of concern is eliminating the state income tax by 2032. Kemp, along with his GOP colleagues, argues that cutting this tax allows Georgia residents to keep their earnings and is better for residents. Democratic lawmakers argue that it benefits the wealthiest families the most and underfunds public facilities and services. 

Moreover, Governor Kemp places a great deal of importance on the educational landscape of Georgia. With the staggering increases in school shootings, Governor Kemp signed a bill last year attempting to improve the safety of our schools and children. However, at the same time, he signed bills that prohibited transgender students from competing on teams that conflict with their biologically assigned gender at birth. It’ll be interesting to see which Governor Kemp we get in 2026.

For Democrats to come out of this legislative session successful, they can focus on continuing to collaborate and work across the aisle to serve the entirety of Georgia residents. While it is important to identify and rectify the wrongs of their colleagues, it would best serve them to focus on what they can do together. In today’s political landscape, division is rampant in the country. The real test this session is whether Democrats, acting with unity and discipline, can find a bipartisan path forward with Republicans to focus on affordability and accountability. With limited numbers but increasing public trust, Democrats have an opportunity to use this session to sharpen their message, draw clear contrasts, and position themselves as the party prepared to govern if 2026 breaks their way.

3. Will Republicans Double Down on Culture Wars — or Face Voter Backlash?

With the 2026 midterms steadily approaching—and an early warning already issued by President Trump—Republicans may find themselves between a rock and a hard place come November. As tensions between Republican leadership and their own constituents continue to grow, voters are increasingly more concerned with economic livelihood rather than cultural flashpoint issues.

This dynamic has already played out across several red states, and although Georgia remains a swing state, its Republican-led government is not immune. During the 2025 legislative session, Republicans passed SB 1, also known as the Riley Gaines Act, which prohibits transgender youth from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. While the bill energized conservative activists, it did little to address the rising costs of housing, healthcare, utilities, or groceries that many Georgians are struggling with.

As affordability pressures mount—particularly under the economic fallout of Trump-era policies like the so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill”—Republicans’ fixation on culture wars risks appearing increasingly disconnected from voters’ real priorities. At the same time, the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on low-income communities may further alienate voters who feel their representatives are fighting symbolic battles instead of delivering tangible relief.

With high-profile races looming in 2026—including the Governor’s Office, U.S Senate, and even deeply conservative congressional seats—the coming legislative session may serve as an early test. Will Republicans continue to double down on divisive cultural legislation, or will growing voter frustration force a political reckoning—even among traditionally Republican constituencies?

5. Will Republicans Play Defense — and Can Democrats Force the Map to Expand?

As more State House districts move into competitive territory, the 2026 legislative session is shaping up to be a test of political strategy. Republicans appear inclined toward a defensive approach, prioritizing caution and stability to protect incumbents.

Democrats, on the other hand, see an opportunity to carry the momentum from 2025 into 2026. This means pressing forward on issues such as affordability, where Republicans are on their back feet. By speaking to issues most important to voters, Democrats can expand the map, flip seats, and re-elect Senator Ossoff.

The first weeks of this legislative session will be revealing.

Are Democrats introducing bills that address affordability, which will force Republicans to either act or ignore, knowing they face voters in November?

Meanwhile, are Republicans more divided than they normally are? Are caucus meetings longer and more frequent? Is leadership doing more whip counts than usual? With moderate Republicans being more sensitive to the November elections, how will that tension play out with more extreme members of their caucus?

With limited formal power but expanding electoral opportunity, the goal for Democrats is not just to win existing battlegrounds, but to create new ones. That means forcing votes on affordability, healthcare, ethics, and corporate power—even when those bills won’t pass. Each forced vote clarifies contrast, stresses Republican unity, and puts additional districts into play. Whether Democrats use this session to quietly consolidate gains or aggressively expand the map will signal how seriously they are preparing for a potentially wave-driven November.

The money tells a story as well. Campaign fundraising in battleground districts, super PAC activity, and party committee transfers will show where Republicans think they are vulnerable. It will also show Democrats where opportunities are.

Democrat Eric Gisler flipped a Trump +11 seat in a major 2025 upset.

2026 is Our Opportunity for Change

What passes, what fails, and what fights are avoided will all matter. This session won’t just shape policy—it will shape the battlefield. For voters, organizers, and candidates alike, the 2026 Legislature is less about routine governance and more about revealing who is ready to lead, who is protecting power, and who understands the moment Georgia is entering.

Consider a donation to The 2030 Project!

With year-round organizing, we can support strong candidates, create new Democratic coalitions, and build a better future for all Georgians.

secure.actblue.com/donate/2030project

Until next time,

Fund year-round organizing. Flip the GA State Legislature.

Georgia 2025: A Year in Review

Before we dive into the policy fights, election results, and power shifts that defined 2025 in Georgia, we’re keeping one tradition alive — ending the year with a little levity and community.

(We’ll let the results speak for themselves — and settle absolutely nothing.)

Georgia’s Housing Crisis: What’s at Stake

Housing affordability emerged as one of Georgia’s most urgent and unresolved challenges in 2025. Across the state, working families are increasingly priced out of both rental and homeownership markets. According to reporting from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia faces a shortage of roughly 35,000 rental units and a 41,000-unit deficit in the homeowner market. With Georgia’s population projected to reach 11.8 million by 2030, these gaps are not abstract projections — they represent tens of thousands of Georgians at risk of housing insecurity.

At the same time, consolidation in the housing market has accelerated. As of November 2024, the AJC reported that seven corporations own more than 51,000 single-family rental homes in the Atlanta region alone. This concentration of ownership has real consequences: when institutional investors dominate the market, rents rise, competition shrinks, and affordability slips further out of reach. The result is a housing system that increasingly serves upper-income residents while leaving low- and middle-income families with fewer stable options.

During the 2025 legislative session, Georgia House Democrats attempted to address this imbalance through House Bill 555, the Georgians First Residential Property Protection Act. The bill would have limited large institutional investors to 2,000 single-family homes or 10 multifamily properties, aiming to curb market concentration and protect renters and homeowners alike. Despite growing public concern over housing costs, the bill never reached the House floor for a vote.

As we close out 2025, the housing crisis remains unresolved — but not unaddressable. When the next legislative session begins in January 2026, HB 555 will once again be eligible for consideration. Understanding the stakes is the first step. Holding lawmakers accountable for whether they choose to act is the next. To make your voice heard, contact your representative and ask them to vote “YES” on House Bill 555.

Instagram post

Key Wins and Losses in Georgia’s 2025 Legislative Session

Georgia’s 2025 legislative session delivered a familiar mix: incremental progress in some areas, sharp setbacks in others, and several high-impact proposals left unresolved.

What Passed

Several bills affecting children and students advanced with bipartisan support. These included HB 340, which restricts cellphone use in classrooms; HB 136, establishing a $250 child tax credit; and HB 268, which strengthens school safety by mandating access to mental health counselors. Senate Bill 123, addressing chronic absenteeism, also passed — aiming to keep students with frequent absences in school rather than pushing them toward expulsion.

At the same time, the legislature passed Senate Bill 1, a measure prohibiting transgender girls from participating in girls’ school sports. The bill marked a significant setback for LGBTQ+ youth in Georgia, reflecting a broader push by Republican leadership to advance exclusionary policies at the state level.

Lawmakers also approved the 2026 Fiscal Year Budget, which includes funding for a private-school voucher program and increased allocations for the Department of Corrections. Additional legislation sent to Governor Kemp’s desk addressed a range of issues, including intellectual disability and the death penalty (HB 123), access to IVF treatment (HB 428), and the Survivor Justice Act (HB 582).

What Didn’t Pass

Just as telling were the bills that stalled or failed outright.

• HB 94, which would have revived the Consumer Utility Counsel to advocate for ratepayers, did not advance — leaving Georgians without a dedicated watchdog as utility costs continue to rise.
  

• The Okefenokee Protection Act (HB 561), which would have blocked mining on Trail Ridge near the Okefenokee Swamp, failed to pass despite widespread public concern.

• HB 50, which would have fully expanded Medicaid in Georgia, once again stalled in the legislature.
  

• HB 39, a bill that sought to prohibit coverage of gender-affirming care under state health benefit plans, also failed to advance — preventing further rollbacks of healthcare access this session.

The Bigger Picture

Taken together, the 2025 session underscored a central reality in Georgia politics: while incremental progress is possible, Republican control of the legislature continues to block transformative action on affordability, healthcare, and consumer protection. As the state heads into 2026, these legislative outcomes make clear that elections — particularly at the State House level — remain the primary lever for meaningful change. 

Shifting Power in Georgia: 2025 Election Highlights

Georgia voters didn’t just cast ballots in 2025 — they shifted power inside institutions that directly shape affordability, accountability, and everyday life in the state. While many of these races flew under the national radar, their impact will be felt for years.

The Georgia Public Service Commission

In one of the year’s most consequential developments, Democrats won two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission, defeating Republican incumbents Tim Echols and Fitz Johnson. These victories marked the first time in nearly two decades that Democrats have won statewide, non-federal offices in Georgia.

Once the new members are sworn in, the PSC will shift from an all-Republican body to a 3–2 Republican majority. While Republicans still control the commission, the change breaks a long-standing monopoly over an institution that directly regulates electricity rates, utility planning, and energy policy.

Legislative and Local Power Shifts

At the legislative level, Democrats scored another critical win in December 2025, flipping Georgia State House District 121 in a special election. Eric Gisler’s victory in Athens and Oconee Counties marked a rare Democratic gain in a district that had previously voted strongly Republican, reinforcing a broader pattern of Democratic overperformance in off-cycle elections.

Local races also reflected heightened competition. In Atlanta, leadership changes — including Marci Collier Overstreet’s election as City Council President — signaled shifting dynamics in city governance that will shape policy decisions through at least 2029.

Why These Shifts Matter

Taken together, these results underscore an essential truth of Georgia politics: power is not held in one place. Regulatory commissions, state legislatures, and local governments all shape cost-of-living outcomes, public accountability, and long-term policy direction. In 2025, voters made clear they are willing to contest — and in some cases flip — institutions that once seemed politically immovable.

As Georgia heads toward 2026, these shifts offer both a signal and a strategy: meaningful change often begins outside the spotlight, long before it reaches the top of the ballot.

A Dark Year, and a Growing Resistance

As the first year of Donald Trump’s second term comes to a close, the national political environment has been as destabilizing as many feared. The past year has been marked by aggressive efforts to hollow out federal institutions, the politicization of immigration enforcement, increasing pressure on independent media and private-sector actors, and a judiciary that has too often failed to serve as a meaningful check on executive overreach. Major policy decisions — from sweeping tax legislation to tariffs and the expiration of key healthcare subsidies — have further concentrated wealth at the top while increasing costs for working families.

And yet, 2025 was not defined by acquiescence alone. Across the country, Americans responded with sustained civic resistance — from record-setting “No Kings” protests to competitive special elections and off-year contests that revealed a shifting political mood. In November, Democrats regained a governing trifecta in Virginia, expanded legislative majorities in New Jersey, and flipped seats in special elections nationwide. Taken together, Democrats outperformed their 2024 baselines by double digits across 2025 elections — a level of overperformance comparable to the environment that preceded the 2018 midterm wave.

These results don’t guarantee future outcomes. But they do demonstrate that opposition to MAGA governance is real, organized, and increasingly effective — even in low-turnout, off-cycle elections.

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Why Georgia Matters in 2026

All of this brings the focus back to Georgia.

The 2026 election cycle will be one of the most consequential in a generation. Nationally, Democrats have a real opportunity to contest control of both chambers of Congress, limiting the damage a second Trump term can inflict and restoring basic checks and balances. Governors’ races across the country — including in Georgia — will also shape whether states can resist harmful federal policies and prevent another decade of extreme gerrymandering.

Georgia, in particular, sits at the center of this fight. Senator Jon Ossoff is up for reelection, making him the only Democratic senator on the ballot in a state carried by Trump. Since taking office, Ossoff has emerged as a consistent voice against corruption and government abuse. His reelection is not just important for Georgia — it is essential to any realistic Democratic path to holding or expanding Senate control in 2026.

At the state level, the stakes are just as high. Republicans have held unified control of Georgia’s government since 2005. During that time, they have restricted abortion access, weakened labor protections, refused to expand Medicaid, and prioritized tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Georgians. Breaking that grip will not happen overnight — but it starts with targeted, strategic gains.

Flipping the governor’s mansion would give Democrats veto power over extreme legislation and future gerrymandered maps. Flipping additional State House seats would move Georgia closer to a legislature that reflects the state’s electorate. The 2025 victory in State House District 121 was not an anomaly — it was a proof point. It showed that focused organizing, even in difficult terrain, can change outcomes.

As this year-in-review makes clear, the path to durable power in Georgia runs through sustained effort, disciplined strategy, and early investment. 2025 laid the groundwork. 2026 will determine whether it pays off.

2026 is Our Moment

As this year in review shows, the stakes couldn’t be clearer. From stalled legislation in Atlanta to power grabs in Washington, the consequences of who governs — and who doesn’t — are real. But 2025 also showed something else: when people show up, organize, and focus their energy, the balance of power can shift.

2026 is the moment when that momentum is either locked in — or lost. In Georgia and across the country, progress depends on participation, persistence, and refusing to sit out the fights that matter most.

As we head into the holidays, let’s carry both the urgency and the optimism of this year with us. Our voices still matter. Our votes still matter. And the work ahead is very much worth it.

Happy Holidays from the 2030 Project!

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With year-round organizing, we can support strong candidates, create new Democratic coalitions, and build a better future for all Georgians.

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Until next time,

Fund year-round organizing. Flip the GA State Legislature.

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