ATLANTA – Georgia Democrats were unable to put a dent in the General Assembly’s Republican majorities in Tuesday’s legislative elections.
After the dust settled from Election Night, Republicans remained in control of the Georgia Senate with the same 33-23 majority the GOP enjoyed going into this week. The only seat Republicans lost in the state House of Representatives went to a candidate running as an independent, leaving Democrats with the same 78 seats to 101 for the GOP.
“Republican House members have focused on the issues that matter to Georgia voters: cutting taxes for families facing rising costs, keeping communities safe, and investing in our children’s education,” House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, said Wednesday. “We are honored by this clear vote of confidence from Georgians.”
In the Senate, most incumbents were reelected easily, with many unopposed.
The closest race came in District 48, where Republican Shawn Still defeated Democratic challenger Ashwin Ramaswami in a district that includes Johns Creek, the Sugar Hill area of Gwinnett County, and portions of southern Forsyth County. Still won with 53.6% of the vote despite having been among the Republican “fake” electors indicted in the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump.
Several newcomers won election to the Senate. Republican Drew Echols of Gainesville was unopposed in District 49. He will succeed his wife Shelly Echols, who didn’t seek reelection to a second term.
Three Democratic newcomers were elected to succeed Democrats who retired. Kenya Wicks will take over in District 34 for Sen. Valencia Seay of Riverdale, and Rashaun Kemp will assume the seat being vacated by Sen. Horacena Tate of Atlanta.
The Senate is losing Minority Leader Gloria Butler of Stone Mountain to retirement. Butler will be succeeded in the District 55 seat by former state Rep. Randal Mangham.
On the House side, Republican Rep. Noel Williams Jr. of Cordele became an independent and was reelected without opposition.
As was the case in the Senate, most House incumbents won reelection unopposed or prevailed by wide margins.
But several House races in districts with large minority populations were close. In House District 99, which includes the Duluth and Suwannee areas of Gwinnett County, incumbent Republican Matt Reeves was running ahead of Democratic challenger Michelle Kang 51% to 49%.
Still closer were the contests in House Districts 105, 128, and 145. In District 105, incumbent Democratic Rep. Farooq Mughal of Dacula was trailing Republican challenger Sandy Donatucci by a razor-thin 50.14% to 49.86%, according to unofficial results.
District 128 incumbent Democratic Rep. Mack Jackson of Sandersville held an extremely narrow lead over GOP challenger Tracy Wheeler, 50.08% to 49.92%. And in House District 145, an open seat including portions of Macon-Bibb and Monroe counties created when the General Assembly redrew the House map last year, Democrat Tangie Herring held a narrow lead over Republican Noah Harbuck, 50.47% to 49.53%.
In a part of Atlanta’s northern suburbs that has been trending Democratic in recent years, Republican Rep. Deborah Silcox of Sandy Springs held onto her House District 53 seat, defeating Democratic challenger Susie Greenberg 52% to 48%.
Like the state Senate, the Georgia House also is losing its minority leader. Democratic newcomer Anissa Jones easily won the District 143 seat located mostly in Macon-Bibb to succeed departing Minority Leader James Beverly of Macon.
— Dave Williams
This article was published by Capitol Beat News Service, a nonprofit news service operated by the Georgia Press Educational Foundation. Content is available free of charge for Georgia newspaper editors and publishers to include in their print and digital products. Click here to view the original.
