Dems should pick up 2 seats in Georgia Legislature

Georgia Democrats will probably pick up two seats in the state House after Tuesday’s election, but Republicans remain in firm grasp of the statehouse.

Democrats ousted Reps. John Heard (R-Lawrenceville) and Steve “Thunder” Tumlin (R-Marietta). Rep. Allen Freeman (R-Macon) appeared to have lost a close race, although a few votes were still uncounted late Wednesday. And Democrats picked up a seat held by Rep. Robert Mumford (R-Conyers), who didn’t seek re-election.

Democrats lost Rep. Jeanette Jamieson (D-Toccoa), who has served since 1985, and Rep. Charles Jenkins (D-Blairsville).

There may be a recount in a few House districts.

However, if the current results stand, the Republicans will have a 105-75 advantage in the chamber. In the Senate, the margin remains 34-22 in the GOP’s favor.

Neither party was expecting a huge shift in Tuesday’s election, in part because Democrats failed to run candidates against many Republicans.

That looked like a tactical mistake as the election got closer because Barack Obama and the Democrats’ U.S. Senate candidate Jim Martin ran stronger than expected.

In addition, Democrats failed to challenge lawmakers like Rep. Bill Hembree (R-Douglas), whose district is becoming increasingly diverse and less reliable for Republicans.

“The truth is, the Republicans probably dodged a pretty big bullet,” said Rusty Paul, former state GOP chairman and a one-time state senator. “If you don’t have anybody on the ballot, you can’t win.”

Still, considering that Democrats have been losing ground at the statehouse for years, House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin), said he was happy with Tuesday’s minimal gains.

“It gives us momentum, it sets the stage for 2010,” said Porter, a likely gubernatorial candidate that year. “At a minimum, we picked up two seats, which in the dynamics of what we’re dealing with in Georgia today is a phenomenal feat.”

Some incumbents who lost were beaten in part by changing demographics in their districts. Far North Georgia seats have become increasingly difficult for Democrats to win. Meanwhile, Lawrenceville lawyer Lee Thompson beat Heard in a Gwinnett County district that has seen a spike in registrations by minority voters. The same thing happened in Cobb County, where former Democratic Rep. Pat Dooley beat Tumlin in a district with growing minority voting strength.