DNC boosting efforts to turn Georgia blue in November

The Democratic National Committee will soon join the presidential fray in Georgia.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has learned that the DNC's southern political director, Morehouse graduate Ron Allen, will relocate to Georgia beginning Monday and will remain through the Nov. 8 election.

The party has also chosen Georgia, along with Arizona and Utah to launch its new Victory Leaders Council program designed to flip states to Democrats and mobilize volunteers and grassroots in current blue states.

Allen, who worked on then U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's 2008 campaign in Georgia and served as regional political director in North Carolina during the 2012 re-election campaign, will help state party officials with field organization and get-out-the-vote efforts.

The moves come after Hillary Clinton's campaign has boosted staff, opened a headquarters and committed to sending cash to the state party in an effort to turn Georgia blue in a presidential election for the first time since 1992.

Republican Donald Trump, too, has committed campaign cash to hire Georgia staff and has a campaign headquarters here. His vice presidential nominee, Mike Pence, was here for several days this week campaigning and raising cash.

But, are these incremental steps by the DNC, or a sign that Georgia is, finally, a battleground state?

Not yet, the DNC said, according to a party memo obtained by the AJC.

“We are committed to winning up and down the ticket from the White House to the state houses,” Donna Brazile, interim chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement. “There is a stark choice for voters to make in this election, and Democrats have a historic opportunity and responsibility to help voters see that choice clearly.”

The Victory Leadership Councils include prominent Democrats in each state who will serve as leaders of the campaign. The DNC hopes, however, that the groups live on beyond the election to build the state party and help in midterm elections.

In Georgia, state party 1st vice chair Nikema Williams and Falak Hindash, an aide to House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, D-Atlanta, will serve as co-coordinators.

The full list includes such bold-faced names as U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Atlanta, and legendary baseball player Hank Aaron:

Hank Aaron

ExploreRep. Stacey Abrams

ExploreRep. Kim Alexander

Pinney Allen

Oliver Allen

Emmanuel Avraham

Amber Bailey

John Barrow

Sarah Beeson

ExploreRep. Taylor Bennett

Dawn D. Bennett-Alexander