Georgia Dems take aim for municipal offices in 2019

Active left-leaning voters got pinged with a blitz of text messages over the weekend from Democratic Party of Georgia officials with a request: Run for city office.

It was part of a pilot program that will run through the summer that targets supporters with appeals to seek run for local races - and offer immediate state party help if they were interested.

The party is devoting more resources to contest municipal races this year even though those contests are nonpartisan. It plans to target elections in at least 50 counties and 100 cities across the state.

Other liberal groups apparently joined the push, including MoveOn.org. Some went to unintended participants, including one that landed in the inbox of Dan Coats, the head of Donald Trump’s campaign in Georgia.

State Sen. Nikema Williams, the chairwoman of the state Democratic party, announced the initiative at a town hall meeting last week.

Her reasoning: Candidates might not have a D or R by their name, she said, but locals often know “who is a Democrat and who is not.”

"And we're not going to support Republicans," said Williams, "because they use these as stepping stones."

The state party poured money the last two election cycles to defeat Atlanta mayoral candidate Mary Norwood, a self-described independent with loads of Republican support. But it's been less involved in other municipal elections.

“Contest every race,” said Williams. “We’re doing a pitch to get Democrats to run for municipal races. You don’t have to have a D or an R beside your name. When I walk into a grocery store, I don’t have a D by my name, but I carry my Democratic values with me.”