We've seen how polarized Georgia's county-by-county map is, but we've never seen anything like the "heat map" that CrowdPac put together highlighting all itemized donations in Atlanta for state and federal races since 2004.
It’s fascinating – and not terribly surprising – to see where the bulk of partisan donors are. Democratic financial power is concentrated in the city’s core and Decatur, with some small outposts in southwest Atlanta, south Cobb and south DeKalb. The deepest blue areas are centered on northeast Atlanta (think: former state Sen. Jason Carter’s old district.)
The GOP donor base is much more diffused, sweeping from Marietta to Buckhead then back across the northern Arc to Lawrenceville and Snellville, with tendrils spreading to almost every exurban metropolitan area and a small hub in Gainesville, the home of Gov. Nathan Deal and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.
If this map holds true, it could also be a template for the 2018 race. With so much of the financial power in Attorney General Sam Olens’ east Cobb backyard, there’s a reason he keeps being mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate.
Another thought: This graphic doesn't look all that different from the heat map of ticket-buyers the Atlanta Braves posted to explain their shift to Cobb County:
(FYI, a version of this story ran in this morning's jolt, which you can find here.)
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