Republicans reveal why Democrats’ affordability agenda is better for Georgia
On Aug. 1, Democrats from all across our state gathered in Savannah for the Democratic Party of Georgia’s 2026 State Convention.
In an electrified room of more than a thousand fired-up attendees, our Democratic ticket shared its vision to lower costs, make healthcare more affordable and help Georgia families get ahead.
The same day in a guest opinion column in the AJC, Georgia GOP chair Josh McKoon admitted in his own words what Georgians are facing after 23 years of his party’s failed rule: “Georgia families are grappling with higher prices and rising everyday expenses.”
McKoon unintentionally pointed out the central issue of this election: that because of the policy choices that Republicans have made — policy choices meant to enrich the powerful and well-connected at working people’s expense — Georgians are working harder than ever and yet falling further behind.
That’s why, at our state convention, I set my fellow Georgia Democrats a task: Over the next 90 days, we must talk to Georgians about the power that they have to make a different choice.
Here’s what distinguishes Democrats from the GOP
On Nov. 3, Georgians can vote for Democrats who believe that a full-time job ought to pay enough to build a good life; that getting sick shouldn’t mean going broke; and that every child in Georgia deserves to go to a great school and be safe walking home.
They can choose leaders, like U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff for reelection and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for governor, who believe that every hardworking Georgian — not just the wealthy, powerful and well-connected — ought to be able to look their kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews in the eye and say: “You are going to have a better life with more opportunity than I’ve had.”
Georgians deserve so much better than billionaire GOP governor nominee Rick Jackson, who has promised to be “like Trump but with a Southern tone,” and scandal-ridden U.S. Senate nominee U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who has disgracefully dodged questions on his “close ties” to white nationalism.
For 23 years, Republicans have controlled our state. And during those 23 years, the American Dream in Georgia has become less attainable than it was when those Republicans first took power.
But Georgians don’t have to put up with it.
This is the message we must share with voters between now and Election Day — and the Democratic Party of Georgia has the machinery to do it.
Georgians deserve state government worthy of them
As of this month, Georgia Democrats’ coordinated campaign has 30 field offices across the state and more than 100 coordinated campaign staffers, including 60 full-time field organizers — our largest operation ever at this point in the cycle.
With this unprecedented organizing operation, we are doing what it takes to reach voters in every corner of the state, reelect Ossoff and elect Bottoms and other Democrats up and down the ballot.
Times are hard for many Georgians, but my biggest takeaway from the Aug. 1 state convention was hope.
Georgia is still the greatest state in the union — it just needs a state government worthy of its people. And in November, that’s what voters are going to choose.
Charlie Bailey is the chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
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