Democrats look to keep momentum in 2026
Georgia Democrats believe they are coming into 2026 with momentum.
The party picked up two seats on the Public Service Commission and a special election victory in a Republican-leaning district earlier this month.
“When we see an opportunity, we are going to move on it,” said Charlie Bailey, the chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, in Tuesday’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia” podcast.
Also on the podcast, AJC journalists Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy speak to Eric Gisler, the newly elected Democrat representing parts of Clarke and Oconee counties.
Gisler explained how Democrats flipped a northeast Georgia House seat by focusing on affordability, health care access and voter fatigue with partisan extremes.
“I don’t like the labels. I don’t want to support anything because it’s left or right or progressive or conservative,” he said. “We’re getting to a point where objective reality, sound reason and, quite frankly, math is going to guide my decisions.”
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About the Author
Natalie Mendenhall is an award-winning producer for the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She also steps in front of the mic, creating compelling segments for the show. Before joining the AJC, the Chicago native worked as a senior producer at Georgia Public Broadcasting.
