Why Georgia’s culture wars may be finally cooling
Are culture wars on the back burner in Georgia this legislative session?
After more than a decade in which Republicans passed new abortion limits, gun rights expansions and transgender restrictions, this could be the year those debates are at least partially sidelined.
Even conservative activists appear to be recalibrating. At a gathering Tuesday of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, speakers emphasized public safety and tax policy far more than sweeping new social mandates.
It’s the latest acknowledgment that voter priorities may be shifting. For one, the state’s most powerful Republicans have gone more quiet on culture war priorities.
Gov. Brian Kemp, who made national headlines earlier in his tenure by signing a sweeping anti-abortion law and firearms expansions, has yet to telegraph any social issue agenda for his final session in office.
Instead, Kemp used his speech to hundreds of conservative activists and officials to evoke his legislative legacy and promise to tackle “affordability — especially after the disastrous effects” of President Joe Biden’s administration.
“I don’t believe in fighting battles we’ve already won,” said state Rep. Will Wade, a Dawsonville Republican who is one of Kemp’s top allies. “This session, our focus is affordability and fiscal responsibility because that’s what Georgians are telling us they’re worried about.”
A ‘political document’
Legislative leaders, too, have signaled they’re more focused on a debate over tax policy and Georgia’s roughly $15 billion surplus than the debates that have defined past legislative sessions.
With Democrats energized by off-year wins, the ideological combat is shifting toward more everyday economic pressures.
“Georgia Republicans understand the urgency of addressing voters’ No. 1 concern right now, which is the cost of living,” said Stephen Lawson, a GOP strategist and adviser to House Speaker Jon Burns. “Everything else is likely to take a back seat — and in the case of cultural issues, may have no seat at all.”
In fact, one of the sharper jabs at Tuesday’s luncheon came from Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican candidate for governor who made clear he’s no fan of the plan to eliminate the income tax pushed by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, the Republican front-runner.
“I like Speaker Burns and the House’s approach to eliminating property taxes on primary residences,” he said. “It is thoughtful and policy driven — not just a political document.”
Center of gravity
Many of the long-sought social priorities have already been written into Georgia law over the past two decades.
Former Gov. Nathan Deal jump-started a yearslong expansion of gun rights in 2014 by revamping where Georgians could legally carry firearms. Kemp loosened restrictions more for lawful gun owners.
He also signed legislation in his first year in office to ban abortions as early as six weeks, with limited exceptions, and approved a series of transgender restrictions.
And last year, he crossed off another long-sought social conservative priority by signing a “religious liberty” measure that had been at the center of a decadelong debate — one that once triggered corporate boycott threats and mobilized Georgia’s clergy.
There are still plenty of flashpoints lurking. It’s too early to rule out flare-ups later this session over abortion access or transgender policies, especially if conservative lawmakers feel pressure from primary challengers back home.
And this week, Senate Republicans muscled through legislation targeting local laws that penalize people who leave weapons in unlocked cars.
But for now, the center of gravity appears to be moving toward taxes, pocketbook concerns and other emerging issues.
“At so point you moved the needle and now you shift the focus,” said state Sen. Ed Setzler, who sponsored Georgia’s anti-abortion and “religious liberty” laws.
The Acworth Republican said he’s now increasingly concerned about artificial intelligence and the influence of Big Tech companies.
“The issues we are facing in Georgia now are less about Democrats versus Republicans and the left versus the right,” Setzler said. “It’s more about man versus the machine.”
About the Author
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
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