Georgia Democrats bring in out-of-state stars to push affordability message
Two Arizona Democrats brought some star power to a Sandy Springs laundromat Wednesday as they campaigned for a downballot Georgia candidate by highlighting economic concerns heading into the midterms.
U.S. Sen Mark Kelly, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, and his wife, former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, spoke about rising prices and the concerns of small businesses with the owner of the Laundry Lounge on Roswell Road.
The laundromat, which doubles as a community gathering place, sits in Democratic state Sen. Josh McLaurin’s district — a once reliably Republican area now emblematic of the leftward shift in Atlanta’s suburbs. McLaurin, the nominee for lieutenant governor, is trying to become the first Democrat to win the powerful seat since Mark Taylor left office in 2007.
Republicans did well in 2024 by blaming former Democratic President Joe Biden for soaring inflation. Now, Democrats are trying the same thing. On Wednesday, Kelly blamed rising prices squarely on President Donald Trump and Republican policies he said have benefited the wealthy at the expense of ordinary Americans.
“The only thing going up more than the price of gas is the number of millionaires,” Kelly said.
If Wednesday’s laundromat campaign stop by an out-of-state senator seemed unusual, it underscored the stakes in this year’s election. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson are locked in a tight race for governor, and Democrats see an outside chance of retaking the state House of Representatives.
The appearance by Kelly and Giffords with McLaurin also was a reminder that — with Trump increasingly unpopular — Democrats have a shot at races up and down the ballot.
“These are all winnable races in an election cycle that should be favorable,” Kelly said.
The Trump administration has been sensitive to economic issues in the run-up to the November elections. Trump has repeatedly pressured the Federal Reserve board of governors to slash a key interest rate. And Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced it would double the amount of government bonds it would buy back — a move aimed at calming a turbulent bond market that threatened to raise mortgage rates.
At the laundromat, owner Sherwin Clemons said the price of supplies like detergent and fabric softener have risen. She also sees her clients struggling. Clemons recently cut back on the variety of snacks in vending machines because “people don’t have the discretionary income to buy a bag of chips.”
Clemons said she plans to help by offering a free laundry day next week.
McLaurin said if Democrats gain power in Georgia they can help make housing more affordable through state investment and through “modest zoning reform.”
Republicans also are addressing the cost of living, but they say it’s Democrats’ policies that threaten to hurt working people. McLaurin’s opponent, Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal, said government’s job is to create the conditions where small businesses and working families can thrive.
“Affordability starts with keeping taxes low, cutting unnecessary regulation, maintaining reliable and affordable energy and making sure government isn’t adding to the cost of everything Georgians buy,” Dolezal said. “Small businesses operate on tight margins, and every new tax, mandate, fee or regulation ultimately makes it harder to hire workers, raise wages, or keep prices down.”
State Sen. Brian Strickland, the Republican nominee for attorney general, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he will target organized retail crime and fight to protect families from corporate wrongdoing but won’t engage in the kind of “activist lawsuits that target businesses and destroy jobs.”
“As attorney general, I’ll stand up for Georgia families by vigorously enforcing consumer protection laws and prosecuting fraud, price gouging and scams,” Strickland said.
Nearly all of Georgia’s top political offices are on the ballot this year, and many of them are open seats. Races for governor and the U.S. Senate are getting most of the attention. Downballot candidates can sometimes struggle to compete for voters’ time.
Kelly, a former combat pilot and astronaut, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006. Giffords spent three terms in Congress. She survived an assassination attempt during a public event in 2011. She has since become a gun violence prevention advocate.
Wednesday’s event wasn’t their only stop on their tour of Georgia. On Tuesday, they rallied with U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff in Columbus. And they planned to meet with Democratic volunteers later Wednesday in Duluth.
Kelly’s visit highlights Georgia’s status as a key swing state in presidential elections. Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, another potential 2028 contender, has also campaigned in Georgia.