House Democrats nominate Carolyn Hugley as Georgia’s first Black speaker
State Rep. Carolyn Hugley is on track to become the first Black speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives after her Democratic colleagues nominated her for the post on Thursday.
Hugley, who has been in the House for 34 years and was elected minority leader two years ago, will become speaker following a formal House vote when the General Assembly convenes in January. That will make her one of the state’s most powerful politicians paired with Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms.
At a news conference Thursday, Hugley vowed to get to work making more people eligible for Georgia’s Medicaid program and addressing affordability concerns of ordinary Georgians.
“We didn’t come this far to settle into new titles and new offices and get that new letterhead,” Hugley said at the Georgia Capitol. “We are here because Georgians have given us the opportunity to deliver for them. And deliver is exactly what we’re going to do.”
Hugley’s ascendance is just the latest milestone stemming from Democrats’ stunning victory in last week’s election. In addition to Bottoms’ becoming the first Black woman governor in U.S. history, Democrats swept every statewide office and won control of the Georgia House of Representatives, ending two decades of Republican dominance of Georgia politics.
Those victories mean Black women will occupy seven of eight statewide executive offices, with Democrat Josh McLaurin — who is white — holding the lieutenant governor’s post.
Hugley’s path to power was different. Her colleagues nominated her for the House speaker’s job during a closed-door session of the Democratic Caucus at the Georgia Capitol on Thursday.
They also elected a diverse class of Democratic leaders. They include speaker pro tempore nominee Billy Mitchell of Stone Mountain, Majority Leader Stacey Evans of Atlanta, Majority Caucus Chair Spencer Frye of Athens, Majority Whip Sam Park of Lawrenceville, Chief Deputy Whip Bryce Berry of Atlanta, Secretary Anissa Jones of Macon and Treasurer Robert Flournoy of Hampton.
“I tell you, we have some talent in this caucus,” Mitchell said. “It is amazing, and I think it’s going to be reflected in this upcoming session.”
Hugley’s hold on power will be precarious, as Democrats are guaranteed to have 91 seats — the bare minimum required to have a majority. Their numbers could grow to as much as 93 depending on a potential recount and a Dec. 1 runoff. Republicans will have two-seat majority in the state Senate.
Still, Thursday’s vote represents an important shift under the Gold Dome. Republicans have had a lock on state government for two decades. As the minority party, Democrats often were helpless to block Republican initiatives like abortion restrictions, limits on jury awards in civil lawsuits and tax cuts that they said benefited the wealthy.
But the Republicans’ House majority has narrowed in recent years, and Hugley took a sometimes-confrontational approach as minority leader. Last year, she led a walkout of the House chamber to protest a Republican bill that would ban public funding of sex-change surgeries for prison inmates. The bill passed, and Kemp signed it into law.
On Thursday, Hugley said the new Democratic majority will focus on rising costs — the issue Hugley said put her party in charge.
“We listened to working families trying to afford groceries, gas, housing, healthcare and childcare,” she said. “Throughout these conversations across Georgia, one thing is crystal clear: affordability is the issue.”
Hugley will replace Republican Jon Burns as speaker, who held the post for four years.
“Congratulations to Leader Hugley for earning the support of her caucus,” Burns said in a statement Thursday.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats and House Republicans plan to elect their leaders on Monday.
Senate Republicans have already elected leaders. State Sen. Larry Walker III, R-Perry, will continue as president pro tempore. Also returning are state Sen. Jason Anavitarte, R-Dallas, as majority leader and state Sen. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, as majority whip. Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, R-Marietta, was elected treasurer.
State Sen. Tim Bearden, R-Carrollton, was elected caucus chair to replace Sen. Shawn Still of Suwanee; Drew Echols, R-Gainesville was elected vice chair to replace Clint Dixon of Buford. Still and Dixon were defeated by Democrats in the midterm election.