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There are few in Georgia who can recite, in detail, what politics used to be like in Georgia. Dr. Camilla Moore, Chairman of the Georgia Black Republican Council and Trump appointee, is one of them. She will eagerly recall the candidate schools, state committee assignments, and community engagements that were once the norm under leadership of former GOP Chairman like Rusty Paul and Sue Everhart in the late 1990s and early 2000s. But regardless of who holds the title as historian de jure of the Republican Party in Georgia, even they are likely disappointed in the lack of unity organically developing within our counties and districts. Brad Raffensberger won DeKalb (+5)1.
In other high value counties, like Cobb, he was relatively competitive even though 30,000 more Democrats voted in the Cobb primary than Republicans. A similar outcome occurred in Fulton and Gwinnett. The only suburban county that had a reversed tally was Forsyth (Fayette was about even). This should be shocking even though those votes can easily unite behind Jackson this November. With Raffensberger’s history in Republican politics, soft spoken voice, and dull persona, could his results be attributed to name recognition alone, or are other forces at play? Two problems face any Republican on the ballot this November: voter turn out and political participation. While these terms might seem like two sides of the same coin, they can result in two different campaign strategies in the months to come, because voter statistics often tell a different story.
Voter turn out is the number of people who showed up to cast their ballot in a given election, sure enough. But who are they? What groups do they belong to? More importantly, what else do they do besides vote? Because political participation has to occur more often than election day. From 1994 to 2014, approximately 2 million Georgia voters participated in nonpresidential midterm elections. In 2018, that number nearly doubled; and remained high in 2022. 2026 predictions however, fall short back to 1986 numbers. Speculators wonder if it is a case of the vanishing voter or apathetic citizenry. While the latter is more likely, why are Democrats garnering the lionshare of that turnout over Republican candidates? History will show, there are some new rules at play - those making the rules have a clear advantage.
Certain purists righteously believe that using the tried and true methods to win elections will still prove effective. Unwilling or unknowingly, the forego tactics that have increased voter turnout and political participation across a broad spectrum of people groups which have accounted for two loss senate seats in Georgia, two PSC seats being flipped, a shocking upset in House District 121 (Clarke County) last year, not to mention losses in New Hampshire, Texas, Arkansas, and Florida. In New Jersey, Virginia, and Mississippi, 21 districts were flipped from red to blue. According to the president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, “Trump’s backyard should not be in play for Democrats,” but it is. Republicans are vulnerable everywhere, especially in powergrab states like Georgia
When bad news strikes: things like wars or rumors of wars, inflated prices, and social turmoil, the human tendency is to crucify the messenger or the guy at the helm of the ship. In both instances, that man is President Donald J. Trump. If year-round organizing and investing in political infrastructure yield the result just described, then that same measure will come from President Trump if Republicans lose the U.S. House or Senate. As of July 1st, 14% of Congress will not return to their seats next year. 38 of those 77 incumbents are Republican. While Democrats see similar numbers of elected exiting on their side, Republicans do not have a farm team to pass the torch to. How could it be time to pass a torch when there’s no one there to grab it and run.
Political participation, not simply voting, provides an answer. Experts define political participation as a broader range of activities including campaigning, donating, and protesting. Protesting is what Democrats specialize in nowadays. A handful of diehard Republicans campaign for their candidate. Many donate when they can. Although Republicans aren’t too keen on protesting. In fact, many conservatives despise the idea. Why? Our Founding Fathers protested. They wrote letters to campaign not for a candidate but for a cause. They donated, many in their own blood. As we recall their victory over the English this year, might we also honor their legacy by doing what they did. Afterall, they founded the nation conservatives want to conserve: one built on the idea of freedom from tyranny and opportunity for the citizenry. If citizens are apathetic, it is because they have no one to follow.
Political “rules,” which seem to change month-by-month, don’t wait for the weary and well-meaning. They reward the aggressors. Those who are not afraid to do things a bit differently. To walk into uncharted waters and lay the ground for election cycles to come through collaboration, investment, and ingenuity. It’s difficult to fathom that a political party whose members, on average, is wealthier than those of its opportunity can outwit self-made men and women to such a degree. Yet this idea of “safe” Republican seats has landed us right where we are now. Scrambling.
Sometimes, an old thing can be made new again. But more often than not, innovation multiplies desired results more effectively and efficiently. 147,000 more votes statewide. That’s a big number, but only when you look at it from the perspective of one set of eyes. If every Republican that did vote took one (more) person to the polls with them, they would’ve set a new record bringing midterm turnout back to 2022 historic highs. They would have given the Democrats something to sweat about instead of always being on the receiving end of political pressure. According to the new rules of political strategizing, Republicans would have engaged political participation, not just voters.
Republicans cast 933,696 votes in the 2026 primary. Democrats cast 1,081,038 votes in the same election.
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