Current:Home > StocksGeorgia House Democrats shift toward new leaders after limited election gains -WealthMindset
Georgia House Democrats shift toward new leaders after limited election gains
View
Date:2025-04-17 22:56:50
ATLANTA (AP) — Democrats in Georgia’s state House chose new faces for leadership positions Thursday after the minority party made only limited gains in the Nov. 5 election.
Carolyn Hugley of Columbus was elected minority leader for the next two years, with the party’s representatives choosing others for top positions that represented a break from their outgoing Minority Leader James Beverly of Macon.
“We’re going to be majority minded, we’re going to be member focused, and we’re going to continue to work,” Hugley told reporters Thursday after she was elected in a closed-door session.
Democrats won 80 of the 180 seats in the lower chamber of the General Assembly. That’s up from the 78 they held before, but Democrats had hoped to make larger gains. One Democratic incumbent, Farooq Mughal of Dacula, lost, while several other Democratic candidates outside of metro Atlanta won their races narrowly.
Hugley defeated Rep. Derrick Jackson of Tyrone for minority leader. Democrats turned out previous caucus chair Billy Mitchell of Stone Mountain in favor of second-term Rep. Tanya Miller of Atlanta. They retained Whip Sam Park of Lawrenceville, rejecting a challenge from Rep. Jasmine Clark of Lilburn. Democrats elevated Spencer Frye of Athens to vice chair and chose Saira Draper of Atlanta as Deputy whip. Park Cannon of Atlanta remained caucus secretary and Solomon Adesanya of Marietta remained treasurer.
“We are taking stock of what happened this last election,” Miller said. “I think what you see reflected in this leadership is a desire for change and a desire to look at our electorate, our strategy, and how we reach the majority through a fresh set of eyes.”
Hugley had sought the top Democratic post three times previously.
“My parents would say a no is not necessarily no. It might just mean not yet,” Hugley said. “So today was the day for my yes.”
Republicans in the House kept Speaker Jon Burns of Newington and other leaders, while Republican senators also voted to keep Speaker Pro Tem John Kennedy of Macon and the existing GOP officers. Senate Democrats promoted Harold Jones II of Augusta to minority leader after Gloria Butler of Stone Mountain retired.
The House Democratic caucus was riven over claims that Beverly sexually harassed a staffer. A review couldn’t substantiate the claims. State Rep. Shea Roberts of Sandy Springs resigned as Democratic Caucus treasurer in protest, and the dispute left different camps of House Democrats running different campaign efforts.
Hugley said bringing Democrats together will be a big part of her job.
“We’re going to move forward in unity,” she said.
Many of the candidates who won Thursday say Democrats need to prioritize increasing their numbers over other concerns, saying leadership’s top focus needs to be raising money and recruiting strong candidates for the 2026 legislative elections.
“I was part of this caucus when we were in the 60s in terms of numbers, but now we are at 80 and we’re going to continue to move forward,” Hugley said. “So it’s about refocusing on our value proposition and raising the funds that we need and putting forth the candidates that we need.”
Hugley said Democrats would continue to emphasize health care, education and economic security for all, but suggested there could be some changes in the issues Democrats emphasize as they try to overcome this year’s statewide loss by Vice President Kamala Harris to President-elect Donald Trump.
“People all across the state are looking to Democrats for leadership because of the losses nationally,” Hugley said. “And so our caucus is ready to stand in the gap and fill that void. We’re going to reconstruct our Democratic agenda to reflect the challenges that citizens face.”
veryGood! (26588)
Related
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Fans raise $260,000 for cat adoption charity in honor of Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass, following missed field goal
- The colonoscopies were free but the 'surgical trays' came with $600 price tags
- Lauren Boebert to argue her case in first Republican primary debate after hopping districts
- Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment
- Doomsday clock time for 2024 remains at 90 seconds to midnight. Here's what that means.
- Lauren Boebert to argue her case in first Republican primary debate after hopping districts
- US expresses concerns over Sri Lanka’s controversial internet regulation law
- Intellectuals vs. The Internet
- Biden to host Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida at a state visit in April
Ranking
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- Calling All Cupids: Anthropologie’s Valentine’s Day Shop Is Full of Date Night Outfits & More Cute Finds
- Sexual harassment on women’s US Biathlon team leads to SafeSport investigation -- and sanctions
- His spacecraft sprung a leak. Then this NASA astronaut accidentally broke a record
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- EXPLAINER: What the Tuvalu election means for China-Pacific relations
- Doc Rivers set to become head coach of Milwaukee Bucks: Here's his entire coaching resume
- His spacecraft sprung a leak. Then this NASA astronaut accidentally broke a record
Recommendation
Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader quits, claiming his party was hijacked by president’s ruling party
NBA midseason awards: Who wins MVP? Most improved? Greatest rookie?
French President Macron arrives in India, where he’ll be chief guest at National Day celebrations
At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
The FAA lays out a path for Boeing 737 Max 9 to fly again, but new concerns surface
U.S. Capitol rioter tells judge you could give me 100 years and I would still do it all over again
Pickleball has taken the nation by storm. Now, it's become a competitive high-school sport