Democratic lead in Georgia special election signals change in party’s fortunes | Georgia
Earlier this week, a steady stream of voters casting ballots at Georgia City Hall in Dalton offered a glimpse of what could change the fortunes of Democrats in Marjorie Taylor Greene’s former congressional district.
District did not elect a Democrat Since it was created after the 2010 Census. But the party’s nominee, Shawn Harris, received the most votes (about 37%) across the district on Tuesday and now faces Trump-backed former prosecutor Clay Fuller as his opponent in an April runoff. The winner will complete Greene’s term until November, when an entirely new election will be held.
Dalton is one of the largest cities in the region and the seat of Whitfield County. A handful of counties showed double-digit increases in Democratic votes this week compared to the 2024 presidential election, according to a study. analysis By Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The special election also shed light on what’s been on voters’ minds during the heated midterm election year as Democrats seek to take back control of Congress.
The war in Iran and perhaps its tangible impact on most people in the United States (increased gas prices) were on the minds of many, but did not seem to distract them from their core beliefs.
There were diehard Maga voters in the deep red district, as one might expect. There were also white voters who voted Democratic but were so concerned about what their neighbors or fellow churchgoers might say about their views that they preferred to be quoted using only their first names. There were also Latinos, who made up about 55% of Dalton’s population; both the elders who contributed to the “carpet capital of the world” decades ago when they came to work in textile mills and their children, who were born and raised in northwest Georgia.
“The war doesn’t affect me at all; it’s a very short-term thing, something that has to be done,” said Yvonne Otts, 85. “For the first time, we’re putting America first,” he said, adding that he was supporting a Republican candidate who he felt supported Trump.
Juan Escudero, 61, has lived in Dalton for 23 years and became a U.S. citizen in June. It was his first time voting. Dalton voted for local GOP candidate Nicky Lama. “The president is doing a good job,” he said. “Even though I’m Latino, I support him; if you’re a hard-working person, nothing bad will happen to you,” he added, referring to the current administration’s mass deportation efforts.
Luis Linares, the 24-year-old son of Salvadoran immigrants born in Dalton, also voted for Lama. He voted for Biden in 2020 but backed Trump in 2024. He saw the local GOP candidate as a continuation of Trump’s policies. “I think the United States is stronger under the Trump administration,” he said. “I think the war in Iran is to liberate its people.”
Misty, who asked that her last name not be used, said she wanted to elect “someone who will stand up to Trump.” He voted for Harris.
The 47-year-old man, who has lived in Dalton all his life, said he is concerned that Trump “is stopping legal immigration. That’s crazy.” He sees the war in Iran as “sad; we didn’t go to war for Iran; we did it for Israel.” He also said he felt like those with such beliefs were “outnumbered” in northwest Georgia.
Larry and Debra, a couple in their 70s, said they were “not Trumpists” and did not want their last names used. Larry said he “didn’t care” about the price of gas and found it more worrying that “Trump only cares about himself.”
Hannah Fleming and Laura Bishop also supported Harris. “Our government is ‘Israel first’ right now,” Fleming said, referring to the war in Iran.
Nicolas Pérez, a 27-year-old 5th grade teacher, said he voted for Harris “because at least she showed up and listened to Latinos. The Republican candidates didn’t do that.” As for the war in Iran, he said, “Harris will provide some nuance, not just a stamp of approval.”
Axel Morales, 35, who works three jobs, including landscaping, said “the price of gas has affected me.”
“As immigrants, we helped build this city. Other candidates targeted immigrants. Shawn Harris did not.”
As a result, attendance this week was more than 50% lower than 2024 in many places, according to the AJC; so it’s hard to know what to expect in the second round. Still, in a volatile state where former congresswoman Taylor Greene has railed against putting America first and separating the country from foreign wars, Tuesday’s voters and results may offer clues as to what we can expect in November.
