The Parent Press: Caucus Leadership Announcement & Runoff Election Details!
A Historic Win in Georgia!
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. I was elated when the American people elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as their next President and Vice President. Donald Trump has been a danger to American democracy and it was a task of great urgency to have him defeated. Of course, he has not acknowledged his loss, which, while making for fascinating political theater, is also another punch in the face of democracy and the trust many American people have in our institutions.
I want to assure my constituents, and all Georgians, that the 2020 Election was conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner. I urge my fellow citizens to maintain their faith in the democratic process, which is the bedrock of our nation. Most exciting, of course, is that Biden's victory took place with the help of Georgia's 16 Electoral College votes, which went to a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time since 1992!
Caucus Elections
On Monday, November 16th, the Georgia Senate Democrats held leadership elections. I have exciting news to share with you: my colleagues did me the honor of choosing me as the next chairman of the Senate Democratic caucus. The chairmanship is one of the top leadership positions within the caucus — a responsibility that I take very seriously. I am deeply grateful to my fellow Senators for their support and their vote of confidence in my leadership.
I cannot wait to get to work on the issues that are important to Georgians: restoring cuts to public education funding, expanding access to healthcare, and protecting our citizens from the economic and health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new leadership, pictured below, is made up of Minority Leader Gloria Butler, Chairwoman Elena Parent, Whip Harold Jones, First Vice Chair Lester Jackson, Vice Chair for Campaigns and Fundraising Jen Jordan, and Secretary Nan Orrock.
Thank You For Your Support!
Before I get into the details of the upcoming runoff elections, I want to stop and take a moment to extend a big THANK YOU to all of my supporters. Democrats up and down the ticket could not have had the success they did without your generosity, your hard work and your commitment to the values and priorities that we share. I am particularly grateful to those of you who donated to our caucus’ efforts to flip Senate seats. I am thrilled to let you know that we were able to flip one state Senate seat from red to blue. In Senate District 9, Senator-Elect Nikki Merritt defeated an incumbent Republican. We are thrilled to welcome her into the Senate! I speak for all of us when I offer our sincerest thanks for helping us achieve this victory.
2020 Election Recap
As you know, 2020 was a big success for Democrats in Georgia. For the last decade, voters, volunteers and activists have dedicated their time and their money to a common goal: turning Georgia blue. (Special recognition goes to former House Minority Leader and 2018 Gubernatorial candidate and general superstar Stacey Abrams.) This year, that work paid off, with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris's groundbreaking win. In addition to the top-of-the-ticket victory, Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux defeated Republican Rich McCormick, flipping the 7th Congressional District blue!
Democrats achieved other gains as well, including Senator-Elect Nikki Merritt's aforementioned victory, and several victories in the Georgia House. In fact, Democrats in Georgia are the only Democrats in the country that were able to flip seats in both legislative chambers – the House and the Senate – at the state level. We are proud of our successes, and again, we are grateful to those of you who supported us and our candidates along the way.
We have many wins to celebrate this year. But, I have to be honest with you: we still have work to do. Democrats are still in the minority in the State Senate, and Republicans are determined to push their unpopular agenda through the Legislature and attempt to gerrymander us into oblivion in 2021. Two of our Senate candidates, Sarah Beeson (District 56) and Kelly Rose (District 17), lost hard-fought races by razor-thin 49% to 51% margins. Both candidates ran good races. But, they were overwhelmingly outspent by their Republican opponents. Big donors and well-funded Republican PACs poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into these races, outspending our candidates 10-to-1. We can't let that happen again! (Watch my video below for more details!)
How Can I Help???
You may be asking yourself, "How can I help strengthen Democrats in Georgia? And help with the runoffs on January 5?" I have an answer for you! My new leadership position affords me the opportunity to help chart a new course for Democrats in the Senate and across Georgia. I'm starting that work now. I also have to get myself re-elected, and we are going into redistricting. I fully expect that the Republicans will attempt to hijack the 2021 redistricting process and further gerrymander districts. We can't protect our democracy, or ensure equal representation, until we take redistricting out of the hands of political parties. If we don't fight back, Republicans will use redistricting to protect their own power, suppress the vote and further entrench their minority rule.
I ask you to invest in my leadership to help me strengthen my position and ensure I have the staff I need to accomplish this work for you and for Democrats across the state. Please help by contributing to me at www.elenaparent.com.
You can also contribute to the Senate Democratic caucus, and support our efforts to erode the Republican majority and fight back against their destructive policies, at www.tinyurl.com/GASENATEDEMS.
Upcoming Elections
On January 5th, in Georgia, control of the U.S. Senate – and with it, what America looks like for the next generation – will be decided. The last 4 years have shown us that our democracy and its institutions are not infallible. If those in power refuse to respect the democratic norms and values that hold our politics and our society together, then the very foundations of the American system are at risk. And large segments of the Republican Party have repeatedly shown us that they no longer respect our norms, values or institutions. Since the election, Republican leaders – in the White House, in Congress, and in the Georgia Legislature – have repeatedly called into question our electoral system. They have propagated baseless lies and conspiracies. And they have done their best to exacerbate partisan divides.
If Republicans maintain control in the Senate, they will stonewall every effort that Joe Biden and other Democrats undertake. Let's help the Biden administration restore our democracy by getting out and voting for Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the January Senate races.
Runoff Election Dates: December 1st & January 5th
Make your plan to vote! You can go ahead and request your absentee ballot for the runoff elections on January 5th online at ballotrequest.sos.ga.gov. You can also go to the My Voter Page at the Secretary of State's office – mvp.sos.ga.gov – to check your voter registration status and to make sure that your absentee ballot was accepted, whether you mail it or put it in a drop box.
January 5th: Candidates on the Ballot
U.S. Senate: Jon Ossoff (Democrat) vs. David Perdue (Republican); Rev. Raphael Warnock (Democrat) vs. Kelly Loeffler (Republican)
Public Service Commissioner: Daniel Blackman (Democrat) vs. Lauren “Bubba” McDonald (Republican)
December 1st: Candidates on the Ballot
Congressional District 5: Kwanza Hall (Democrat) vs. Robert Franklin (Democrat)
Doraville City Council District 1: Gerald Evans (Democrat) vs. Julie Newman (Democrat)
Take the next few days off for some much-needed rest, and then rejoin us in our fight. Thank you for your support!
If you have questions, call the Voter Assistance Hotline: 888-730-5816
Stay safe, stay well, and please stay home if you can.
Thank you for the honor of serving as your State Senator!
