Georgia Democrats have gained new momentum heading into the November election, propelled by President Joe Biden’s decision to bow out of his reelection bid and hand the reins to Vice President Kamala Harris.

The historic decision, announced Sunday, is expected to prove pivotal in the national and state political arenas and breathe new life and purpose into statewide elections in Georgia, political observers and legislators said. 

By Monday afternoon, the Georgia Senate Democrats publicly endorsed Harris on X. She also received endorsements from over half the national Democratic delegates she needs to secure her party’s nomination.

Harris has visited Georgia at least four times this year stumping for Biden, urging Georgians to “get the word out” about the White House economic agenda and get out “into the streets.”

“This shakes it up,” University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock told State Affairs about Harris’ entry into the presidential race.

Josh McKoon, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, said Harris has a “very similar campaign” to Biden’s. 

“Obviously she owns the record that has been compiled [by the Biden administration] over the last three and a half years,” McKoon told State Affairs. “I don’t see much of a difference, other than I’m sure we’ll be having an honest conversation about her record of putting young Black men in prison for nonviolent drug offenses as a prosecutor in California, and contrasting that with President Trump’s championing the First Step Act to give people shorter sentences so they can rebuild their lives and be fully rehabilitated and become productive members of society. Other than that, I don’t see a really big change in terms of what the issues are that we’ll be talking about and how we’ll be going about turning out our voters.”

If Harris is nominated at next month’s Democratic National Convention, the former California attorney general’s presidential bid will likely attract voters of color in Georgia, as well as women, white college-educated voters, young people and the “double haters” — voters who wouldn’t vote Biden or former President Donald Trump, Bullock said.

“Voters increasingly vote a straight ticket,” Bullock said. “It’ll help the Democratic ticket.”

Biden’s departure will not impact Georgia ballots, Gabe Sterling, chief operating officer of the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, said Monday on X.

“As the Democrats haven’t had a convention, there is no nominee to replace,” Sterling said. “Trump/Vance will be on the ballot along with [Chase] Oliver for the Libertarians. Whomever the Democrats nominate will be on as well.”

Georgia’s recent redistricting comfortably cements the Republican stronghold in the state, Bullock said.

“The way districts have been drawn, you are either in a very secure Democratic district or a very secure Republican district,” he said. However, “there may be a few state House and maybe a handful of state senate contests, but not many” that may benefit from a change at the top of the Democratic ticket.

One such race Bullock cited is House District 53, which pits Republican incumbent Rep. Deborah Silcox, R-Sandy Springs, against Democratic challenger Susie Greenberg, an attorney.

“She [Silcox] has been in, got defeated. Now she’s gotten back in,” Bullock said. “That’s where they’ll have a handful of districts that have greater enthusiasm among Democrats. And, yeah, Black voters may be more enthusiastic, but also white Democrats must be more enthused [about Harris], as opposed to Biden, his age and his foibles.”

Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, D-Stone Mountain, praised Biden but said his decision to end his reelection bid creates “new energy” nationally and in Georgia.

“This will be an exciting time to go to the polls and vote,” said Butler, who spent more than four hours Sunday night on a Zoom call that drew thousands of women nationwide looking to hear how they could help Harris’ campaign.

One Georgia contest that will likely benefit from having Harris on the ticket is Senate District 7, where Democratic incumbent Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes, D-Duluth, is facing Republican challenger J. Gregory Howard, an investment services entrepreneur.

“That will definitely move her numbers,” Butler said of Harris’ effect on Islam Parkes’ bid “Women would come out to vote and they’ll vote for her [Islam Parkes] at the same time.” 

House Minority Leader James Beverly, D-Macon, and other members of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus are meeting this week to “reset” priorities for the Georgia Blue PAC, a political arm of the caucus with a focus on down-ballot races, as well as Harris’ presidential run.

“I am absolutely excited about her candidacy because many of the folks who are running that we have in some of these contested seats, most of them are women,” Beverly said. “That’s tremendous. When I think about the seats we need to go after, every last one of those seats that we really can get after right now are women.”

The November election includes a few races where incumbents need to be protected as well as races where “we can go after candidates,” Beverly said. 

“It’s a hard reset and an opportunity to refocus on our candidates, using Kamala,” Beverly said. “Georgia is 33% African American. The Democratic Party is way over 50% or 60% African American. And so it is going to energize the base. 

“Number one is, she is Indian and African American. So now you’re talking about the AAPI [Asian American and Pacific Islander] community, right? You’v got women. You’ve got her husband, who is Jewish. I mean, really, she represents America, literally.”

Biden out; Harris in: Georgia races that could be impacted 

HOUSE

District 53 (covers North Fulton, including Roswell and Sandy Springs): Democratic challenger Susie Greenberg, an attorney, is running against Republican incumbent Rep. Deborah Silcox.

SENATE

District 7: (encompasses parts of Gwinnett County)  Democratic incumbent Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes faces J. Gregory Howard, an entrepreneur. 

District 48 (covers parts of North Fulton, including Johns Creek): This district has about 15,000 south Asians. Democratic challenger and entrepreneur Ashwin Ramaswami is facing Republican incumbent Shawn Still, a controversial figure in Georgia politics. The swimming pool contractor and former state Republican Party finance chairman is the only elected official charged in Donald Trump’s indictment. Still was one of 16 Georgia Republicans who signed a certificate stating Trump had won Georgia in the 2020 presidential election. The group declared themselves “duly elected and qualified” electors. Still was the secretary of that meeting and is one of only three members of that group who was indicted.

Have questions, comments or tips? Contact Tammy Joyner on X @lvjoyner or at [email protected].