Georgia voters flip state government to Democrats, citing cost of living

Georgia voters shifted the state government to the Democratic Party on Tuesday, electing former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms as governor and giving Democrats majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. The election ended a Republican hold on the governor's office that began when Sonny Perdue took office in 2003. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff was reelected to his Senate seat in the same voting cycle.

An Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll identified economic pressure as the primary driver of the turnout. Inflation and the cost of living ranked as the top issues for voters, followed by jobs and the overall economy. The poll found that 55% of respondents disapproved of President Donald Trump’s job performance. While most respondents said Georgia was moving in the right direction, nearly six out of 10 said the nation was on the wrong path.

Bottoms campaigned on affordability, pointing to rising insurance premiums, health care costs, and the need for cheaper housing. She noted that rising insurance costs and health care expenses burden families. Her campaign emphasized the need for state action to counterbalance federal policies and global issues that affect local businesses.

The election outcome changes the regulatory environment for major industries in the state. Democrats will control the Public Service Commission, which sets rates for Georgia Power and other utilities. The party also gained a majority in the Georgia Power Board. This shift places utility rate decisions, including future energy costs, under the control of Democrats who previously opposed certain rate structures.

The data center industry faces a specific legislative challenge. The AJC poll found that three out of five voters opposed the construction of more data centers in Georgia to serve artificial intelligence. Bottoms stated that data centers should be sited to benefit local communities and that the state should manage the impact of fast-growing computing needs.

Democrats in Washington, D.C., also won key seats. U.S. House candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene lost her House seat in Georgia’s 14th District. U.S. House candidate Abigail Spanberger won the 7th District. These results alter the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives, with Democrats gaining seats in a state that had leaned Republican in recent cycles.

Atlanta’s business community reacted to the results with a focus on collaboration. Kate Chapman, OEC’s chief executive, said the results reflect a system that needs to work for everyone. Kenneth Sorenson, a business economics professor at the University of State, said the state needs to think about how it protects its businesses. Bottoms said she will work with the new legislature to pass a budget that addresses the needs of Georgians.