Originally having members who were conservativeSouthern Democrats, for over a century, the Democratic Party dominated Georgia state and local politics. From 1872 to 2002, the Democratic Party controlled the Governor's Mansion, both houses of the state legislature and most statewide offices. In 1976, Democratic Governor Jimmy Carter was elected the 39th President of the United States. After switching to the Republican Party in 1998, Sonny Perdue went on to defeat Democrat Roy Barnes in the 2002 gubernatorial election. Perdue's unexpected victory marked the beginning of a decline for the Democratic Party of Georgia. Georgia House Speaker Tom Murphy, the longest serving Speaker in any state legislature, lost his bid for another term in the state House. Four Democrats in the Georgia State Senate changed their political affiliation, handing the upper house to the GOP. And in 2004, the Democratic Party lost control of the Georgia House of Representatives, putting the party in the minority for the first time in Georgia history. The Democratic Party of Georgia entered the 2010 elections with hopes that former Governor Roy Barnes could win back the Governor's Mansion. Polls showed a tight race between Barnes and Republican gubernatorial nominee Nathan Deal, with some predicting a runoff election. However, on election day, Republicans won every statewide office.
Leadership
Officers of the Democratic Party of Georgia are elected by the state Democratic committee at a January meeting following each regular gubernatorial election. Democratic Party of Georgia officers serve four-year terms, and there is no limit on the number of terms an individual can serve as a Democratic Party of Georgia officer. Below are the current officers of the Democratic Party of Georgia:
The Democratic Party of Georgia controls none of the fourteen state constitutional offices. The Democrats control 21 of the 56 State Senate seats and 75 of 180 state house seats. Two-year terms of office apply to both houses, and the entire membership of each body is elected at the same time in even-numbered years.
Georgia Presidential Vote, 1948-2008
Since 1948, the Democrats have secured the state of Georgia 7 times, while the Republican party secured Georgia 8 times. However, during the past 6 presidential elections, the Democrats won the state of Georgia only once, in 1992. Bill Clinton won 43.47% of the vote while incumbent President George H.W. Bush carried 42.88%, while losing his quest for a 2nd term.
As the state has gotten more diverse with the growth of the Atlanta metropolitan area, margins of victory for Republicans have significantly decreased in recent times. During the 2018 Midterm elections, Republicans lost 10 State House seats and 2 State Senate seats. Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, only won the gubernatorial race by 1.39% in 2018., with former Republican Governor Nathan Deal clinching almost 8% of the vote just four years prior.
