The Georgia capitol, via Unsplash.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MARCH 28, 2025 | Georgia has been dominated in both houses of its legislature by Republicans since 2005, also with a Republican governor at the helm.
When will Democrats regain power in even one house of the Georgia legislature?
If you had asked me that before Donald Trump returned to the presidency, I would have said “Perhaps maybe in 10-20 years.” But these days, it makes a person wonder if such control might come sooner, as more and more voters who were once MAGA Republicans are upset over the Trump era, with his threats to our time-honored constitutional republic.
In effect, Trump’s continual effort to change the government through numerous executive orders seems much like a king’s takeover. As of March 25, he has signed 90 executive orders, a record in the last four decades of our country’s history.
But at the same time, we have seen other entities, civil rights organizations, trade unions and state attorney generals, challenging Trump’s maneuvers before the federal courts. As of March 25, there have been 133 legal challenges pending against the Trump Administration.
Since in office, think of the ways Trump’s executive office has upset lots of people. A short list includes:
- Stripping power from independent regulatory agencies.
- Freezing federal grant funding.
- Ending birthright citizenship.
- Sending emails to fire federal workers.
- Rollback of affordable drug and insulin pricing policies.
- Trying to eliminate the Department of Education.
- Threatening to harm Social Security.
- Cuts to Clean Energy and Sustainability programs.
- Withdrawal from Paris climate accords.
- Cutting Pell Grants.
- Ceding too much power to Elon Musk, who is not even an elected or Congressionally-approved official.
- Low level of backgrounds by new Cabinet members.
Such actions by this new Trump Administration are not good for our country. It smacks of unthought-out petty desires, often aimed at “getting back at” people who oppose Trump. In nearly all cases, it thumbs its nose at democracy, as Trump tries to rule his way only. Remember, he suggested he could be a king.
What has this to do with the Georgia legislature? Its Republican leaders are simply running in lock-step with Trump in seeking ways to change our country….for the worse. But as these Trump measures start taking effect, more and more people, even MAGAs, are reckoning that this is headed in the wrong direction for our country. They are realizing that where they thought Trump would help them, instead it has the opposite effect on programs they appreciate, such as Medicare, Social Security, student loans, guidance by independent agencies, et al.
And now many of these MAGAs will be wondering why they put Trump into office. So, to bring the country back into the political center, will they continue to vote Republican for the Georgia legislators on and on and on?
The more the Trump Administration is thwarted by the courts, the more people may realize that they don’t want this type of leadership to continue.
At present, the Georgia House consists of 180 representatives. An even 100 are Republican and 80 are Democrats.
In the Georgia Senate, there are 56 seats. Republicans number 33, while there are 23 Democrats.
Therefore, a swing of 11 seats in the House, or even fewer – six seats in the Senate – will dramatically change Georgia politics.
So when will Georgia vote to change these two chambers politically? With Georgia Republican legislators so heavily MAGA, and willing to follow the Trump lead in many matters, it might come faster than we thought before.
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