Trump is Not A Saving Grace for Democrats in Georgia

Trump being a disaster is not the saving grace for Democrats in Georgia. While the upcoming Governor’s race and other statewide elections pose a challenge for Democrats, winning can be accomplished by learning the lessons from Alabama and building the organizational capacity to win.

There are no shortcuts or magical formulas. People need to be engaged on the issues across the board. We cannot afford to hope folks see how bad Trump is and run from whichever candidate arises as the Republican nominee.

To reclaim the Governorship, Democrats need more than gimmicks and empty gestures. There needs to be clear purpose and plan, with campaigns that actually engage voters across the entire state. Political stunts do not engage or inspire the masses to turn out the vote. In order to win in 2018, voters need to be engaged and inspired.

With several important seats requiring Democrats full attention in 2018, the focus needs to be on developing the base. Voters of color are a large component of the Democratic base in Georgia.

Nearly 60% of voters participating in the 2016 Georgia Democratic Primary were Black. Developing support and relationships around issues that matter and investing in voter outreach sooner rather than later is crucial.

We need a Georgia for all Georgians. Our students need to feel supported and be heard. Our families need to feel safe and welcomed. Our communities should be thriving and growing, not shrinking or being pushed out.

Success in Georgia will not be achieved through a “Trump Bad” strategy. Democrats need to connect with voters on a person to person level and make the best case for why the party should reclaim the mantle statewide. Organizing the South, and specifically organizing Georgia, requires a fearlessness to support all of our communities and not simply the select few.

The saving grace for liberals in this race, ironically, might be @realDonaldTrump, a personage so politically polarizing that the #resist movement growing against him could yield Dems a fighting chance

On #gapol gov's race, my latest for @AtlantaMagazine:https://t.co/3i54EYH4GG

— Sean Keenan (@ThatSeanKeenan) March 9, 2018