Top 5 Georgia political stories of 2022
The stories that shaped Georgia politics this year
I know it sounds hard to believe, but we have reached the end of another interesting and exciting year in Georgia politics. We learned a lot over the last year, but we are still left with lots of questions heading into the new year.
So let’s take a look back at the year that was. From elections to investigations and the passing of a political titan, here are the five biggest stories that shaped Georgia politics in 2022.
1. Voters reject Trump-backed candidates
One of the biggest questions heading into 2022 was how big of a role former President Donald Trump would play in this year’s elections. He launched a personal mission to upend Republican politics in Georgia and other swing states following his 2020 defeat. He was particularly focused on Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffenspeger, two conservative Republicans who refused to side with his false claims of election fraud.
But Trump earned a really poor scorecard in Georgia, as many of his candidates didn’t even make it out of the Republican primary. Former U.S. Sen. David Perdue was handed an embarrassing 52-point defeat in his Trump-backed challenge to Gov. Kemp. Secretary Raffensperger once again stood up to the former President’s wrath and was among the highest Republican vote-getters in the general election.
Trump didn’t fare too well in congressional primaries, either. He endorsed Jake Evans in District 6 and Vernon Jones in District 10 — both lost in landslides.
The two Trump-endorsed candidates that did win the primary didn’t perform well in November. Former UGA football star Herschel Walker fell short to Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. And Lt. Gov.-elect Burt Jones, a State Senator from East Georgia, ended up being one of the weakest-performing Republicans on the statewide ticket.
So as the former President eyes a return to the White House, he starts off in a weakened position in one of the nation’s most important swing states. Voters rejected the candidates who parroted his election lies and reward those who stood up to them. But is this a symbol of Trump’s weakness, or are Georgians just tired of hearing about the 2020 election? 2023 will surely tell us more.
2. A mixed bag for Georgia Democrats
National Democrats are still jubilant following Sen. Raphael Warnock’s win over Republican Herschel Walker. His victory gives Democrats a 51-seat majority in the Senate, meaning they can now fast-track President Joe Biden’s agenda and judicial nominees without Vice President Kamala Harris casting tie-breaking votes.
But that ended up being the only bright spot for Georgia Democrats. A highly-anticipated rematch between Gov. Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams ended with Kemp’s landslide re-election. And Democrats lost just about every statewide office by larger margins than they did in 2018 despite running a diverse and better-funded slate of candidates. Republicans also maintained their majorities in the state legislature.
The poor performance has many wondering where the Georgia Democratic Party goes from here. Some appear ready to turn the page from Abrams, who continues to be criticized for her refusal to concede her narrow 2018 defeat. Folks took note of the fact that the Democratic candidates for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General both got more raw votes than Abrams in November.
Others believe that her voter registration push, along with many of her campaign themes (such as expanding Medicaid) should continue to play essential roles in the party going forward.
But party leadership doesn’t seem likely to change any time soon. U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams plans to run for another term as chairwoman of the Georgia Democratic Party. This comes as Georgia Democrats compete for an outsized role in the 2024 primary calendar — a role hosting the Democratic National Convention.
As for Abrams? She recently released a new children’s book and will be co-producing a new music documentary with actress Selena Gomez. She also didn’t close the door on another run for office.
3. David Ralston (1954-2022)
The late Georgia House Speaker David Ralston was a force in state politics for many decades, having served as the state’s most powerful lawmaker since 2010.
His November passing not only creates a power vacuum under the Gold Dome. It subtracts the legislature of a reasonable and stabilizing voice — at a time when we need it most.
An attorney from Blue Ridge, Ralston was instrumental in passing several bipartisan measures, such as repealing the state’s citizens arrest statute, overhauling the state’s backlogged mental health system and putting hate crimes laws on the books.
But as a conservative Republican, he also helped muscle through some of the party’s biggest priorities, including stricter election laws, expanding gun rights and bans on abortion.
Ralston was honored with a lying-in-state ceremony at the Gold Dome in November, where hundreds of lawmakers and political dignitaries of both parties gathered to pay their respects before the Thanksgiving holiday. Gov. Brian Kemp also ordered flags to be flown at half-staff.
House Republicans nominated Majority Leader Jon Burns to succeed Ralston as Speaker. The Effingham County farmer and Ralston protégé will now be tasked with maintaining the late Speaker’s bridge-building leadership style while reeling in a caucus with a growing number of bridge-burners.
And Ralston’s widow, Sheree, is running to replace her late husband in the state house representing Blue Ridge. She enters the January special election with the endorsement of Gov. Kemp.
4. AMC
The metro Atlanta area is still grappling with the sudden closure of Atlanta Medical Center. Wellstar announced in September that they would shutter the facility by the end of the year due to a loss in revenue.
The 460-bed facility was one of two Level 1 trauma centers in metro Atlanta, with the other being Grady Memorial Hospital. Officials at Grady are already feeling the weight of their new responsibility.
City officials said that they were caught off guard by the closure. Mayor Andre Dickens warned of “deep and reverberating consequences” for Atlanta residents.
Gov. Kemp responded by providing a $130 million aid package for Grady, which will provide the hospital with more beds to accommodate new patients. "While the decision to close was certainly no one's preference, our job is to move forward together and find a viable solution to the needs of the impacted community," Kemp said.
Democrats continue to argue that hospital closures like this could be avoided if the state expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, a move that Republicans have long dismissed as too expensive. Wellstar said that Medicaid expansion would not have stopped the hospital from closing due to mounting financial troubles.
5. Trump investigation
The Atlanta investigation into former President Donald Trump has picked up steam after the November election. Many of the key witnesses were candidates in the November election, so prosecutors waited until after the election to interview them.
Gov. Kemp testified before the grand jury a week after winning re-election. The grand jury is seeking to learn more about Trump’s interactions with state officials following his 2020 defeat. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger testified in June.
The investigation, which is being led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, has also included testimony from U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and Trump advisor Michael Flynn. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich has also been ordered to testify.
The probe has catapulted Willis into the national spotlight as the former President’s legal woes continue to pile up. It has also made her office a target for threats of violence — she has asked the FBI to increase security around the Fulton County courthouse, as well as her own personal detail.
The empaneled grand jury is set to disband in the spring of 2023, but Willis is hoping to have things wrapped up before then.
Covering Georgia politics in 2022 has been very exciting, and I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for coming on this journey with me. I cannot wait to see what the new year has in store for us. But in the meantime, I hope everybody is surrounded by loved ones this holiday season.
You've kept us well informed I look forward to a safe and successful 2023. 💙
Great roundup!