Canton, GA. (AP) – A lone Democrat, competing for the state Senate’s habitat in the deep Republican Atlantic suburb, recorded almost 40% of the votes in a special primary election last month, reinforcing its party’s optimism, which was not satisfied with President Donald Trump.
However, it is unclear whether Democratic Debra Shigley’s success provides the impending democratic wave, as its supporters expect. Democrats have appeared well in recent years in a special election due to a low turn, and parties have better concerts on the spot when they are not controlled by executive, Georgia Republican Strategist Brian Robinson said.
“Too much reading tea leaves is a fool’s order because it’s such a low activity,” Robinson said. “All this shows is that Democrats are more angry than the Republicans, and fear and anger are the most important motivators of voters.”
Since President Donald Trump has joined the office, Downballot has watched 39 special elections across the country, showing that the average Democrats have performed 15.7 percentage points better than former vice president Kamala Harris as presidential candidate 2024. 2024. The Republicans kept their seats most, but the Democrats turned around the Pennsylvanian State Senate in March. And in two parts of the Aowa state in January.
Anger about DC or predictable result?
After the original, Shigley reaches September 23. A leak where Republican Jason Dickerson will be welcomed. The District 21 place is to grab after the Trump has prepared the state elder Brandon beach, which won more than 70% of the votes in 2024 to serve the US treasurer.
There are no parties in Georgia in special legislative elections, so Shigley competed with six Republicans. Dickerson, president of the investment company, took second place with 17.4% of the votes.
Shigley is a lawyer and a five -year -old mother who starts a business that provides hair care for colored women. She lives in a rich suburb of Milton, which is her second political race after 2024. Lost to the chairman of the Republican Chamber of State Pro Jan Jones.
Shigley promises to defend working families and seek to reduce housing, health care and food costs. But she says her campaign also causes enthusiasm because it allows Democrats to organize and “hear their voice” a moment when “people felt a lot of despair”.
“The current chaos is causing not only pain in your pocket, but also anxiety when you look at headings and feel that it is just one chaotic remedy every day,” said Shigley’s recent campaign event in a area with a suburban Fulton and Cherokee counties about 20 miles.
Connor Roberts, who in the summer before starting freshmen while studying in college, knocked hundreds of doors to Shigley, said people may not change which party they vote, but many liberals are “actually fired” for Trump’s actions and voting in special elections when they usually did not.
For his part, Dickerson submitted standard conservative appeals for the campaign trail, advocating lower taxes, lower bureaucracy, stricter immigration and election integrity. He self -funding his race.
“Dickerson is going to serve our community, not lobbyists or special interests,” his campaign website reads.
Dickerson said his experience as an entrepreneur would help him cooperate with other legislators to maintain conservative politics. He also draws attention to his experience by helping people use housing and scholarships through his fund.
Looking at 2026
According to party chairman Nate Rich, the Democratic Party in Cherokee’s County, where most of the district lives, was historically weak.
But Rich said he came to life from the Shigley campaign that attracted hundreds of volunteers and an unprecedented voter enthusiasm. In his view, Democrats need a platform that promises not only to contradict the Trump, but Shigley emphasizes that working families help.
“The small army we built, we teach them,” said Rich.
Even if Shigley loses, the Democrats expect the organizers to reproduce on a national scale with a race. The governor, US senator and other institutions are approaching.
“The way we win the Governor’s location and the US Senate is an organization up and down, and competitions like Debra intend to cover the basics that intend to create a broad coalition we need to win,” said former state elder Jason Esteves, Atlantic Democrat and Governor candidate.
Josh McKoon, chairman of the Georgian Republican Party, said Republicans also have to focus their voters to avoid losses such as 2021. The US Senate leakage, but the state is still leaning on conservative.
“If Democrats say that since she received 39% of the votes in a special election on the bottom of the rocks, it is good news, then they must look really hard to find good news for Georgia Democrats,” McKoon said.
The way voters feel for Trump per year will be the most important in 2026. Election, said Charles Bullock III, a professor of political science at the University of Georgia.
McKoon noted that the GOP had chosen the base in 2024. In the presidential election, they are convinced that voters are still supporting a short nationwide. However, Bullock said there are signs that people in all party lines are dissatisfied with the president’s immigration and rates that could continue to increase prices.
“What will be played in 2026, is it a Trump doing his promises, and if he does, is they still popular?” – said Bullock.
Only if Democrats will turn more places across the country, he says, the Shigley race “tell us something wider”.
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Kramon is a member of the Associated Press/America Statehouse News Initiative Corps. The America report is a non -profit national service program, where journalists in local news halls report secret questions.