2024 Wrap-Up: Fayette Leads in South Atlanta Silver Linings
We know these past few days have been tough for everyone reading this. A lot of reflection, dealing with harsh realities, and, most likely, late night holiday pours. But, as we grapple with the losses across the country, there are a few positives to take out of this week.
1. Kenya Wicks Won Her State Senate District 34 Race Tuesday Night
Kenya Wicks at FCDC Coordinated Campaign Headquarters Ribbon-cutting ceremony
Our Vice Chair ran an amazing campaign non-stop, helping out fellow candidates up and down the ballot even when she could've eased up on the gas. Watching her work tirelessly to build up our party left us inspired to keep up her energy in the coming months and years. Senator Elect Wicks will play a critical role in helping shape our State Legislature in 2026, when we take over during the biggest blue tsunami we could ever hope for.
2. We Didn't Do Too Badly
South Atlanta enclave of Democrats continuing to push our State forward; credit: NYTimes
Yes, there are silver linings. In Georgia, those silver linings exist here and in our neighboring Counties. Fayette County performed outstandingly well this election. Democrats lost 18 million votes nationwide from 2020, while the FCDC gained 4,000. We were the 6th best performing County in Georgia for Democrats, with Spalding 5th and Henry 1st. The 3rd Congressional District actually held 4 of the top 7 Counties by Democratic vote share increase, which contributed to Maura Keller's record 140,000 votes, a 10,000 vote increase over 2020.
Fayette County is among the top 7 highest performing Counties in Georgia; credit: NYTimes
Here in the South Atlanta suburbs, we are now the leaders pushing Georgia into a Democratic future.
3. We Have a Lot to Work With
We all have fears and notions of what this next administration has in store for this country. Terrible, inconceivable realities straight out of Steve Bannon's brain. If you've read any of Project 2025, you're probably telling yourself Trump's too incompetent to implement the worst of its plans just to get the alternatives out of your head.
He might be incompetent. He might be crazy enough to fire teachers and deport families, to repeal birthright citizenship, to defund the NOAA.
But, you know what? Regardless, they'll lose in 2026. If people had a negative opinion of their government this year, just wait until FEMA ignores inner-cities, until tariffs raise inflation. Until they attempt a national abortion ban. Just wait. We'll be ready to resist with new and improved messaging.
11.3.2026. Remember that date. That's the day we re-elect Ossoff, we elect a Democrat to the Governor's office, and we pull all our local candidates up through a giant blue tsunami. How?
4. We're Not Staying Complacent
Our Chair Joe Clark was today featured in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article by Greg Bluestein. Joe came forward as a leading Democrat questioning the direction of the leaders above him, a frustration many of you have expressed during the campaign cycle this year. Joe put himself out there alongside a few other prominent party chairs, and then just a few hours ago over two dozen State Legislature candidates penned a letter together to the AJC expressing their own frustrations. Regardless of what happens in the DPG over the next weeks and months, our local leaders will not let a loss of this magnitude go by without continuing to demand a re-evalution and re-priotization of party resources.
So we will adapt. We will grow stronger, closer. And we will use every second of blunder, every senile pause at a press conference, every late night Tweet to remind our fellow voters of what’s at stake. We will also get through this together. Please click the link below to volunteer for our new 2026 organizer activation program.
5. We Have a Great Group of People Working Tirelessly to Change Fayette County
Our candidates this year knocked it out of the park. Did we know America was -18 million overall for Democrats this year? We did not. Looking at the numbers, a lot of our local candidates would have won/come very close to winning if our atmosphere was more normal. We would like to give a special shoutout to the following candidates and families that poured their heart and soul into running their campaigns this year:
Fayette County Democrats together in Peachtree City, October 2024
Darryl Hicks
Vickie Butler
Bobby Jones
Catherine Remkes
Lydia Powell
Kim Cox-Owens
Tonya Corbin
Angela Haynes
Derrick Jackson
Debra Bazemore
Tom Thomason
Anthony Dickson
Amili Blake
Kenya Wicks
Lucy McBath
and Maura Keller
as well as Jamie Allen and Erik Brzoska
They all did a wonderful job, and, thanks to each one’s amazing contributions in party building, Fayette County managed to shine a light spot during a dark, dark day.
What's next? 2026
Thank you,
Fayette County Democratic Committee
Executive Board
