We did it! Senate District 44, along with voters across Georgia, turned out for Democrats in remarkable numbers. The momentum and energy we built in District 44 helped us re-elect Senator Ossoff, elect Keisha Lance Bottoms the nation’s first Black Woman Governor, and sweep every statewide office on the ballot—including Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Labor, Agriculture, and Insurance Commissioners, and two Public Service Commission seats.

We also flipped the State House, where Democrats will now hold the majority with a likely margin of 92 Democrats to 87 Republicans, with one race headed to a runoff on December 1. In the State Senate, we flipped several hard-fought seats and narrowed the Republican majority to just two.

The results were so decisive that Governor Kemp has announced he will not call a special session to redraw district maps or limit the authority of our newly elected Democratic Governor.

Thank you for making this possible. These results are extraordinary, and now it is time to get to work.

In this edition of the Draper Paper:

1. What this means for the Legislative Branch

2. Support Ethan Wolfe in HD 151

3. A special thank you

4. Data webinar: How Georgia voted

I’ve probably said “Georgia is a Republican Trifecta State” more than a thousand times in order to explain to folks why certain pieces of popular legislation don’t stand a chance. By Republican Trifecta, I meant that Republicans held the majority in the Georgia House, Senate, and had the Governor’s mansion. Unless something was a Republican priority, it would be lucky to get a hearing, much less passage out of the General Assembly.

The practical reality of the trifecta meant Democrats were cut out of much of the legislative process — the overwhelming majority of negotiations taking place were between Republicans in the Senate and the House, or between far-right and moderate Republicans, rather than between Democrats and Republicans. 

So this structural change means a new day. With Democrats in control of the House, we will finally get hearings on many issues we’ve been fighting for over the past several decades.

Medicaid expansion, data center oversight, and gun safety measures are some of the topics that enjoy broad, bi-partisan support among Georgians, but have been largely ignored by Republican decision makers in the Gold Dome. Hearings don’t guarantee legislation passage, but they do draw attention to important issues, and will shine a negative light on the Republican party if they continue to throw up roadblocks despite the popularity of these issues.

I don’t want to overpromise and under-deliver.  As of this writing, the Republicans still hold the majority in the Senate. However, Democrats picked up 4 (!!!) seats this cycle, meaning the breakdown is just 29-27.  Two Republicans voting with us means the possibility of getting Democratic-backed legislation out of the Senate.

Is it possible that Republicans in the Senate opt for gridlock for the next two years? It’s possible. They don’t have to work with House Dems and the Governor if they choose not to.  They may put politics over people and choose chaos over progress.  But I would suggest that comes with risk because it’s exactly what brought on this blue wave in the first place! 

It’s a whole new world in the General Assembly!

On Tuesday, December 1st, Ethan Wolfe is headed to a critical runoff election for Georgia House District 151.

Ethan is a 30-year Air Force veteran who returned home to Southwest Georgia to fight for everyday families. Securing this specific legislative seat is vital for strengthening our ability to deliver lower costs, improve healthcare, and fund public schools across the state.

The early voting window is severely compressed, falling over Thanksgiving week from November 23 through November 25. The campaign is asking supporters everywhere to step up right now and help them reach every possible runoff voter. Here is how you and your networks can get involved:

• Make Calls from Anywhere: Join the 24/7 virtual phone bank to make calls on your own schedule (OpenVPB Link, Code: 3422B6E-583410).

• Adopt a Day of Action: Organize your team to canvass on the ground in the district or phone bank together (Sign Up Here).

• Chip In: Make a financial contribution to ensure the campaign has the resources needed for this final sprint (Donate on ActBlue).

None of this would have been possible without your dedication and hard work. Senate District 44 drove high turnout and volunteered across DeKalb, Clayton, and many other districts and counties. I saw you everywhere.

For our campaign volunteers and friends, we will be hosting a Thank You event in January. Details will be shared soon.

Volunteers knocked thousands of doors from my front porch between September and Election Day, and many more joined canvass launches in South DeKalb, in Clayton, and for contested races across the state. You made phone calls and wrote postcards. Many of you served as poll workers and poll watchers or staffed the Voter Protection Hotline. You attended events, spread the word on social media, informed your communities as precinct and block captains, waved signs, encouraged your neighbors to get out and vote, and so much more.

And vote you did. Senate District 44 recorded one of the highest turnout percentages in the state with nearly 90,000 ballots cast. I am proud to share that, with your help, I received both the highest percentage and the highest raw vote total of any candidate running for the Georgia Senate this cycle.

Every door you knocked on, every conversation you had, and every donation you made mattered. Thank you for making a difference for all of us and for Georgia. I am deeply grateful.

Join Team Draper for an update on election results. We will do a deeper dive into the data, and answer your questions on who voted and how the vote shifted in Senate District 44, DeKalb, Clayton, and the rest of Georgia.

When: November 17th at 7pm Eastern
Register: votesaira.com/q/20261117-webinar

Yours in service,