Greetings all. So I asked our good friend Charlie Bailey to come by and talk to us about Georgia. I completed the interview before rumors started flying yesterday that Trump may try to claim that Senators Warnock and Ossoff were somehow illegitimately elected. But as you will learn from watching this interview Trump is right to be worried about what’s going to happen in Georgia this November.
Here’s some of what Chair Bailey told us:
“Probably most the important number to think about… you and I, we’ve talked a little bit about this - the ballot share breakdown. I know you’ve got folks all over the country. So in Georgia, there is no party registration. You can go into a primary, pick up a Republican ballot, or you can pick up a Democratic ballot. So that share of what people are picking is actually an important harbinger.”
“Flash back to 2018… that ballot share was 52-48 Republican. What happened this year? This year, it was 54-46 D to R. We had an eight point advantage on the ballot share. And you have to go back to 1998… the last time Democrats had that much advantage on the ballot share in a midterm primary. This is the most favorable environment any Democrat has run in since 1998.”
In 2018 Republicans won their state wide races in Georgia by 1-3 points after having had a 4 point lead in primary ballots. This time Democrats head into the November elections with an 8 point lead, 12 points better than 2018.
This far more favorable environment Chair Bailey talks about showed up in the recent Fox News poll of Georgia which gave both Jon Ossoff and Keisha Lance Bottoms leads outside the margin of error:
Another encouraging development is how Ossoff and Bottoms have built a powerful, dynamic unity ticket and are campaigning together. Here’s Charlie again:
“We were ready for what was going to emerge. As I mentioned, Mayor Bottoms won without a runoff, and immediately we were unified. That very weekend, Senator Ossoff and Mayor Bottoms, Jon and Keisha, were joined together for a joint rally and they’ve had two more since then. We are completely unified in the coordinated campaign that we are running here at the Party. It’s both on messaging they are very complimentary and just their styles… you have two smart, good communicators out there campaigning together. And you know this, people like teams.”
With Charlie at the helm the Georgia Democratic Party is ready to take advantage of the opportunity they have this year, and have built the best ground operation in Georgia in decades:
“In the coordinated campaign that we’re building, we have over 20 offices open in the beginning of July. All over the state. Our coordinated campaign is over 85 staff, over 45 organizers. Already as big as the coordinated campaign was at its height four years ago in 2022.”
For as we’ve learned through Callais, the mid-decade redistricting, and Trump’s ongoing election fuckery, we simply must do every we can to break up Republican trifectas - Governor/Senate/House - as a way of taking back control of our democracy itself. In Georgia this year we have an opportunity to win not just the Governorship but it all goes right flip the State House too.
So, to help Georgia Democrats fend off Trump’s incredible assault on their leaders and their elections, and to seize the incredible opportunity ahead of them this Novemnber, we’ve launched a new “Winning Georgia” fund that will split contributions three ways among Senator Ossoff, Mayor Lance Bottoms, and The Democratic Party of Georgia. Please consider donating today!
Finally, the rumored Trump efforts to go after Senators Ossoff and Warnock. Here is Senator Ossoff yesterday:
Here is what Senator Warnock had to say about it today:
And here is some video of Senator Ossoff addressing it yesterday (watch these videos!!!!!):
You may recall that Senator Ossoff joined us a few months ago, and we hope to have Mayor Bottoms on soon. You can learn more about Mayor Bottoms and Chair Bailey below.
Enjoy this interview with one of the very best party chairs in the country, Charlie Bailey, and let’s rally together for the good people of Georgia as Trump spirals, escalates, and grows ever more desperate. This is a year of incredible opportunity for Georgia Democrats. Let’s work to help them seize it, together! Simon
Bio - Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms - Democratic Nominee For Governor Of Georgia
Keisha previously served as the 60th Mayor of Atlanta, where she steered the city through a pandemic, secured major investments in affordable housing, delivered a historic pay raise for Atlanta’s first responders, became a national leader on civil rights reforms, supported small business and economic opportunity and balanced the budget. Keisha became the first Mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of government, having previously served as a Judge and a City Councilmember.
Following her term as Mayor, Bottoms served as Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden, leading the transformation of the White House Office of Public Engagement. While serving in the White House, Keisha led engagement strategy on matters related to millions of diverse stakeholders across America, including CEOs, African-Americans, LGBTQ + people, labor unions, AAPI, Latinos, and the disability community.
Mayor Bottoms served as Chair of the Community Development and Housing Committee and the Census Task Force for the United States Conference of Mayors and as a Trustee for the African American Mayors Association. She was also the recipient of the Distinguished Civil Rights Advocate Award presented by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law in recognition of her equity-driven leadership to help guide and protect marginalized communities.
Bio - Charlie Bailey, Chair, Democratic Party of Georgia
A lifelong Democrat and seasoned political strategist, Charlie has spent decades organizing, advising, and fundraising for campaigns across the state. His political journey began with the Young Democrats at UGA, eventually leading to senior roles in congressional and gubernatorial campaigns. As the Democratic nominee for Attorney General in 2018 and Lieutenant Governor in 2022, he raised millions in grassroots support while advancing bold, people-first policies. Since his election as Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia in May 2025, Charlie has led the state party to historic overperformances and victories, including Democrats’ first statewide, non-federal wins in nearly two decades in the Public Service Commission elections last year.
In addition to his political leadership, Charlie is a former Fulton County prosecutor and civil rights attorney. He prosecuted violent crime as part of the gang and organized crime unit and later held corporations and public institutions accountable through his legal advocacy. In 2024, he represented five local election officials pro bono to challenge last-minute rule changes that threatened to undermine the democratic process.
A native of Harris County, Charlie remains deeply committed to justice, rural communities, and strengthening Democratic power in every corner of Georgia.
