The only socialist in the Georgia House beat expectations

When state Rep. Gabriel Sanchez defeated seven-year Democratic incumbent Teri Anulewicz in the primary election for a Cobb County seat in the Georgia Legislature last November, there were whispers and some sneers about how he, a Democratic Socialist, would operate.

- Michelle Baruchman

And if you watched the voting board in the state House, you would often see a red “X" by his name indicating a no vote. Indeed, only members of the ultraconservative House Freedom caucus voted no on more bills on the House floor than Sanchez. But colleagues say Sanchez is more than an automatic no vote and is focused on issues he sees as affecting working class Georgians in his Smyrna district, including housing costs and workers’ pay. And by some measures, he was successful.

"Far-right people say he's a scary socialist, but he's just fighting for housing, free (school) lunch, public safety and extended library services,” said state Rep. Eric Bell, a Democrat from Jonesboro. “They try to paint him as some radical. But if free lunch is radical, I'm radical. If free health care is radical, I'm radical. If guaranteed housing is radical, I'm radical.”

During his first term in the Gold Dome, Sanchez said he has learned how to develop relationships with members of all ideologies while not betraying his progressive values.