Georgia On Our Minds, Again

The Southern state will be the stage for more high-stakes political drama

- Margaret Newkirk

The swing state of Georgia became the crux of American politics in the 2020 election cycle. Not only did Georgians choose a Democrat for president for the first time in decades, helping Joe Biden clinch a victory, but they also elected two Democrats to the U.S. Senate in January 2021, giving the party razor-thin control of that chamber.

Expect the spotlight to return to the state in 2022. One of its Senate seats is again up for grabs. After becoming the first Black senator in Georgia history— winning only a partial term in office in a special election—Raphael Warnock will vie for a full term in November. His likely challenger is University of Georgia and pro football legend Herschel Walker, who’s backed by former President Donald Trump. Walker is also Black and, until recently, was a resident of Texas.