Georgia Republican leaders ready for life under Trump

ATLANTA — Georgia’s Republican leadership is looking forward to working with the incoming presidential administration, saying they expect President-elect Donald Trump to get America “back on track.”

When Trump gave his victory speech, having secured 270 electoral votes and appearing poised to win the popular vote as the tally continued, he called the election results a “mandate” from the American people. Trump also appeared to win all seven swing states, including Georgia, easily defeating Vice President Kamala Harris.

“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” the Republican said.

That mandate, as well as Republicans securing a majority in the U.S. Senate and potentially holding onto control of the U.S. House, could make it easy for Trump to push through his top policy priorities — something Georgia Republicans say they’re looking forward to.

Garrison Douglas, spokesman for Gov. Brian Kemp, said the governor — who has had a rocky relationship with Trump since 2020 — expects the president-elect to roll back federal overreach and give more control to the states.

“It is the governor’s core belief that states are the incubators of democracy, and we look forward to working with the Trump administration on getting the country back on track by bringing back a federal government that empowers states to lead innovation in the health care space, prioritizes a market-based approach to economic growth rather than pick winners and losers, and delivers tax relief back to hardworking Americans,” Douglas said.

Georgia Democrats have shared more concern about the future of the state.

State House Democratic Whip Sam Park of Lawrenceville said Democrats are bracing for the effects to hit Georgia once Trump is back in office, especially if Project 2025 — a conservative blueprint for the former president’s next term — is put into action.

“We fully expect aspects of Project 2025 to be enacted,” Park said. “Especially during the first 100 days, if there is complete Republican control (of the federal government). Health care access being further limited is certainly a top concern. Mass deportations, continuous attacks against public education, attacks against vulnerable minority communities, whether they’re immigrants or members of the LGBTQ community — I think it’s just kind of all of the above.”

Votes were still being tallied in several congressional seats across the country, making it unclear who will have control of the U.S. House next year.

Georgia GOP Chair Josh McKoon told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia” radio show Wednesday that Trump’s win solidified Georgia as a red state.

“This was not eking out a win. This was not a win in recount territory,” McKoon said. “This was a clear victory for Donald Trump.”

He expects Trump to start his four-year term cracking down on illegal immigration on the southern border and placing tariffs on foreign goods, while encouraging domestic manufacturing through tax incentives.

U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams told “Politically Georgia” hosts that instead of dwelling on the past, the Democratic Party is focusing on what’s next.

Williams, who is also the chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, said the party did not have time for a multiyear campaign like Trump.

“Everyone that you will talk to will talk about the near flawlessness of (Harris’) campaign, and we still came up short,” Williams said. “We’ve got a lot of regrouping to do as a state party.”

Park said once Democrats have had time to reflect on Harris’ loss, they will turn their attention to the next round of elections: 2026, when every statewide and legislative office is up for reelection.

“We will continue organizing in the state, working to protect fundamental rights and freedoms and continuing to work on building (political) power,” Park said. “The 2026 elections are up next, and we’ll continue to work on flipping seats (from Republican to Democrat) to make sure that our communities’ voices are heard in the Legislature.”

Throughout his campaign, Trump listed several immediate actions he plans to take when he returns to the White House in January, several of which Georgia voters listed as top priorities.

Supporters of both Trump and Harris often listed the economy as their top concern heading into this week’s election.

Many voters said they felt like they were doing financially better when Trump was president versus under President Joe Biden and Harris’ administration.

A survey of nearly 5,000 Georgians conducted by The Associated Press found that more than two-thirds of Georgia voters say the condition of the nation’s economy is either “not so good” or “poor.”

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, one of Trump’s loudest Georgia supporters, said he expects the president-elect to take steps to make the country energy-independent, less dependent on foreign oil and ready to bring manufacturing back to the United States.

“Before COVID hit during his last time (in office), I don’t think the economy could have been any better,” Jones said. “We were rocking and rolling in Georgia. Being in business myself, it was the best time I’ve had.”

That sentiment was echoed by state Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega.

“I think Trump’s promises in his campaign talking points are more in line with what the average citizens are hoping that we will get back to,” Gooch said. “So I think Trump’s first days in office will be to reverse some of the decisions that were made by the Biden administration, especially dealing with energy and oil and gas.”

Both Jones and Gooch said they are not concerned that Trump’s proposed tariffs could hurt any economic relief that may come under the Republican’s administration.

“There is a trade deficit when you’re buying trillions of dollars worth of goods and they’re not buying anything near that from you,” Jones said. “His idea of tariffs is to incentivize fair trade with foreign countries or for U.S. companies to see the wisdom of manufacturing their goods here.”

Gooch said the tariffs create an incentive for manufacturers to keep jobs in the states.

“We don’t want to continue to import our goods from China and Mexico,” he said. “We want to be able to produce those jobs here and hire good, hardworking Americans for those positions.”

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(Staff writer Caleb Groves contributed to this article.)

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