Proposed Georgia’s Congressional district maps from the State Legislature. Composition by JD Jordan.

Last Friday, after the Special Session’s first week ended and reporters had started to go home, state Republican leaders released their long-awaited congressional district map. And just like the state Senate and House maps released days before, this map failed to meet the requirements of Judge Jones’ meticulously detailed ruling for how Georgia’s political districts need to re-align with the the Voting Rights Act.

On Friday, I wondered if GOP lawmakers were courting the nuclear option—through hubris or ignorance, were they inviting the court to redraw our maps for them?

But over the weekend, a simpler explanation came to mind.

It’s clear from even the most superficial analysis, the proposed Republican maps aren’t concerned with solving the racial-disparity issue at all. Rather, GOP leaders in the legislature are concerned only with shoring up weak incumbents who fail to appeal to their evolving electorates. The court’s order is simply the timely excuse they need to proffer gerrymandered maps ahead of the 2024 election.

When my opponent, John Albers, and I worked together in consulting, I saw this backwards thinking play out all the time. As an account manager, he’d price and sell projects from a similar solution-based perspective. Every client needed whatever technology he was looking to sell—to hit a sales goals, for margin’s sake, or both. But never in the client’s informed interest.

In consulting, we call this “a solution in search of a problem.”

Meanwhile, my delivery team was focused on identifying the client’s actual problems and creating informed solutions that met their user needs while simultaneously hitting their business goals. But because Albers sold our clients a package of goods that prioritized his needs over theirs, the most-effective solution was hamstrung. Rather than directly addressing the problem, we spent far more time and money than promised forcing his ill-advised solution to deliver what the client actually needed.

The proposed maps are not drawn in the electorate’s best interests. As happened in 2021, they’re gaming the process. And proving they’re untrustworthy stewards of our state’s democracy.

What do Georgia’s new maps mean for you?

Setting aside, for the moment, questions of motive and process, let’s look at what the state Republicans’ proposed political maps mean for those of us who live in the current 56 (East Cobb, Holly Springs, Mountain Park, Roswell, and Woodstock).

And a reminder: political maps are redrawn every 10 years in response to updated census data. So, to show the evolution of our representation, I’m including our current maps as well as the previous maps and the proposed changes emerging from the Special Session.

Your state Senate maps: 2014, 2021, and proposed.

There was a dramatic shift in the district between 2014 and 2021. After the 2020 census and John Albers’ very narrow win over challenger Sarah Beeson, the 56 was shifted away from Democratic-leaning precincts in the south toward Republican-leaning districts in Cherokee. And Beeson’s neighborhood was drawn out to eliminate her as a future threat.

Surprisingly, the proposed maps from this Special Session don’t change our state Senate district at all. So, for the moment, our lines hold.

Your state House maps: 2015, 2021, and proposed.

The same story is true for our state House districts: There was significant change between the 2015 and 2021 maps, but no change this past week.

Your state Congressional maps: 2012, 2021, and proposed.

Since the 2012, the 56 has been split between Congressional District 6 (East Cobb, Mountain Park, and Roswell) and CD11 (Holly Sprints and Woodstock).

The proposed maps, on the other hand, extend CD11 southward to include all of East Cobb while Mountain Park and Roswell are flipped to CD6. So—without any voice in the matter—East Cobb’s incumbent congressperson just switched from Rich McCormick to Barry Loudermilk. And Mountain Park and Roswell’s incumbent just switched back from Rich McCormick to Lucy McBath—a 180 reversal from just two years ago.

As of this writing, state House and Senate maps have been approved by the legislature. Next steps include the passage of the Congressional map and review by Judge Jones, the federal authority who’s ruling initiated this session in the first place.

People v. the process.

Gerrymandering our political maps isn’t a Democrat versus Republican issue. Historically, each party has abused this process.

It’s a people v. process issue.

The Republican-led legislature approved their new maps along party lines (they’re approving the Congressional map as I write this) and the governor is expected to sign them into law on Friday.

But in the next few weeks, US District Court Judge Steve Jones will have a chance to review the maps and determine whether they bring the state into compliance with his 516-page order and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

Judge Jones was very specific: Create seven majority black districts in the legislature—five in the state House and two in the Senate—and add an additional majority-black Congressional district. Do so, he ordered, without adversely disrupting or changing existing “minority opportunity” districts.

And while the state Senate or House maps are not without criticism, it’s our new Congressional map that appears to defy the court.

Republican mapmakers created a new majority-Black congressional district in Cobb, Douglas, Fulton and Fayette counties like the judge asked. But they did so, in part, by dismembering the majority-minority in southern Gwinnett and northern Fulton counties, which he forbade.

Republicans may be counting on the conservative Supreme Court to side with them against the judge—a risky gamble given the Supreme Court’s recent ruling against Alabama’s similar arrogance. After all, GOP lawyers claim, Lucy McBath’s victories in predominantly white or coalition districts proves the Voting Rights Act is outdated and the judge’s orders moot.

That’s a hell of a gamble. Because if Judge Jones finds the new maps in violation of his order, he’ll be the one appointing a Special Master to redraw our maps. Again. And hopefully before March’s candidate qualifications and May’s primary election.

It’s all so much theatre and an unnecessary gamble. An independent redistricting commission could’ve redrawn the maps with the proper focus: What map best represents the people of Georgia.

Meanwhile, under the Gold Dome …

In addition to all the map nonsense (more to come, I’m sure), our legislators used the Special Session to get a bunch of other business done.

Most of this extra business won’t affect most Georgians. Some vacancies were filled, some rules revised, and a lot of condolences (e.g. for the late First Lady Rosalynn Carter), commendations (e.g. for Walton’s coed competitive cheerleading squad), and congratulations (e.g. happy 200th McDonough!) were adopted.

But more notably, I think, they also …

Condemned Hamas and expressed support for Israel.
State Republican engineered a vote to both demonstrate their unified support for Israel and to highlight foreign-policy divisions among state Democrats. While the resolutions passed with bipartisan support, five senators and 31 representatives—all Democrats —abstained.
Expressed support the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
In addition to announcing their support for “Cop City,” legislators also voted to condemn “domestic terrorism” against the site and claimed most opposition to the training center comes from outside of the state. The resolution passed 48 to five with bipartisan support but an amendment reassuring the public it’s safe to exercise their First Amendment right to protest failed 23 to 31.
Called for an end to the Certificate of Need law.
A Senate committee approved nine recommendations to repeal or overhaul the 44-year-old law that regulates how and where new medical facilities can be located. The current law enables hospital-monopoly control over local healthcare markets, often shutting out small and private medical outlets. The committee will next present its recommendations to the General Assembly when it reconvenes in January.
Extended Georgia’s motor fuel and diesel fuel tax cut.
Governor Kemp’s war on inflation continues at the pump—for now.

The Special session ends today.

JD JORDAN FOR GEORGIA STATE SENATE DISTRICT 56

For anyone in East Cobb, Roswell, or Woodstock alarmed by the state’s escalating attacks on our bodies, our families, our doctors’ offices, our classrooms and libraries, even our polling places, I’m running for state senate district 56 to fight for our freedoms and to deliver a better future for everyone in Georgia.

And unlike my opponent who’s spent 14 years rolling back our freedoms, failing to safeguard our kids, and gerrymandered his district to stay in office, I promise to bring everyone in the 56—regardless of ideology—the best possible constituent experience so you feel heard, valued, and supported. As we all deserve to be.

I’m running for the 56. Let’s make a better Georgia for all of us.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
Jordan For Georgia, LLC
10800 Alpharetta Hwy Ste 208 #629
Roswell, GA 30076-1467

jdjordan@forthe56.com
706.804.0456