Georgia Democratic state Representative Mesha Mainor announced Tuesday, July 11, that she “made the decision to leave the Democrat Party” to join the GOP.
Earlier this year, Mainor was the only Democrat to vote for a school choice bill that ultimately died in the Georgia House after passing the Senate along party lines. Her party leadership wasn’t happy.
“When I decided to stand up on behalf of disadvantaged children in support of school choice, my Democrat colleagues didn’t stand by me,” Mainor told Fox News digital. Much worse than not standing with her, the party establishment made her a target, with some even promising a blank check to whomever would primary her.
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“For far too long, the Democrat Party has gotten away with using and abusing the Black community,” Mainor said. Her story is just the latest example.
On school choice, the Democratic Party is badly out of touch with its members, especially the Black community whose interests it claims to support. A new June 2023 poll from RealClear Opinion Research found that 71% of Americans support school choice, up 7 points from April 2020. That support for education freedom includes 66% support among Democrats and 73% support among Black voters.
Although school choice support is strong across ideological lines, Democrats by and large take their cues from the teachers unions, who are more focused on maintaining power than empowering parents.
Mainor took a big political risk on Tuesday. Holding her deep blue district near Atlanta will be an uphill battle if she chooses to run for the same office as a Republican. This fact shows true courage on Mainor’s part.
As Georgia House Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones said Tuesday, “Representative Mainor has demonstrated a courage of her convictions that I admire. She has fought to give choice to Georgia families trapped in failing public schools, and…
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