Latest Bottoms Puts Medicaid Expansion at Center of First Budget
☁ 52°F Clear · AtlantaFORECAST
ATLANTA, GA · METRO ATLANTA EDITION · SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2026
HERE City Network
HEREAtlanta
Why It Matters. HERE!
Politics

Georgia GOP Chair Says Party Must Rebuild

Published November 7, 2026 at 8:07 am | By HERE City State Desk, Staff Reporter

ES&S DS450 central-count ballot scanner of the kind county election offices use to tabulate ballots
From the HERE City State Desk

ATLANTA, Ga. — State Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon said Thursday that frustration after Democrats swept Georgia’s statewide races is understandable, and he cast the next half-year as a rebuild aimed at the 2028 cycle.

McKoon listed three reasons for Tuesday’s result: supporters who never made it to the polls, a Democratic base that showed up stronger than in a usual midterm, and swing voters who leaned hard toward Democrats. He said participation south of Interstate 20 fell short of what the party needed relative to four years earlier.

HERE CITY BUSINESS DIRECTORYOwn a business in Atlanta? Get listed HERE.Free basic listing. Premium features available.
ADD YOUR BUSINESS →

As returns piled up, the party released a statement saying the night was not the finish candidates sought, promising to honor the electorate and to fortify county organizations, invite fresh voices and grow leaders who listen. McKoon said the governor, Senate and House campaigns largely worked apart and rarely looked coordinated, which damaged the ticket.

He added that House Republicans largely charted their own course and made expensive choices on money and tactics that might have saved seats and kept the majority. Going forward, McKoon said leaders will spend coming months outlining a platform that covers rural and urban Georgia for candidates to share.

Pressed on whether the losses judged President Donald Trump, McKoon argued they tracked political fallout from foreign-policy choices rather than a demand to scrap the movement that rose in 2016. He expects the next presidential nominee to keep many of those themes.

Democrats now hold every statewide constitutional office decided Tuesday and are set to organize the state House for the first time in more than 20 years, leaving Republicans to regroup while a Democratic governor-elect prepares for January.

POLITICS SPONSOR — AARP — Real possibilities for 50+
JOIN AARP →
📅 This space available in 3 days — local advertisers get priority. Claim it →

Section: More Atlanta GA politics news

Filed under: Atlanta GA Politics News

What's Happening
What does the state GOP chair say went wrong?
McKoon cited low Republican turnout south of I-20, a stronger Democratic turnout and independents breaking for Democrats.
How does the party plan to respond?
Leaders pledged to fortify county parties and spend six months casting a shared agenda ahead of 2028.
Did McKoon blame President Trump?
He tied the losses to foreign-policy political costs but still expects 2028 nominees to echo that movement.
HERE City State Desk
HERE Atlanta · POLITICS

HERE is a staff reporter for HERE Atlanta covering local news, community stories, and developments across Fulton County. HERE is committed to accurate, community-first journalism.

Contact HERE
HEREmention Get Your Business Found in AI BE THE ANSWER. When customers ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google AI who to hire — your name comes up. Learn More

POLITICS NEWS NEAR ATLANTA GA

Politics coverage from the 10 closest HERE cities.