It is no secret that the political climate in the US has been drastically shifting over the course of the past few years. With a new president, democrats gaining control of the Senate, and a violent insurrection occurring at the nation’s capital just weeks ago, it is clear the political shift and widening of the US political spectrum have been extremely tenuous and abrupt. This shift is particularly clear in Georgia. Georgia recently held two runoff elections for the U.S. Senate on January 5, 2021. Since no candidate received the majority of the total votes on November 3, 2020, the elections went to run-offs between the top 2 candidates. Democrats won both runoffs and therefore gained control of the U.S. Senate. While social media, news, and countless political outlets and voters helped make this flip possible, one woman at the core of this issue has been critical in the attempt to turn Georgia Blue for the past several years. Georgia’s newfound status as a swing state, ultimately ensuring democracy in Congress, is thanks in large part to Stacey Abrams. Stacey Abrams is the former minority leader of the Georgia state senate and has spent nearly a decade building democratic infrastructure in the state of Georgia. She has spent countless hours campaigning and inspiring voters leading up to the 2020 election. Abrams has designated years of her life to make Georgia a democratic state by founding organizations like The New Georgia Project and Fair Fight to help inspire voters and increase turnout. These organizations both focus on voting rights and how so many are working together to inspire people to value their vote. Although Abrams intends to run for governor again in 2022, she has become one of the most influential American political figures, even without holding office. She has shown what monumental landmarks can be achieved if people value their voice and get out and spread the vote. 

While Abrams has been noted as one of the most influential and crucial figures in helping to flip the Senate, there have been a handful of other women in politics who have all worked together for decades to aid in transforming Georgia’s electorate. Rebecca DeHart is the CEO of Fair Count, a non-profit focused on getting out the vote, and has been vital to the liberalization of the Georgia electorate. Other women like Deborah Scott, Tamieka Atkins, Helen Butler, and Nse Ufot are also admirable for their work and commitment to getting young voters out there. These powerful and outspoken women are some of the most responsible for the recent flip of the senate and of the electorate and majority in Georgia. “I am excited to see what new change this brings for pending issues going before the U.S. Senate; this could be a chance to bring about new issues and transform the political climate. This has a bigger impact than it may seem,” said one student. Many feel similarly about the transformative capabilities of this particular election. While the voter turnout and number of people voting for their specific candidate and preferred candidate ultimately determines the outcome of the election, there is no denying that this handful of women ultimately had an extraordinary effect on this monumental election. “I’m exhilarated to see more women getting out to spread the importance of voting and making huge changes politically. It makes me so inspired as a young woman to know that I could have just as big of an impact on something I care about in the future,” said Ana Pardo, ‘24. The importance and impact that representation and inclusion have in politics cannot be understated, specifically in an election as consequential and historic as 2020. Abram’s campaign to make Georgia a competitive state on the national level has paved the way for a diverse, multicultural party to claim the majority and lead the way forward.