Rep. Mesha Mainor (D-GA) announced Tuesday that she is leaving the Democratic Party.
Mainor has represented the state’s 56th Congressional District since January 2021 and is joining the Republican Party as of Tuesday. Earlier this year, Mainor was the only Democrat to vote “yes” on S.B. 233, a bill that would have expanded Georgia’s voucher program to give $6,500 to the families of Georgia public school students in the bottom 25% academically.
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“I represent a blue district in the city of Atlanta so this wasn’t a political decision for me,” Mainor wrote on social media. “It was a MORAL one. I will NEVER apologize for being a black woman with a mind of my own.”
My name is Rep. Meisha Mainor and today I made the decision to leave the Democrat Party.
I represent a blue district in the city of Atlanta so this wasn’t a political decision for me. It was a a MORAL one.
I will NEVER apologize for being a black woman with a mind of my own. pic.twitter.com/q3snDGejCN
— Rep. Mesha Mainor (@MeshaMainor) July 11, 2023
Mainor explained that her Democratic colleagues “crucified” her after she voiced her support for school choice; her party also “abandoned” her when she “refused to support efforts to defund the police.
“For far too long, the Democrat Party has gotten away with using and abusing the black community,” she said. “For decades, the Democrat Party has received the support of more than 90% of the black community. And what do we have to show for it?”
Kelly Loeffler, a former Georgia senator, voiced her support for Mainor’s decision to leave the Democratic Party, and was “grateful for her conviction.” Mainor gave her thanks to Loeffler.
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The Georgia Republican Party also welcomed Mainor in a statement on social media.
“Georgia Republican Party State Chairman @JoshMcKoon welcomes Representative @MeshaMainor to the Republican Party: This is a historic day for Georgia Republicans.”
Georgia Republican Party State Chairman @JoshMcKoon welcomes Representative @MeshaMainor to the Republican Party: “This is a historic day for Georgia Republicans.”
— GAGOP (@GaRepublicans) July 11, 2023
Mainor is one of several Democratic lawmakers to announce their departure from the party over the past year. In October 2022, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) announced she was leaving the party, denouncing lawmakers on the Left for promoting policies that “[racialize] every issue & stoke anti-white racism.”
Good for @SenatorSinema! I hope more of our elected leaders act independently, aka in the interests of the people.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2022
Similarly, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) announced in December of last year that she would leave the Democratic Party and would register as an independent. Her decision was praised by billionaire and current Twitter CEO Elon Musk.
