Parent Press - September 2025

Cause for Celebration - Debra Shigley 

Don't despair over Debra Shigley's loss of Senate District 21 in the special election this week. Her performance was an historic victory for Democrats in a very red district heavily gerrymandered to make sure it stays that way. Debra has again proven herself a viable candidate for Democrats moving forward and is a prime example of the incremental steps we must take to turn Georgia purple. Just 10 months ago, Republican Brandon Beach soared to re-election in SD 21 with 70% of the vote. Debra moved the needle significantly by taking nearly 40% of the vote for Democrats this time. And, with very little time to reach voters.  

Many of you donated to and volunteered for Debra's campaign. Thank you so much! I, and the rest of the GA Senate Democrats, are thrilled about the progress made in the northern exurbs in this race.

Please listen to my comments below explaining the long game when it comes to flipping districts. Congratulations to Debra for her resilience and for an impactful campaign!

Let me explain why we should be excited and ecouraged by Debra Shigley’s performance in the SD21 special election.

Vote for a Different PSC

Even though it's an off-year for federal and state elections generally, there are still so many important elections around the corner! As I have shared previously, 2 unusual elections for Public Service Commissioner are on Nov 4th.

The Public Service Commission determines what you pay for electricity and how quickly or slowly Georgia Power transitions away from fossil fuels, among other responsibilities. The upcoming runoff election is critically important if you care about utility bill affordability or climate change. Currently, the PSC is and has been controlled by Republicans, and it's high time to have some diversity of opinion on the PSC! 

That's why these elections are so significant. With big threats like data centers supporting artificial intelligence and Vogtle nuclear power plants increasing rates, we need regulation that is going to prioritize the people. Alicia Johnson is running for District 2 and Peter Hubbard is running for District 3; they can bring in new ideas and usher in change.  

Georgia is a big state, and running for office statewide is an expensive endeavor. I'm doing all I can to help our candidates raise funds. Please join me at my home on October 13th, 6pm, for a fundraiser for Peter Hubbard for District 3. Peter has an energy background, knows why our bills are so high, and has a plan for lowering rates and quickly transitioning to cleaner energy. I hope you can join me for this event, RSVP RSVP HERE!

NOTE: YOU MAY VOTE IN BOTH DISTRICTS. Check your voter registration. You must register by  Monday, October 6 to vote on Tuesday, November 4. Advance voting begins October 14. Mark your calendar now!

Suicide Prevention Month

September is Suicide Prevention Month, which lays heavy on my heart as I have spent a lot of time at the Capitol learning about suicidal ideation and how we can prevent unnecessary loss of life. One of those methods is a measure I have been working on called Donna's Law, or SB 224, aptly named after Donna Nathan, who very sadly took her own life with a newly purchased firearm in 2018 while experiencing a mental health crisis.

A part of a string of common sense gun control bills, this legislation is designed to prevent similar tragedies by allowing individuals to voluntarily add themselves to a "do-not-sell" firearms registry to temporarily prohibit themselves from purchasing guns. Both pro-life and pro-choice, Donna's Law gives people the freedom to protect themselves from needless, tragic death. The law also gives mental health professionals, family members and law enforcement a tool to offer anyone who is suffering from suicidal ideation. I am working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this legislation. Learn more about Donna's Law and suicide prevention here.

If you or a loved one has been touched by suicide, know that you are on my mind even more this month.  

Supporting Gun Safety

In addition to making sure firearms stay out of the hands of those who are a danger to themselves, I also work with Georgia Majority for Gun Safety to keep them away from kids. Please join us on October 7th at 6pm, at my house to support the gun safety agenda in Georgia. If you would like to get involved in the good fight to end gun violence, click here to become one of the Majority!

Charlie Kirk Shooting

Charlie Kirk's assassination is a devastating event in our politics.  Violence is never okay, but is often preventable. Political violence is the direct result of leaders stoking a political mob and constructing an us-versus-them mentality. I would argue that political violence is entirely preventable with good leadership. I am grateful that the Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, tried to avoid fanning any flames and that Erika Kirk said at her husband's funeral that she forgives her husband's murderer. These kinds of messages, instead of finger-pointing and divisive hyperbolic rhetoric, is welcome. I think it is safe to say that we are stuck in this moment of rabid hatred that fuels division and, yes, violence. Let's follow Gov. Cox's message to spend more time outside and with loves ones and less time online.  If you want to listen to his interview on our toxic political environment with Ezra Klein, one of my favorite podcasters, click here. You can also watch it on YouTube. 

We didn't get here overnight and we will not exit this scary roller coaster ride quickly. Incrementally, I believe we can make things better by not giving in to hate, by supporting mental health programs in our communities and, of course, by working with each other to pass common sense gun reform policies that will reduce the probability of more violence. 

Ending on a Great Note

I'm very excited to share that Emory University Undergrad will be tuition free to all families who earn less than 200k starting in 2026! This is a monumental step in the direction of making higher education accessible to all, and I could not be prouder to represent such an institution. To learn more about this great work or how you can become a part of the next generation of Eagles, look here!

 Thank You for Your Support!

And last - but never least:

Thank you for your support and for the honor to serve you in the Georgia State Senate. Contribute to help our office keep running!  My team cannot do it without your help. Contribute $5, $10, or $25 today!  Thank you for your support!