New data from Georgia shows that voters in the state are flocking away from Republicans as figures like Donald Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) tighten their grip on the party.
According to a new Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, Republicans will head into 2022 “in a dire political position” as Democrats in Georgia are viewed much more favorably than their GOP counterparts.
AJC reported that the new poll “offered a glimpse at political challenges ahead as state Republicans grapple with former President Donald Trump’s enduring grip on the party’s base as statewide elections, including a fresh U.S. Senate race, loom in 2022.”
GOP Gov. Brian Kemp’s approval rating stands at a dismal 42 percent, with 51 percent disapproving of his job performance. Trump is even less popular in the state, with 57 percent viewing him unfavorably.
Meanwhile, top Democrats in the state – including Stacey Abrams and the two new Democratic senators she helped elect – are seeing positive approval ratings.
More from AJC:
A slight majority of Georgians have a positive impression of Stacey Abrams, the Democrat who narrowly lost to Kemp in 2018 and is widely expected to mount a rematch. About 51% of Georgians see her in a favorable light, including 10% of Republicans, while 41% view her unfavorably.
Fresh from their upset victories, the state’s two new Democratic U.S. senators are on solid footing. About 50% of Georgians have a favorable view of Ossoff, compared with 40% unfavorable. And Warnock, facing a reelection bid next year, has a 54% approval rating, with 37% disapproving of him.
Ditching Trump and MTG would be good for the country – and smart politics
Not only would it be good for the country for the Republican Party to distance itself from MAGA extremists like Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene, but it would also be good politics.
The data is as clear as ever that the MAGA base is not representative of how the broader electorate views Trump and his loyalists. It’s partly why Georgia appears to be shifting away from the GOP in a very real, sustainable way.
It’s long been obvious that the Republican Party isn’t interested in doing what’s right for the country. But if they care about the long-term survival of the party, they should kick Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene and other MAGA extremists to the curb.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.