Georgia Democrats flip state House, Republicans hold Senate majority

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Democrats have secured a majority in the Georgia House of Representatives for the first time since 2004, setting up a transfer of legislative power and positioning Rep. Carolyn Hugley to become the first woman and first person of color to serve as speaker of the House.

Unofficial election returns from the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office show Democrats reaching the 91-seat threshold required for majority control in the 180-member chamber.

Combined with Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms’ gubernatorial victory, Democrats will hold the Governor’s Mansion and the state House in January, while Republicans retained control of the state Senate by a 29–27 margin.

House Democrats held a press conference Wednesday morning at the State Capitol to celebrate the outcome and outline transition plans.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Blue wave, Gold Dome: What’s next after Georgia Democrats’ historic night

“If my colleagues say so, I could become the next speaker of the House, the first woman elected speaker of the House, the first person of color to be the speaker of the House,” said Hugley, D-Columbus, who has served in the chamber for 34 years. “I’ve been at these elections a lot of times when we went home crying. And so it was hard for me to believe when the results came in as early as they did... it was overwhelming.”

In a statement Wednesday, outgoing House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, addressed the close margins across the state.

“While a few key seats remain within the recount margin, we still have a strong, resilient and committed caucus,” Burns said. “Our dedication to protecting Georgia’s conservative values has not—and will not—change. We will continue showing up for the job we were elected to do each and every day.”

Burns’ office stated it will coordinate with incoming leaders to ensure a professional administrative transition.

Gov. Brian Kemp also issued a formal statement confirming he will honor the election results and will not convene an emergency session to alter governing powers before leaving office.

“The voters of our state have spoken. As long as I’m governor, we will always respect the results of secure, accessible and fair elections,” Kemp said. “I will not be calling a special session of the Georgia General Assembly in order to curtail executive branch powers or debate redistricting changes. There are, however, budgetary issues that may need to be addressed before the convening of the regular session in January.”

RELATED COVERAGE: Gov. Kemp rejects special redistricting session, congratulates Bottoms on win

During Wednesday’s events, Democratic lawmakers commented on the historic nature of the election in relation to the Capitol’s artwork, which includes portraits and busts of Confederate officials and slaveholders.

“We have traitors to the United States on these walls, and they have been praised,” said state Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-Gwinnett. “And the Confederacy has been romanticized and praised all of this time.”

State Sen. RaShaun Kemp, D-Atlanta, said state artwork should reflect modern Georgia.

“It’s about time that our Capitol reflects the diversity of what we see here in this hallway right now, what we see in our chambers, and respect the culture, respect the history, but also acknowledge the trailblazers that have come before us, and all of them did not just look white,” Sen. Kemp said.

Across the rotunda, Republicans hold a narrow two-seat advantage in the 56-member Senate, where bills require a constitutional majority of 29 votes to pass.

Democratic Lieutenant Governor-elect Josh McLaurin, who will preside over the Senate, noted the tight operational margin facing Senate Republicans.

“Somebody could be in the bathroom or go to a doctor’s appointment,” McLaurin said. “That kind of thing would frustrate their ability to pass a bill with only Republican votes.”

Lawmakers from both parties acknowledged that the divided legislature will require bipartisan negotiation to pass the state budget and statutory legislation.

What to know: Upcoming dates and remaining races

• Chamber organization: The Georgia General Assembly officially convenes on Monday, Jan. 11, 2027, when House members will formally vote to elect the speaker.
• House District 151 runoff: In southwest Georgia’s House District 151, Republican incumbent Mike Cheokas received 49.43% of the vote against Democrat Ethan Wolfe (38.97%) and independent Travis Lockhart (11.59%). Because no candidate crossed 50%, Cheokas and Wolfe will advance to a general election runoff on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026.
• Recount provisions: Under O.C.G.A. § 21-2-495, a candidate defeated by 0.5% or less may request a recount within two business days following official statewide certification. In House District 103, Republican incumbent Soo Hong trailed Democrat Chris Luchey by 27 votes.