More than 50 people attended a Lake County Democrats get-together on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
The strategy session focused on supporting Kamala Harris for president and the few other Democratic candidates in state and local races. The group discussed using campaigning techniques such as mailing postcards to registered voters, knocking on doors, advertising on billboards, and waving signs at passing cars.
Melanie Miller, candidate for the District 124 State Representative seat currently held by Trey Rhodes, was at the meeting. She told the group that her main focus is on women’s issues, affordable housing, and mental health. As a veteran, she supports a ban on assault weapons.
Another Democrat on the Greene County ballot is retired school teacher Kristine Marchelle Mapp, who faces former Lake Oconee Academy CEO Otho Tucker in the race for chairman of the Greene County Board of Education.
Democrats have an uphill battle in Lake Country. Georgia may be considered purple, but these counties are mostly a solid red.
In the 2020 presidential election, 62.8 percent of the 11,247 ballots cast in Greene County went to then-president Donald Trump, and former Vice President Joe Biden received 36.3 percent. The ratios were even more red in Putnam and Morgan counties, with both voting about 70 percent for Trump and 29 percent for Biden.
In the 2022 governor's race, Greene County split closer to the other two counties, with 70 percent for Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and 29 percent for Democrat Stacey Abrams.
Baldwin is the only purple lake county. In 2020, it barely went for Biden over Trump, 50 percent to 49 percent. In 2022, Kemp won with 53 percent to Abrams’ 46 percent.
The Lake Country Democrats group has 210 members on its Facebook page, primarily from Greene County, but co-lead Anne Koppelmann says the group is open to like-minded people from around Lake Country.
The group is not affiliated with the official Georgia Democratic Party but similarly works to support local, state, and national Democratic candidates.