In an Upset, Democrats Oust Two Republicans on Georgia’s Utility Board

NY Times ^ | Nov 5, 2025 | David W Chen

[CondoleezzaProtege]

In an upset, Democrats ousted two Republican members of Georgia’s utility board on Tuesday, according to preliminary results from the secretary of state's office.

The closely watched races for two of the five seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission had been viewed not only as a referendum on rising electric bills but also as a bellwether for next year’s contests for governor and U.S. Senate.

Since 2007, no Democrat has served on the commission, whose members have six-year terms. But the two Democratic candidates tapped into anger over rising electric bills at a time when prices have risen sharply across the country. Over the last two years, the commission has approved six rate increases for Georgia Power, the state’s largest electric provider.

The obscure but powerful commission is ordinarily an electoral afterthought. In 2020, however, a federal lawsuit contended that the statewide elections for commission seats, which represent geographic districts, were unfair to Black voters. An appeals court eventually ruled against the plaintiffs, but the legal battle delayed elections for the commission. That set the stage for Tuesday’s races, the only statewide elections in Georgia this year.

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TOPICS: Georgia; Parties; State and Local
KEYWORDS: 2026midterms; democrat; georgia; redstate; republican; swingstate

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Pennsylvania had some things like this too…

So no, yesterday’s wins were not just in bluest blue zones.

[Gen.Blather]

I only heard the Democrat’s ads. It was a black woman promising that they would not raise the rates.

If the company needs higher rates and doesn’t get it, the service will suffer. The implication of the ads was that the company is just being greedy. This probably won’t end well.

I’m seeing a theme in the Democrat wins. It’s all about how frustrated everyone is over their decrease in lifestyle which I think started under Obama and only got worse.

[Bayard]

Basically, because Republicans had infighting and how they mostly didn’t fight for elections after 2024, they lost.

There is no such thing as a complete one term forever win in elections. There’s always another election.

[JZelle]

I wonder how many data centers they have down there.

[ncalburt]

GA is trending Blue Big time .
GA has two hard left Senators .
And We just barely won the GA Gov race.
GA will be blue by 26 or 28 .
Massive foreign voter invasion in Atlanta via H1 Visas and three major Universities from China Muslims Indians Mexicans .
GA Tech looks like Beijing Tech .
Visit and you will be shocked .

We need to get a grip here .

[Theodore R.]

Jimmy Carter is still smiling over the decay of GA.

[Third Person]

Dems rule dem slave states

[cowboyusa]

We don’t come out for these races. We need to start doing that.

[cowboyusa]

Ok, loser

[balch3]

The commission approved a rate hike so consumers would pay for the construction of data center power plants. This was absolutely a reaction to that.

[ncalburt]

Facts and truth scare you .
So you attack the facts .
GA will flip real soon .
Two hard left senators who replace two Bushes
say it all .

[ncalburt]

Yes he and Rosalyn the real hard core lefty are .

[CondoleezzaProtege]

That’s concerning! Marjorie Taylor Greene is well aware.

[cowboyusa]

No, i’m not scared. Orsoff is going down in 2026. He is GAR too left wing for Georgia. GA is not a blue State, not at all

[cowboyusa]

Yes, and more Conservative Canidatescwill run in 2026

[JZelle]

We’re going through the same thing here in blue MD. This isn’t partisan, just simple corruption.

[Theoria]

I saw this the other day about MD.

Farmers fight an 'extension cord' for data centers

Tensions over a proposed 67-mile transmission line have rocked Maryland's farming communities, as the nation’s largest grid operator says data centers are driving power demands.