Four prominent former officials in Georgia are joining the Democracy Defense Project, a national group aiming to counter efforts to undermine people’s trust in elections. Former Gov. Nathan Deal, former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, former Gov. Roy Barnes, and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin are working together to push back against misinformation and dangerous political agendas that erode confidence in the electoral process. The group plans to seek news coverage, raise money for advertisements, and move beyond polarizing rhetoric to restore confidence in America’s electoral process. They are focusing on states where Democrats and Republicans are competitive in elections.
The announcement of the Democracy Defense Project comes just two days before the first debate of the 2024 campaign between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump in Atlanta. Trump’s criticism of Georgia’s Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after the 2020 election for not helping him overturn legitimate results has fueled continued upheaval in Georgia’s politics and election policy. Despite multiple recounts confirming the results, Trump continues to sow doubts about the last presidential election and warn his followers, without evidence, that Democrats will try to cheat in the upcoming one.
Recent polls show that only 22% of Republicans have high confidence that votes will be counted accurately in the upcoming elections. A survey by the Brennan Center for Justice found that nearly 40% of local election officials have experienced threats or harassment, causing many to leave their jobs. Former Gov. Roy Barnes expressed concern about the harmful consequences of undermining America’s core values for ‘We the People’. Former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, a long-time advocate for Georgia’s election system, defended Secretary of State Raffensperger against Trump’s attacks after the 2020 election, stating that there was no widespread fraud.
The four Georgia officials joining the Democracy Defense Project are part of a larger coalition of Republicans and Democrats working to affirm the security of elections across the United States. This group includes a coalition of Republican election officials coordinated by the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and the center-right think tank R Street Institute. The aim of these groups is to rally Republicans to defend the integrity of American elections and avoid casting doubt on election results in various locales. The ongoing efforts to restore confidence in the electoral process are crucial in the face of disinformation and political agendas that seek to undermine trust in democracy.
As the 2024 election season approaches, the need to address and counteract efforts to sow distrust in the American electoral process becomes increasingly urgent. Prominent former officials in Georgia and across the country are coming together to push back against misinformation, polarizing rhetoric, and dangerous political agendas that threaten the bedrock of the nation. With the rise of threats and harassment against local election officials, the importance of safeguarding the integrity of elections and restoring confidence in the electoral process cannot be overstated. By joining forces and speaking out in defense of how American elections are run, these leaders are working towards ensuring that ‘We the People’ can have faith in the democratic process and the fairness of election outcomes.
