Trump Is President* Again
The November Surprise Is Here
Welcome to my newsletter, The Breakdown with King Williams. I am a documentary filmmaker, journalist, podcast host, and author in Atlanta, Georgia. This newsletter covers Atlanta's hidden connections to everything.
Please note that GA totals are not final but are based on the Secretary of State’s data set with additional context via Georgia Votes,
National totals are still being compiled. However, this article refers to data from the New York Times, AJC, NPR, and CBS via local election hubs.
There will be more breakdowns of the election later today.
Donald Trump has won Georgia.
Georgia is once again Trump Country. The former president once again won in Georgia after winning in 2016 before losing by less than 12,000 votes in 2020. Trump will pull just above his 2020 total. Despite the enthusiasm, the Peach State turned red again after a blue mirage in 2020.
Republicans also win big statewide.
For the Republicans, this comes as a bonus as the statewide totals show them comfortably retaining their gerrymandered leads in the state House and Senate.
All Three Georgia Amendments Pass
Another win for state Republicans comes from all three statewide amendments' voter approval.
Property and Homestead Exemptions
If counties want to opt out of the property tax exemption, they must do so as soon as January 1st, 2025, but no later than March 1st, 2025. The new exemptions, in combination with Governor Kemp’s continued spending of the state budget surplus, including a proposed refund of over 1 billion dollars to some Georgia residents.
Also, reducing the personal income tax to 4.99% will further deteriorate the operating budget of future local and statewide governments. The move also sets up a scenario that could lead to higher secondary taxes or increases in taxes within other parts of local municipal budgets.
New Tax Court
The voters also approved the creation of a new tax court, which would see the governor directly select appointees to judgeships and not via an open election. Kemp is following in the footsteps of his predecessor and current unqualified State Chancellor, Sonny Perdue, by continually stacking state courts with hand-selected picks. This new tax court would handle all personal and business tax matters.
2. The other Georgia 2024 races
Fani Willis wins re-election.
Fulton County prosecutor Fani Willis won re-election. Willis faced a far-right candidate who did better than expected. Willis will now have to face a public reputation that’s taken a bit of a setback after the long-gestating YSL trial winding down over the last few weeks. As well as her handling of the case against Donald Trump being taken from her purview and the attempts at professional embarrassment that came from it.
Willis was seen as the prosecutor with the best case against Trump for his attempt at stealing the 2020 election. Now that he has won the 2024 election, Trump could be in revenge mode once he takes office in January 2025, when prosecutors like Willis could be caught in the crosshairs.
Georgia US House Races
In the US House races, there were little surprises. HD1 will see incumbent Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R) win re-election. US HD2 will see Sanford Bishop hold on to his seat in a tight election against A. Wayne Johnson (R). Brian Jack (R) wins HD3. Hank Johnson (D) retains HD4. Nikema Williams (D) retains HD5. Lucy McBath (D) retains HD6. Rich McCormick (R) retains HD7. Austin Scott (R) retains HD8. Andrew Clyde (R) retains HD9. Mike Collins (R) retains HD10. Barry Loudermilk (R) retains HD11. Rick Allen (R) retains HD12. David Scott (D) retains HD13. Majorie Taylor Greene (R) retains HD14.
State House Races
Like the State Senate, the State House races were not close, with some exceptions. In HD37, incumbent Mary Frances Williams (D) held off challenger Shea Taylor (R) by roughly 3,000 votes. In HD48, incumbent Scott Hilton (R) retained his seat by ~3,300 votes. Rising star of the state Democratic Party Michelle Au (D) held on to her HD50 seat against challenger Narender Reddy. Another vocal state dem, Esther Panitch (D) HD51, held on to her seat with just over 3,000 votes against challenger Derek Keith Gettman (R).
Republican Debrah Silcox retains her HD53 seat by just under 1,500 votes against challenger Susie Greenberg. Former Democrat turned Republican Mesha Mainor loses her seat HD56 to newcomer Bryce Berry (D) in a blowout. In HD 81, Noelle Kahaian (R) picks up a seat for the GOP against Mishael White (D). While incumbent Pattie Marie Stinson (D) HD150 holds her seat against challenger Cary Moore.
Too Close To Call Races
In the closest race of the night, incumbent Mack Johnson (D) is currently retaining his HD128 seat by just 47 votes (as of the time of this publication) against challenger Tracy Wheeler (R).
Incumbent Farooq Mughal (D) lost his seat against challenger Sandy Donatucci by (at the time of publication) 87 votes. In another tight race, HD108, incumbent Jasmine Clark (D) will retain her seat against challenger Elvia Davila (R) by just over 2,200 votes. In HD145, Democrat Tangie Herring leads challenger Noah Redding Harbuck (R) by 251 votes.
2. Donald Trump Is President, Again
The 45th President is now the 47th President.
Based on current totals, Donald Trump will once again be the president of the United States. Trump will likely win every swing state, Alaska, Maine, the entire South, and most of the Midwest. Despite having one of the most disastrous single terms and one of the worst campaigns of all time, Trump's comeback didn’t matter. Voters have a short memory. The culture wars and the Biden administration's real support of wars in Ukraine and Israel worked to have many voters sour on the Democrats.
Trump’s Comeback Is Unprecedented
Outside of Trump, only four former presidents have sought re-election. Trump becomes only the second president after Grover Cleveland to win the presidency after losing previously. Trump also joins Cleveland as the only two presidents to occupy as a major party nominee in three consecutive elections. Trump is also the first president since the passage of the 22nd Amendment to run for president to seek a non-consecutive term.
White Voters Are Trump Voters, And So Are Some Minorities Too
Based on exit polling in Georgia and nationally, white voters again backed Trump. Trump’s best performance in three attempts will now see white voters, regardless of income, education, and age, shift further to the right. Trump’s performance amongst non-white voters, including many Latinos, was his best in three attempts. Trump also gained with Asian and Arab Americans, who may have tipped Michigan to Trump.
Whether or not Trump gained with black voters remains to be seen. Exit polling shows a similar level of support in 2024 as in 2020. What hasn’t been further studied are black voters of heavy religious convictions who stayed at home over culture war issues such as transgender issues and abortion.
The US Will Be Regressing
Expect an America that regresses to levels unseen in US history. The last time the US regressed this fast on a policy and cultural level was at the end of Reconstruction, which ended abruptly in 1877. Reconstruction ended 12 years of social, racial, and economic progress, sending the US into 89 years of domestic apartheid known as Jim Crow.
Trump has promised mass deportations, tariffs, and attacking the media, all hallmarks of authoritarianism. Project 2025 is the most well-known plan backed by some of Trump’s previous staff and large conservative backers.
Everything Is On The Table
Everything. Project 2025. Mass Deportations. Abortion Bans. Everything is on the table. Make America Great Again has won again. There is no idea what happens next.
God Help Us All.
-KJW
It's something to think about that many people voted (or not) according to the dictates of their conscience, and this is the result. Helluva thing.