Twenty of Georgia’s WIN List endorsed candidates were elected on Tuesday, November 3, 2004!

There will be 4 "new faces" when the Georgia General Assembly convenes in January—Steen Miles in the Senate and Roberta Abdul-Salaam, Shelia Jones, and Jane Kidd in the House. In addition, your financial support helped to re-elect 4 women in the Senate and 12 women in the House.

This is good postelection news indeed when results for Democrats, nationally and statewide, was not so good. Yes, 6 of our endorsed candidates, including 2 incumbents lost their races. But, we congratulate them for their tremendous efforts and remind ourselves that often it takes more than one campaign to win an election. To us, you remain winners!

The proven leadership and experience of our WIN-endorsed incumbents and the enthusiasm and energy of our newly elected women will be needed as both the Georgia House and Senate shift to Republican control for the first time since Reconstruction. During the next two years, we can expect many legislative battles over choice and other values we hold dear. The women you have helped to elect will be eloquent advocates for choice and economic, educational, and legal equality for all women. You, the supporters of Georgia’s WIN List, can be very proud of the $82,000 in contributions made to endorsed candidates during this election cycle. We are the only political action committee in Georgia exclusively devoted to electing more women to the Georgia General Assembly and statewide office. We could not have written these checks to our 26 endorsed candidates without your generosity. In addition, Georgia was a priority state for the EMILY’s List Political Opportunity Program, and more than $40,000 in checks from that organization was distributed to Georgia’s WIN List endorsed candidates.

Incumbent candidates who were endorsed by WIN List and wound up with no opposition were Senator Horacena Tate (SD 38), Representatives “Able” Mable Thomas (HD 55), Kathy Ashe (HD 56), Nan Grogan Orrock (HD 58), Mary Margaret Oliver (HD 83), and Karla Drenner (HD 86).

Several of our candidates won their legislative seats by defeating their primary opposition. In Senate District 2, Regina Thomas (I) defeated her primary opposition to win the contest for that Senate seat. Sheila Jones, House District 44, and Pat Gardner (I), House District 57, both overcame primary challenges to win their seats. Nikki Randall (I), House District 138, and Michele Henson (I), House District 87, both had opponents who have subsequently dropped out of their races. 

Of those women who had opposition in the General Election for seats in the Georgia Senate, Gloria Butler (I), Senate District 55, was re-elected and will be the most senior woman in the Georgia Senate. Valencia Seay (I),Senate District 34, capitalized on her history of service in the Georgia House and Senate to defeat her Republican challenger.

Faye Smith (I),Senate District 25, lost her rematch against the Republican challenger she defeated in the previous election.

Becky Vaughn, Senate District 46, lost a hard-fought campaign to recapture a seat lost to Democrats in the last election.

In races for seats in the Georgia House of Representatives, Alisha Thomas Morgan (I), House District 39, the first African-American ever elected to represent Cobb County, defeated her Republican challenger and returns to the House.

Roberta Abdul-Salaam, House District 74, defeated her Republican opposition to become a new face in the House.

Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (I), House District 85, a champion for choice and women’s issues defeated her Republican opposition.

Pam Stephenson (I), House District 92, has a demonstrated record of more than 15 years of legal and government service, and she hopes to continue that legacy with a defeat of her Republican opponent.

Jane Vandiver Kidd, House District 115, defeated her Republican opponent to fill the seat previously held by Louise McBee who, during her more than 13 years of service in the Georgia House, has been a vocal advocate for choice and was recently honored by Georgia’s WIN List.

Alberta Anderson (I), House District 123, will be continuing a nearly ten-year career of service in the Georgia House after her re-election victory.

Debbie Buckner (I), House District 130, defeated her Republican opposition in her race for a second term.

Pat Rhudy, House District 18, a political newcomer, lost her brave run for office in a majority Republican district.

Pat Dooley (I), House District 38, who began her political career with a bid for the Georgia General Assembly in 2000, lost a tough race against Republican opposition for her seat.

Jan Hackney, House District 48, and Dawn Randolph, House District 109, lost their bids for office, but they both made waves by running strong campaigns in traditionally Republican strongholds.