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In a surprising move, Georgia Democratic state Representative Mesha Mainor announced her departure from the Democrat Party to join the GOP on Tuesday, July 11.
Mainor’s decision came after she voted in favor of a school choice bill earlier this year, despite facing opposition from her own party. As the only Democrat to support the bill, she experienced backlash and was even threatened with a primary challenge.
Reflecting on her experiences, Mainor shared, “When I stood up for disadvantaged children and advocated for school choice, my Democrat colleagues did not stand by me. Instead, the party establishment targeted me, with some going as far as offering incentives to anyone who would run against me.”
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Highlighting the mistreatment of the Black community by the Democratic Party, Mainor stated, “The Democrat Party has long taken advantage of and marginalized the Black community. My experience is just another example of this.”
Representative Mesha Mainor accuses Democrats of turning against her for being a strong advocate of school choice in a Twitter video. (Mesha Mainor)
The Democratic Party is out of touch with its members, particularly those in the Black community, when it comes to school choice. A recent June 2023 poll conducted by RealClear Opinion Research revealed that 71% of Americans support school choice, a 7-point increase from April 2020. Among Democrats, 66% are in favor of education freedom, and among Black voters, the support jumps to 73%.
Despite the widespread support for school choice across ideological lines, Democrats often prioritize the interests of teachers unions over empowering parents. This has created a gap between the party and the evolving opinions of American families.
By joining the GOP, Mainor is taking a significant political risk in her deep blue district near Atlanta. However, her decision showcases her courage and determination to fight for educational opportunities for all children in Georgia.
Georgia House Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones commended Mainor, stating, “Representative Mainor has demonstrated courage in standing by her convictions. She has tirelessly advocated for school choice, aiming to provide Georgia families trapped in failing public schools with more options. We warmly welcome her to our team.”
Mainor emphasized that her decision was not driven by political motivations but by moral principles. She firmly stated, “I will never apologize for being a black woman with a mind of my own.”
Mainor is not the only Democrat who has switched parties due to their support for school choice. Earlier this year, North Carolina Representative Tricia Cotham made a similar move, giving House Republicans the necessary votes to override a veto from their Democrat Governor, Roy Cooper, who opposed school choice.
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Democratic Governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois have expressed support for private school choice programs leading up to the midterm elections. However, Pritzker failed to save the Illinois scholarship program for low-income families, and Shapiro ultimately yielded to the pressure from teachers unions after initially voicing his support for school choice on Fox News.
Although these defections among Democrats have not yet sparked a bipartisan movement for school choice, the tides are gradually turning. Lawmakers like Mainor and Cotham, who stand with families, are exerting pressure on other politicians to reevaluate their positions.
Although school choice support is strong across ideological lines, Democrats by and large take their cues from the teachers unions, who are more focused on maintaining power than empowering parents.
As Nobel Laureate economist Milton Friedman famously stated, “the way you solve things is by making it politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing.” The time has come for school choice, and families are awakening to the failures of remote learning enforced by teachers unions. They are now paying attention and holding politicians accountable.
Both political parties have an opportunity to attract voters and legislators by addressing the popular issue of parental rights in education. The Democratic Party must adapt to the changing times and listen to their constituents, not just the teachers unions, if they want to secure long-term success.
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Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children, contributed to this article.
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