This analysis by Peach Pundit shows that many liberals are not happy with either the timing or substance of DOJ’s approval of historic redistricting maps in Georgia.  The approval put a stamp of approval of an absolute Republican realignment in the Peach State.  The Democrats should not be surprised at DOJ approval as the proposed maps actually increased minority representation in the legislature.  Minorities should take note how long the Democratic Party establishment kept minority representation numbers artificially low.  The answer would be decades.

Republican political consultant Mark Rountree estimates the new maps will give Georgia a constitutional majority in both the House and Senate, with at least 2/3 of each body held by Republicans. He estimates 122 of 180 Georgia House seats will be held by Republicans, while 37 of Georgia’s 56 Senate seats maintained by the GOP. In Congress, John Barrow’s 12th district will see the largest change, with the district now drawn to heavily favor a Republican challenger.

The officials elected from these new maps will most likely reflect the new racial realities of Georgia politics. Using Rountree’s estimates, the number of elected white Democrats in the Georgia General Assembly will likely be measured in the teens. Should the power of incumbency not outweigh the partisan math of the redrawn 12th district, Georgia’s Congressional delegation will be composed of 10 Caucasian Republicans and 4 African American Democrats. The coalition of urban African American and rural white Democrats which ruled Georgia for decades is now officially a relic of history.

This transition was exacerbated by several mostly rural white Democrats switching to the Republican Party in advance of the redistricting session. Salt was poured into this wound when Rep Doug McKillip, recently elected Minority caucus chairman, bolted from the Democrats to join the GOP.