Bernard Reynolds · November 6, 2026
When the General Assembly convenes on January 11, 2027, at least 51 of its 236 members will be serving for the first time. That includes 37 representatives and 14 senators, and it does not count the House District 151 seat, which goes to a December 1 runoff. Every figure below is unofficial until the state certifies results on November 20.
The class leans Democratic: 37 of the 51 are Democrats and 14 are Republicans. In the House, 27 of the 37 new members are Democrats. In the Senate, 10 of the 14 are Democrats, even though Republicans kept control of that chamber.
Geography explains much of it. Twenty-nine of the 51 come from metro Atlanta, and 25 of those are Democrats. North Georgia sends nine, seven of them Republicans. The rest are scattered across Middle Georgia, the coast, the southwest and the southeast.
Sixteen of the 51 defeated an incumbent. Thirteen of those were House races, and three were Senate races: Darcy Castro in District 37, Scott Tippetts in District 45 and Laura Murvartian in District 48. The others succeed members who retired, ran for another office or left the seat vacant.
Four of the Senate's new members already know the process. Ruwa Romman, Saira Draper and Teddy Reese are House members moving up on the Democratic side, and Will Wade is doing the same as a Republican. They know the committee system, the leadership and the staff, so their learning curve will be shorter than most of the class's.
Democrat Scott Soracco defeated Rep. Matt Dubnik (R-Gainesville) in House District 29 by 131 votes, 7,907 to 7,776, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Dubnik conceded. The Gainesville Times reported that Soracco won despite being outspent roughly 28 to 1.
Two races remain uncalled: Democrat Chris Luchey leads Rep. Soo Hong (R-Lawrenceville) in House District 103 by 27 votes, and Democrat Henry James leads Rep. Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert) in House District 154 by about 58 votes. Both margins are inside Georgia's recount range, and a candidate may request a recount only after certification. Those two members are in our count, but they could change.
Most of these members have never carried a bill, sat on a committee or built a relationship with an agency. Between now and the first day of session, they choose staff, ask for committee assignments, and decide whose calls they return. The organizations that introduce themselves in November and December are the ones a new member knows by January.
For associations, local governments, developers and employers, that makes the next ten weeks the practical start of the 2027 session. A new member looking for an expert on a local issue will remember the person who explained it before the session started.
We have compiled every new state senator and representative in a briefing, with district, party, region, occupation and the seat each one fills. Request the 2027 Freshman Class briefing and it will be sent to your inbox.
If your organization has an issue that will move in the 2027 session, contact True North Strategies. We represent clients before the General Assembly, state agencies and local governments across Georgia, and we run grassroots and community relations in-house.
Analysis of the General Assembly and what it means for an organization with business before the state. Choose the topics you want, or leave them blank for all of it.
