Democratic Party of Georgia

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Dr. Barbara Smith to Join Democratic Party of Georgia’s Coordinated Campaign as Co-Chair

                                                                                     

Dr. Barbara Smith to Join Democratic Party of Georgia’s Coordinated Campaign as Co-Chair

  

Atlanta, GA – Today, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter announced that Dr. Barbara Smith will serve as a co-chair of the state party’s coordinated campaign.

 

“Georgia Democrats are honored to have Dr. Smith join our team,” said Chairman Porter in a statement. “November’s election will determine whether or not our state will chart a course to provide future generations with the opportunity they deserve. Dr. Smith shares our belief that the surest path to a strong economy and middle class begins with a quality public education for every student—regardless of geography, gender, or background. She is a proven leader and I look forward to working with her.”

 

Find Dr. Smith’s bio below.

 

Dr. Barbara Smith has provided leadership in secondary, postsecondary, and business alliances for AVID Center for more than 17 years.  As Vice President of Government Relations and Equity, Barbara has supported key initiatives through leveraging and increasing alliances with external organizations.  Barbara also monitors education legislation and develops advocacy guides to support student persistence while in college and their success beyond college.

 

 

Currently, Barbara collaborates with Institutions of Higher Education to launch initiatives aimed at promoting pipelines designed to exponentially increase the college graduation rates of all students—especially low wealth students and students of color.  Dr. Smith has successfully developed a national team which has launched AVID Alumni Associations at 9 colleges and universities across the United States.

 

The majority of Dr. Smith’s career in education was with the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) and the DeKalb County School District. At the GDOE, Barbara provided statewide educational support through her roles as Executive Director of the Metro School Service Centers, Divisional Director for Instructional Support and Associate Director of the Georgia Leadership Academy.   She also served as Assistant Principal for Instruction at Ronald E. McNair Junior High School and initiated an Individualized School Development Plan that resulted in high performance teacher practices, increased student achievement, and high-level community engagement.  Dr. Smith also taught graduate courses as an adjunct instructor at Georgia State University.

 

As part of her civic engagement, Dr. Smith served a six-year term on the Executive Board of the National Dropout Prevention Network and the Executive Board of Health Education and Human Development at Clemson University.  Barbara currently serves as Vice President of the Georgia State University College of Education Alumni Network and is actively engaged as a member of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Democratic National Committee, Emily’s List, Georgia Democratic Victory Fund, and Ebenezer Baptist Church Women’s Ministry.

 

 

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Democratic Party of GA Chairman DuBose Porter on Tonight’s Primary Runoff Results

Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman DuBose Porter on Tonight’s Primary Runoff Results

 

Atlanta, GA – Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter issued the following statement on Tuesday’s primary runoff results in the Georgia GOP Senate race.

“There is a clear contrast in this race between Michelle Nunn, a leader who has spent the last 25 years leading volunteer organizations and lifting communities up, and David Perdue, someone who has spent his career enriching himself while often times tearing companies and communities apart,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter. “Georgians want leaders who will fix the mess in Washington, not someone who puts personal profit ahead of regular people.”

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GA Dems Say Elected Officials Must be Held Accountable

Time for leaders in Washington to win back trust

 

Georgia Democrats expressed relief today with the halting of the federal government shutdown, but expressed displeasure in the accountability of Congress to conduct the people’s business.

 

“While the short-term deal reached Wednesday will delay permanent harm to the economy, the GOP obstructionists who engaged in brinksmanship with the lives of millions of Americans must be held to a higher standard by their constituents.  We are elected to do the business of government, and if we fail to do our jobs, legislators must be held to account,” said Rep. Stacey Abrams, leader of the Georgia House Minority Caucus.

President Barack Obama signed a measure into law reopening the federal government and averting a potential default. The White House budget office has instructed federal workers to return to work Thursday morning. The measure restores funding for the government through Jan. 15 and extends the nation’s borrowing authority through Feb. 7.

Senate Democratic Leader Steve Henson concurred with Abrams and said it’s time to lift the cloud of uncertainty.

“It’s time for leaders in Washington to win back the trust of Americans lost during the debt and spending crisis,” Henson said. “The current legislation will permit the Treasury to borrow normally through Feb. 7, or perhaps a month longer, and fund the government through Jan. 15, but the cloud of financial uncertainty must be lifted.’

Georgia relies on the federal government for nearly a third of its state’s revenue. The full impact of the federal shutdown was only weeks away in Georgia and would have impacted thousands of Georgia families. Georgia’s balanced state budget relies upon $11 billion in federal funding.

“It’s time to take the threat of default off the table. It’s time to restore some sanity to government. Democrats stand ready to do our part and hold elected official accountable,” said DuBose Porter, chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia.

Georgia Democrats are unified to ensure that the state budget reflect the priorities of Georgians, including education, health care and an unemployment safety net for those who lose their jobs during an economic downturn.

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