Jewish Democrat Makes Second Run for State Legislature

Jewish Democrat Debra Shigley is taking a second shot at a seat in the Georgia General Assembly, this time in the state Senate.

Shigley, a member of The Temple, is vying for the District 21 seat vacated by Republican former Sen. Brandon Beach, now the Treasurer of the United States.

District 21 takes in a large swath of Cherokee County and a portion of northern Fulton County.

A special election to fill the remaining portion of Beach’s term is scheduled for Aug. 26. Early voting runs through Aug. 22. If no one wins a majority of the primary votes cast, a runoff between the top two vote-getters will be held Sept. 23.

The primary ballot lists six Republicans, five men and one woman, and one Democrat, Shigley. The Republican hopefuls are Lance Calvert, Stephanie Donegan, Brice Futch, Steve West, Brian Will, and Jason Dickerson. The six all have expressed support for President Donald Trump and politically conservative policies.

Following a June 2 forum in Canton hosted by the group Americans for Prosperity, attended by five of the six Republican candidates, Ross Williams of the Georgia Recorder wrote: “Policy-wise, there was not a whole lot of space between the candidates at the forum. Each said they support legislation expanding school vouchers, reducing or eliminating the state income tax and reducing government regulations — though the candidates did express some disagreement on accomplishing those goals.”

Shigley told the AJT: “The major issue for voters in District 21 is affordability. My team and I are out every day knocking doors and talking to voters who are struggling with high grocery prices, reduced access to healthcare, and economic uncertainty — made worse by the chaos of the Trump administration . . . Whether it’s holding corporations accountable for price gouging or using our state’s $16 billion surplus to ease the burden on working families, my goal is to ensure that all Georgians can afford to provide for their loved ones.”

In 2024, Shigley won the Democratic primary in House District 47 but was defeated in the general election by 12-term Rep. Jan Jones, the second-ranking Republican in the House, who received 62 percent of the vote.

Beach represented Senate District 21 from 2013 until May, when he took office after Trump appointed him the 46th Treasurer of the United States. Beach was a staunch supporter of Trump, backing efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results.

Democrats hope that the six Republicans will splinter the GOP vote, allowing Shigley at least to reach a runoff. That may be an uphill task in a district where Beach won more than 70 percent of the vote in 2024 (outperforming Trump) and 2018, the only times he faced Democratic opposition.

“My hope is that enough people recognize that I’m offering something different than my opponents: a campaign grounded in service, not spectacle. I hope to earn the trust and support of those who are ready for solutions-focused representation, whether that’s on Election Day on August 26th or in a runoff,” Shigley said.

At present, Fulton County Democratic Rep. Esther Panitch is the only Jewish member of the General Assembly. A single Jewish legislator accounts for 0.04 percent of the General Assembly. An estimated 1.3 percent of the state’s population is Jewish.

Republicans currently hold a trifecta under the Gold Dome, with majorities in the House and Senate and Gov. Brian Kemp as the state’s chief executive. Republicans hold 100 of the 180 seats in the House and 33 out of 56 seats in the Senate.

State representatives and senators are paid $17,342 plus per diem annually for their part-time jobs. State Senate districts average 191,000 residents and state House districts 59,500.

Shigley is an employment attorney and co-founder of a company called Colour, a technology-based hair care service for women of color.

She and her husband, Kevin, are the parents of five children. “As a Jewish woman and mom of five, I’m grounded in my faith and moved by our Jewish concept of tikkun olam — our responsibility to repair the world. This deepens my resolve to serve our community, uplifting people in need, and working towards a more just society,” Shigley said.