Georgia State's Secret to Winning Elections Lessons for 2026 Midterms [Episode Cut - Rewind]

Explore the grassroots organizing tactics that flipped Georgia and empowered Democrats, with lessons for inspiring voters and combating election denial. Description: Organizers in Georgia did the impossible back in 2020: they managed to get overlooked voters to the polls and cracked the code on how to spark civic involvement. The election of two Democrats to the Senate from the state handed the presidency to Joe Biden and control of Congress to the Democrats that year. But as you’ll hear, this was no flash in the pan; it was the result of decades of organizing. There’s lots to learn from the state — especially now with the 2026 midterm elections in full swing. This week we are revisiting “The Georgia Way: How to Win Elections”, an oral history intended to record the strategies used in the state. Hear from the book’s editors, Ray McClendon and Steven Rosenfeld; and Andrea Miller, the Executive Director of the Center for Common Ground, People Demanding Action on the strategizing in Virginia. And get Laura’s two cents on election deniers. “People are going to need to be poll workers. They are going to need to be monitors. They are going to need to be outside, reporting any problems they see. We're reading about groups training people to challenge voters.” - Andrea Miller “Andrea and Ray have taken the time to try to talk to people first, not on the eve of the election, but beforehand to try to get a sense of, “What are you really concerned about?” I know that sounds so simple and obvious, but it's really not done in these statewide and national campaign committee-driven efforts. - Steven Rosenfeld Guests: Ray McClendon, Editor, The Georgia Way: How to Win Elections; Political Action Committee Chair, NAACP Atlanta, Georgia Andrea Miller, Founding Board Member & Executive Director, Center for Common Ground; Executive Director, People Demanding Action Steven Rosenfeld, Editor, The Georgia Way: How to Win Elections; Editor & Chief Correspondent, Voting Booth, for the Independent Media Institute This program is made possible by listeners and viewers like you, subscribe at https://lauraflanders.substack.com/ or https://LauraFlanders.org/Donate RESOURCES: Recommended books by our featured guests: The Georgia Way: How to Win Elections, Co-Editors Ray McClendon and Steven Rosenfeld Download the PDF Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Shirley Sherrod Watch • Ferguson to Detroit: Community Building from the Barbershop to the Polls Watch / Listen • Voting Rights: BIPOC Media Sound the Alarm Watch / Listen Related Articles and Resources: • Special Report: “Voting Systems: How They Work, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigation” by Steven Rosenfeld, Download the PDF • Blue Grit: Making Impossible, Improbable, and Inspirational Political Change in America by Laura Flanders Get the Book Here • Team Unity Georgia, Learn more here Featured ‘Music in the Middle’ of the Podcast: “Reality” by The Strange Content featuring So Strange, courtesy of Nylon Trax, Listen and Read More Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriends YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lg Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriends Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriends ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel