Georgia House Democrats Thursday elected State Rep. Carolyn Hugley to serve as the Minority Leader, following a secret ballot election. Hugley, was elected to the House in 1992, served as the Caucus Whip from 2002 through 2018. She will succeed outgoing Minority Leader, Dr. James Beverly, in the role. “We’re going to be majority minded, we’re going to be member focused, and we’re going to continue to work,” Hugley said after the vote concluded.Hugley defeated State Rep. Derrick Jackson, a Democrat from Tyrone, for Minority Leader.House Democrats also voted Thursday to retain Rep. Sam Park, D-Lawrenceville, as minority whip.Georgia State Representative Tanya F. Miller, Esq., speaks during a Democratic Party of Georgia and Team Kamala Harris-Tim Walz rally on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 in East Point, Georgia. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)State Rep. Tanya Miller, a Democrat from Atlanta, will now be the Chairwoman of the House Minority Caucus. She beat State Rep. Billy Mitchell to win the seat. Miller was first elected to the House in 2022. “We are taking stock of what happened this last election,” Miller told reporters. “I think what you see reflected in this leadership is a desire for change and a desire to look at our electorate, our strategy, and how we reach the majority through a fresh set of eyes.”Meanwhile, State Rep. Spencer Frye, a Democrat from Athens, will serve as Minority caucus Vice Chairman. State Rep. Park Cannon, a Democrat from Midtown Atlanta, will return as Minority Caucus Secretary.A vision for 2026After the Democrats did not achieve their goals after the redistricting fights in December, there were calls for new leadership. Though the Democrats picked up two seats in the House after November’s elections, the Republicans have 100 seats, a majority. The 2025-2026 biannual Georgia Legislative Session gavels to order on January 13, 2025.  “I was part of this caucus when we were in the 60s in terms of numbers, but now we are at 80 and we’re going to continue to move forward,” Hugley told reporters. “So it’s about refocusing on our value proposition and raising the funds that we need and putting forth the candidates that we need.”The post Georgia House Democrats elect new leaders with vision set for 2026 appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.