Democrats in Bryan County hope to sway residents to vote blue as election cycle ramps up

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Democrats in Bryan County are looking to garner support and bolster nominees that can spearhead more blue votes at the local level and beyond.
In Richmond Hill, qualifying for mayor begins Aug. 18. The governor's race is heating up too as there are candidates who have announced their bid and have kicked off their respective campaign for the general election in May 2026.
According to a voting map on bestneighborhood.org, Bryan County is predominantly red. Despite an area that has strong Republican backing, residents like Corey Foreman, president of the Bryan County Democratic Committee, want to change that.
'There is more hope in Bryan County than most people realize — and when we come together with purpose, things can change faster than anyone expects,' said Foreman. 'The numbers don't lie. Even if you think this is a county that cannot be flipped, I promise you, it's not. The potential here is real — and growing.'
At the heart of the matter is concern regarding the Republican stronghold not only in the county but in the state. Foreman said affordable healthcare and the cost of living are top of mind.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Attorney General Chris Carr, Lt. Governor Burt Jones are also Republicans. According to Ballotpedia, Republicans make up 55% of Georgia lawmakers, including Ron Stephens, Jesse Petrea and Lehman Franklin, who all serve portions of Bryan County.
Foreman said there is a place in the Democratic Party for those who may not see eye-to-eye on every topic. However, he feels strongly that issues such as reproductive rights and access to affordable health care are at the forefront of the party's concerns and issues Foreman says are controlled by the GOP.
'The Democratic Party needs action and to show the commitment of the true policy that we want to change for the people,' said Foreman. 'There is a little bit of fear - some Democrats aren't as bold and outspoken as others. I don't want to keep talking about the issues in Georgia and then hoping that the Republican control fixes it. I want the Democratic Party to step up and be the change.'In 2021, Bryan County was named the fastest growing county in the state, according to U.S. Census data. With its growing population comes opportunities for Governor Gubernatorial Candidate and Democratic Senator Jason Esteves to flip red voters blue.
Foreman was recently appointed to President of the BCDC and since then, he has been working diligently to ensure residents feel the presence of Democrats in their community. He spoke before a large crowd at a rally last month protesting Trump's Big Beautiful Bill and has attended a handful of other rallies. The party also hosted a community Q&A earlier this month with leaders from around the reigon, including Alderman Kurtis Purtee of Savannah and Commissioner Justin Frazier of Liberty County.
Democratic gubernatorial and Senator Jason Esteves visited Savannah Aug. 3 as part of his campaign tour but said he plans to come back to South Georgia to talk to voters in Bryan County at a later date. Esteves said the goal is not necessarily to turn the entire county blue, but to earn some of the republican votes, even if it is a small percentage.
'Does it mean that we win the county? No, but have we made progress and does that mean we have a Democrat as governor? Yes, and that's the kind of progress that we're going to be making not only in Bryan County but across the state," said Esteves.
But it's a tall order in a state led by sitting Gov. Brian Kemp that swung back to red in the 2024 presidential election and in a country with a Republican-majority House and Senate.
Esteves said one of his primary goals is to highlight issues within the economy, such as a lack of affordable housing or the need to provide capital for entrepreneurs to start their own business. His number one goal is to keep the conversation of affordability in all aspects at the forefront of his conversation when talking to voters.
'I think if Democrats talk to voters and in counties like Bryan County or a blue county about how we're going to keep and grow the money in their pockets, then we can win by building a broad-based coalition,' said Esteves. 'What voters want to talk about is how we can help make life more affordable for them so that they can afford a place to live, food on the table and health care.'
Esteves wears hats that may appeal to a variety of voters. He is a lawyer, business owner of an urgent care and two breakfast restaurants and a former middle school social science public school teacher. Still, his political stint has been a relatively recent endeavor as the state Democratic Party treasurer since 2019, and the District 35 Senator since 2023, representing Douglas and parts of Fulton County.
'It was former President Barak Obama who said we need to stop looking for Messiahs, we need to stop looking for someone to save us,' said Esteves. 'We have to do the hard work to save ourselves. No one is coming to save us in this state. We're not going to celebrity our way to victory - it's nothing but hard work and meeting voters where they are."
Foreman said he is seeing an increase in membership numbers in the Bryan County Democratic Committee not only from newcomers to the area but from the existing Democratic base in the county.
'On the statewide issues, they are realizing that these issues are all the same,' said Foreman. 'I feel like people are open to new leadership and new conversations. The base of Democrats in Bryan County, they are growing. They're not the loudest but they're present and they're starting to get louder.'
Foreman is calling on his community to get involved at the local level. 'Richmond Hill municipal qualifying is coming up in August and we need people ready to step forward and run,' said Foreman. 'If you've ever considered being that voice for change — this is the moment. I want you to be involved. I need you to be involved.'
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at [e-mail]. Jillian Magtoto contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Corey Foreman and Jason Esteves talk politics among democratic party
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