Former Democratic Representative Mesha Mainor of Georgia's 56th district recently announced her switch to the Republican Party, citing fundamental policy disagreements. Mainor expressed her frustration with Democratic stances on key issues impacting her community, highlighting education and public safety as primary drivers of her decision.

In an interview, Mainor pointed to the Democratic Party's resistance to school choice initiatives as a major factor. She emphasized the dire state of literacy and math proficiency in her district's public schools and criticized her former colleagues for obstructing her efforts to improve educational opportunities for families. Mainor questioned why Democrats weren't prioritizing these critical issues affecting young people, particularly within the Black community.

Furthermore, Mainor expressed her disapproval of the "defund the police" movement and other policies she believes prioritize systems over families seeking justice. She recounted experiencing strong opposition within her former party after supporting a school choice bill, including colleagues offering financial incentives to potential challengers for her seat.

Mainor described her decision to switch parties as a "moral" one, born out of a desire to effectively address the needs of her constituents. She felt her efforts to implement positive change were consistently stymied by Democratic leadership. In previous statements, she accused the Democrats of hypocrisy, citing examples of lawmakers circumventing school zoning regulations for their own children while simultaneously opposing school choice legislation for others.

Mainor believes the Republican Party's alignment with her community's needs ultimately led her to make the switch. She stressed that her focus remains on policy, not party affiliation, and she is committed to working towards solutions that benefit her constituents.