The Democratic Party in Georgia became strained with the reapportionment in 1991-1992. Under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, all southern states, except Arkansas and Tennessee, had to have approval from the Department of Justice before redrawing district lines for United States House and state Senate seats. In the 1986 Supreme Court ruling of Thornburg v Gingles, majority-minority districts should be created wherever possible, as demanded by the Department of Justice.1 Rural Democrats opposed urban African-Americans advocating for reapportionment that would allow a large black electorate in the state legislature and Congress. In 1992, the new redistricting guidelines created two new majority-black districts, and three Republicans were elected to the House of Representatives.2
In the early 1990s, Congressman Newt Gingrich of Georgia saw an opportunity to have a Republican majority in the United States House of Representatives and him as speaker. In 1993, Gingrich held a poll to determine what issues mattered the most to voters. “A Contract with America” was drafted as a combination of the results from the poll and pledged to work on a balanced budget amendment, term limits for Congress, and laws for Congress to follow like the rest of society. Republicans increase their support when Gingrich promised to work on these points during the first one-hundred days of the next congressional session. After the 1994 election, the Senate and House became a Republican majority, and Gingrich became speaker of the House. Gingrich began working on implementing the promise made under the Contract with America. In the Spring of 1995, a balanced budget amendment failed by one vote in the Senate. The amendment for setting term limits for Congress also failed. After this, Gingrich admitted defeat, believing he did his best. By 1997, Republicans thought that Gingrich failed in defeating President Clinton on financial issues and other conflicts and tried to oust him in July 1997.3
Zelle Miller was the governor of Georgia during the 1990s and previously served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975-1991. While Governor Miller supported many social programs like PeachCare for Kids, developed after the Clinton administration's welfare reform. Miller also created public education programs like the H.O.P.E. Scholarship. His political career came to an end with his support for removing the Confederate symbol from the Georgia state flag alienated his voters and ended his political career.4
In the early 1990s, social conservatives began penetrating the Republican party in Georgia, especially in state organizations. Anti-abortion initiatives helped social conservatives work their way up in the party, eventually taking control of Congress in 1994. The policies they stood for were easy to appeal to Presidential candidates. During this time, social conservatism slowly took precedence over economic conservatism.5
As the Republican party gained popularity and power in Georgia, the purpose of the 1998 race was to lead the party to win the governor's race. Attorney General Mike Bowers appealed to many Republican voters when he switched the Republican party in 1994 and became the Republican candidate for the 1998 race. However, before diving into the campaign in 1997, Bowers came out and admitted to a 10-year affair with the secretary, hindering the Republican’s win.6
In 1998, Senator Sonny Perdue switched to the Republican Party (for more information, visit “Political Transitions: 2002-2020”).
In 2002, Sonny Perdue became Georgia’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction. He convinced four Democratic state senators to switch to the Republican Party, which led to a Republican majority in the state senate. Those Senators included Jack Hill, Don Cheeks, Dan Lee, and Rooney Bowen. After the 2004 election, the state House became a Republican majority, creating a majority red state.7
When discussing the Republican ascendancy, state legislatures played a significant role as they were the officials who decided on policy decisions.8 In Georgia, they voted, for the most part, consistently for Republican presidents after the 1964 election when Barry Goldwater was on the ballot. Not long after Sonny Perdue’s 2002 defeat of the incumbent Democratic Governor, Roy Barnes, the Georgia State Senate gained a Republican majority due to the switch of four Democratic Senators to the Republican Party. The party later took control of the Georgia House after the successful reelection bid of President Bush in 2004.9